Well I do protest

[Anarchic Tribes]

but what's the point?

Yesterday, what a beautiful day for a gathering. Around 4 times the amount of people turned up than did this time last year. Yes it was because the sun was shining. I've heard all sorts of reasons why the turn out was bigger, none of which were true. And I'm glad.
So here's a good idea. Next time we protest, make sure good weather is ordered

Just recently I've started arriving early for things. Last weekend for example, I went to a meeting about renewable energy. Normally I would have been on time if not late and I would've been stuck at the back not being able to see or hear, got bored and left. This time I got a front seat and it made for a completely different experience.
So at 12 on the dot I was at Hyde Park yesterday. I got my place up front with the 'school kids' and nearly 2 hours later we started our march to Trafalgar Square , stopping on the way to leave a message for the US embassy. When we got to the Square there was plenty of room (unlike arriving at the back and there being none). So I got my prime spot where I could see everything going on, the stage, the people down the bottom and up above, and for the next couple of hours the rest of the march joining us. I thought the first half of the speakers were good and then Faithless played a couple of songs (inc. WMD) which was brilliant and I had a good dance in the sun
Then the people from stopthewar started speaking and I started drifting off towards a funny smell in the crowd.
After that I had to go home which took another hour just to gather the tribe together. Whilst waiting for somethone to get changed (they'd been playing in the fountains, such weather ;D) a couple of uniforms stood too close to us. The litter from people was bad. Masses of it from the burger chains and coffee cups etc from the coffee chains (you know who I mean) and coke tins and allsorts of crap. Lots of people in full religous dress, head scarves etc wearing nasty trainers and stuff. Quite hard to distinguish between stopthewar, the police and anyone else wearing those bloody green jackets. There were filth everywhere and spooks down the tubes, a couple of which I stopped to laugh at (which made me laugh again when I saw their faces on IMC this morning).
www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/03/307040.html

Didn't see any anarchists but that could've been because I wasn't late
Jolly good day anyway. Let's do it again next week ;D

[Anarchic Tribes]

Oh yes the point. Well I wrote this some time back. I think if we can ascertain the point in something then we can do something about it and find solutions to the problems etc. What do you think?

- What's the point in protesting?
Sometimes I’m not sure about all this war and politics stuff. Not saying that I don’t care, and I do think it’s important to be aware, but how much good does protesting do?

A search on this question seemed to say much about nothing to begin with. There were some conversations going on, debating the fors and againsts. Next came the extreme againsts, which although making some valid points, smelt very bad indeed. Then the extreme pros gave the same old answers to a question that they hadn’t really listened to and saw no reason to debate, but the odour was pleasant enough.
Finally I came across this comment: “More of us need to stand up and do something and protest the injustices that we encounter in every day life in an effort to improve our lives. In fact a study by psychologists at the University of Sussex has found that as well as potentially changing the world, participation in protests and demonstrations www.sussex.ac.uk/press_office/media/media270.shtml is actually good for you.” Now I agree with this have because I felt it. So back to the original question, I’m still not 100% convinced that it has a direct positive effect on the issue being protested, but the fact that it is indeed a good thing for the individual to do, will maybe empower them more to continue pushing for change on the issues they believe in.