Can the anti-war movement walk _and_ chew gum?

Monday March 03, 2003 12:55

by Ray - none

February 15th was a great day for the anti-war movement in Ireland, with over 100,000 people turning out to oppose the war. But does that mean that every demonstration has to be a repeat of F15? Are we incapable of walking _and_ chewing gum at the same time?

Getting large numbers of people out on to the streets is a good thing. Opinion poll after poll has shown that most people oppose war in the gulf, and want Ireland to remain neutral. But its one thing to hear it in an opinion poll, another to see tens of thousands of people marching against the use of Shannon as a US military staging post.

But there is a big difference between saying that 'large marches are great', and thinking that 'large marches are the be-all and end-all of the campaign'. Especially since we've already gone about as far as we can go with that tactic. And while it was quite successful in some ways, it has also failed in its stated aim - to stop the war, or at least take Ireland out of it. Bertie is still sitting on the fence, planning to quietly back Bush and Blair. And US troops and equipment are still passing through Shannon every day.

So its time for another tactic. _Supplementing_, not replacing, the mass protests. Its time to chew gum down in Shannon, and last weekend was a pretty good start. Hundreds of people turned up, many of them travelling long distances, to take part in direct action. Despite all of the scare-mongering from the media, our opponents (and, regretfully, some people who should be on our side), the protests passed off peacefully. GNAW said they would engage in non-violent direct action, and that's exactly what they did. They didn't manage to pull down the fence, but there's always next time.

Because there has to be a next time, for both the mass marches and the direct action. There's no contradiction between the two, and there's no reason why one shouldn't support the other. Mass marches in Dublin, direct action in Shannon - its a natural tactical division. Mass marches will always be bigger in Dublin, because its easier for most people to get to. Direct action will always be more appropriate in Shannon, because that's where the planes are landing.

GNAW has consistently supported the mass marches in Dublin, because it has always realised that the two tactics are complementary, and both can help in reaching our goal. Hopefully, by the time the next Shannon protest comes around, the IAWM, PANA, and the various political parties, will all have realised that diversity of tactics actually makes this movement stronger - and the only thing that weakens us is when other groups are attacked for straying from the 'one true path' of marches and speeches.

save preference

Comments (14 of 14)

GNAW people do think that demo in dublin is a waste of time

by Philip Dearing - - Galway

Mon Mar 03, 2003 14:49

"GNAW has consistently supported the mass marches in Dublin"

That is wrong, there are people involved in GNAW that have sadi to me that they do not think we should be wasting our time wiih demos in Dublin when we could be down in Shannon stopping planes

Individuals maybe

by Joe

Mon Mar 03, 2003 15:00

There are some individuals in GNAW who don't see the value of the Dublin marches but they are a small minority and most of the individuals and groups in GNAW have taken part in and advertised these marches.

Individuals make up their own minds, and are free to speak them, on this.

Posted as article

by Ray - as editor

Mon Mar 03, 2003 15:03

Declaration of war
by King Mob Mon, Mar 3 2003, 1:46pm
Against all those who sabotaged Saturday's Direct Action at Shannon
Including but not exclusively, the iawm, pana, NGO peace alliance, swm, sp, green party, labour, sinn fein the workers party, provisional sinn fein, the trade unions, the roman catholic church, paul kinsella, brian cahill and the rest of your fellow travellers.

Be warned...from now its war against you'se for sabotaging last Saturday's Direct Action at Shannon. The next time you'se have one of your stupid little demos we'll be waiting for you.

add your comments

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMENTS
I suspect this is yet another fake
by Andrew Mon, Mar 3 2003, 1:51pm

It's certainly not helpful

Whaat??? Sinn Fein the Workers' Party??

by Jim - WP

Mon Mar 03, 2003 15:14

Actually it's The Workers' Party and it played no role in "sabotaging Saturday's demo". Several WP members were there at the fence.

WP no role whatsoever

by King Mob - GLB against the war

Mon Mar 03, 2003 16:09

It played no role in sabbotaging the demo and it played no role in the demo either. They were not there at all. The WP are nothing, all their members are either dead too old or have sold out years ago.

Naw

by Andy Gaw

Mon Mar 03, 2003 17:57

Chewing gum is an American cultural trait. Please no chewing gum. Can't we just gnaw on something?

Success

by Bronterre

Mon Mar 03, 2003 18:10

That Indymedia has been attacked by Michael McDowell is a great tribute to its success. That hundreds of people turned up at Shannon on Sat. despite the hysteria generated by the capitalist press is also a success. Let's all give the likes of McDowell and his backward politics plenty more to worry about. The airing of dissent and disagreement on Indymedia will but increase the strenght of the anti-War movement.

King Mob obviously didn't see the Cork WP group

by John

Mon Mar 03, 2003 19:01

Who were there in the vanguard led by Ted Tynan.

The whereabouts of the WP

by uh huh

Mon Mar 03, 2003 19:15

Ted Tynan and the WP were on the IAWM march. They may have stopped briefly (with many others) to exchange fraternal greetings with GNAW activists.

My whereabouts

by Ted Tynan

Mon Mar 03, 2003 19:55

Actually I was with both groups in the spirit of co-operation and comradeship.

You'll achieve nothing.

by Leo

Tue Mar 04, 2003 03:19

Direct Action will not stop any war. It only makes you feel good about your (probably very well-to-do-with-too-much-free-time Dublin) self. Deal with it.

However, in reality you only succeeded in making yourselves looking like a bunch of twats on Irish television. So right now, all your old friends and schoolmates are laughing at you.

Right on Leo

by zzzzzzzzz

Tue Mar 04, 2003 10:17

Virtual leafy suburbs

zzzzzzzz........

To ZZZZ

Tue Mar 04, 2003 11:29

Hey ZZZ given Joe Higgins remarks which you obviously like so much what did you make of the 10 virtual arrests and the virtual bloody noses kindly handed out by the Gardai. It seems Joe Higgins was demanding GNAW riot on Saturday, hardly a responsible attitude. I was surprised by his attack on GNAW, probably being made around the moment these arrests were being made, but what else can you expect from a politican. Grow up and think about the implications of his (and yours) implicit demands on GNAW.

to Joe

by zzzzzzzzzzz

Tue Mar 04, 2003 19:55

Virtual criticism from a virtual protester

Number of comments per page

Upcoming Events

New Events

Other Press

User Preferences

Feeds

Blog Feeds

The Saker

Public Inquiry

Human Rights in Ireland

Lockdown Skeptics

Can the anti-war movement walk _and_ chew gum?

Comments (14 of 14)