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rights, freedoms and repression |
news report
Tuesday May 02, 2006 16:43
by Paula Geraghty
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Comments (12 of 12)
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I'm sure all those kids are against the war. Blatant exploitation. You should be ashamed.
Whats the crack with the silly costumes? Most people would look at that protest as being a bit odd, maybe not too serious. Maybe you're a bunch of lifestylers and not too serious.
I agree. It looks pretty pointless. Dressing up in silly costumes and having a picnic outside a closed embassy might be fun, but it's hardly going to advance any cause, or get anyone to take the various causes seriously. Juvenile fun for the people concerned, and not much else.
A number of these women involved in this protest have been arrested in Shannon airport in the last few years willing to take the rap,which seen to include ignorant remarks from armchair critics,to try to prevent and highlight the VERY serious nature of this countrys participation in war.They are creative and commited ,we will be hearing more from them no doubt.
Fair play to all involved in the protest outside the embassy, great to see another collective self organising and finding a voice to express the sentiments of so many. intersting fact about the horseshit( and i dont mean the pretty lame comment from above). may be useful to others in the future. are there any details for other women who would like to join. look forward to seeing more of the Unmanageables soon
just a thought on the 'accusation' of exploiting the kids....would mothers be better off leaving them at home? whats exploitiative about taking your kid on a picnic? Do you consider it exploitive to share your convictions beliefs morals and political rational with your children....perhaps the commentor from above would send his/her kids out into the world once they reached the age of one to fend for themselves.!!!
Re: Kids on Picnic / Keith
A lot of the women who came along did so because they 'could' bring their kids. Being a parent should not be a barrier preventing a person from participating in anti-war activities, but unfortunately it very often is. Baby sitting / child minding was carried out in an informal way, with some of the women and men staying near the picnic area to 'keep an eye' while others took part in the horse (shite) play at the embassy.
Re: Puzzled and Skeptical
We could have had a march complete with speeches at the end, but we have all done quite a few of those and will no doubt do many more. (Try doing it on a sunny Bank Holiday with a child in tow.) It was intended, and turned out to be, a fun, creative way to show our opposition to war; solidarity with various causes and campaigns; and a chance for women to take the lead in organising 'something different'. (That's not to say 'The Unmanageables' are anti men, we are pro-women, not the same thing.)
An interesting side effect of the costumes / kids / picnic aspect was the fact that members of the public passing by stopped to ask what the various causes were about. They didn't feel threatened by our appearance just curious about the campaigns. Information was exchanged, people stopped to talk and think, we caught the attention of so many jaded individuals and ultimately, isn't that what campaigning is all about? So it's not to your taste ... you do your thing and we will do ours. But if we are all working towards 'the common good'? Be it anti-war, anti-racism, saving our heritage or natural resources from exploitation, whatever ... should the different approach really cause you so much angst that you feel compelled to dismiss it on the basis that it's not 'your' thing?
>"Most people would look at that protest as being a bit odd, maybe not too serious"
I am reminded of the old adage ... 'I don't care what most people think, because most people don't'. As to whether 'most people' validate your opinion or not? I doubt if I could give a rat's ass, not even one of those 'tiny' ones you hear so much about these days.
>" it's hardly going to advance any cause, or get anyone to take the various causes seriously"
I am not going to put you on the spot and ask if you have a better suggestion, something tells me you don't. I have seen costume used on other protests that were reported here and am surprised by the antipathy generated by our protest. You wouldn't be one of those misogynists often seen wandering around muttering to themselves or drinking alone in a bar?
Methinks the critics forget that the Unmanageables are a core of many different groups. Not only are they activists, but they are the cream of the crop.
I like the idea of kids attending for a number of reasons. It's educational on many levels, eg. political, social, morality, etc.
It allows the public to see that activists are the same as them. It allows informed children to inform other children and might indeed convince other parents how important the issues we face today are. Parents don't just think and act for themselves.
What really amazes me is the fact that the whingers (critics thus far) expect the Unmanageables to protest via whinging.
It might be a serious topic but that doesn't mean activists shouldn't enjoy themselves. I think the Unmanageables are onto something in this respect and that they are and will continue leading the way.
If the critics want scowls and frowns, ask the American ambassador about the Unmanageables.
Party on! and f@#k the begrudgers.
If we are going to demonstrate and protest against the misbehaviour of our politicians, police and various other public servants involved in the crimes at Shannon and Baldonnel, I think it is inappropriate that we usually dress as if we thought they deserved to be taken seriously.
Perhaps it's a sign of our inhibitions re cocking a well-earned snoot at the ministers.
I think the Unmanageables' beautiful costumes serve a very useful purpose in deriding those responsible for Ireland's involvement in the war in Iraq and in questioning the historic events, going right back to Dev's time, that have led us into dubious expressions of friendship with the United States.
Also, I welcome the comic relief the Unmanageables bring to uplift the hearts of those of us who have been saddened by the war, and to encourage us to express our love of life as the most powerful demonstration we can make.
All the same, I would ask everybody to be kind to Garda Puzzled and Garda Skeptical. It can't be much fun to have to go around in uniform on May Day while everybody else is having a ball.
Looking forward to more of this dreadful unmanageability soon.
Best,
Coilín.
Very good protest.
As to the critics why does everything on the left have to be searious and dower! why hot have a bit of fun as well as making a point.
My sympathy goes out to the person who had to bring the horse dung.
Those who are against American imperialism are correct because US style 'nation building' sounds exactly the same as the vision that Lenin had for his 'domino' theory.
Democracy in Iraq will fail as assureadly as the Iranian revolution in Iran in the 1970's succeeded.
No matter how the mainstream media (msm) spins Iraq, it is a strategic disaster. Thats why Bush has to destroy Iran now, in order to prevent this knightmare scenario sparking off a Shiite revolt in Wahabbi (Saudi) Arabia, and handing most of the world oil to a Shiite dominated allaince, a new opec if you will.
The facists in America and Europe who are driving this moronic brand of imperialism do not seem to understand that bullets do not reform nations, nations first must be ready for reform.
Bush and Blair and Ahern (by association and assistance) is ensuring that fanatical militant Islam is taking over muslim philosophy in much the same way as the fanatics who felt so threatend by Islam many centuries ago were driven to crusade.
It does not have to be like this. Islam has the dogmatic tools avilable to it, to reform itself. However the more the west kills them in a frenzied oil bath, they will abandon reform and embrace Jihad.
Whats needed is political realism, the Christofacists in America must be stopped as do the Islamofacists.
Those who prosted against the war on May Day, I thank you. History will prove you right, even though the political right in Europe or even Ireland will never acknowledge it.
Gitmo has proved to a useless tool to fight terrorism as the left claimed, so is rendition. What this really is about is bold boys with big toys, big budgets and control of them. Very little of this is about keeping you safe.