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Home Front
One million. And still they came
2003-02-16
This article rambles on in a try-hard poetic way so I've kept the most pertinant facts and cut the dribble
It was the biggest public demonstration ever held in Britain, surpassing every one of the organisers' wildest expectations and Tony Blair's worst fears, and it will be remembered for the hypocrisy of the organisers and the ignorance of the public the bleak bitterness of the day and the colourful warmth of feeling in the extraordinary crowds. Organisers claimed that more than 1.5 million had turned out; even the police agreed to 750,000 and rising. By three o'clock in the afternoon they were still streaming out of Tube stations to join the end of the two routes, from Gower Street in the north and Embankment by the river. There were, of course, the usual suspects - CND, Socialist Workers' Party, the anarchists. But even they looked shocked at the number of their fellow marchers: it is safe to say they had never experienced popularity such a mass of humanity. There were nuns. Toddlers. Women barristers. The Eton George Orwell Society. Archaeologists Against War. Walthamstow Catholic Church, the Swaffham Women's Choir and Notts County Supporters Say Make Love Not War (And a Home Win against Bristol would be Nice).
These people need to be taught the difference between appeasement and peace, and the difference between supporting peace and supporting a bloody dictator.
One group of SWP stalwarts were joined, for the first march in any of their histories, by their mothers. There were country folk and lecturers, dentists and poulterers, a hairdresser from Cardiff and a poet from Cheltenham.
I repeat: Bush should start the war without delay, get it over and done with quickly and the administration should keep their collective mouths shut about possible tactics like 'shock and awe' or nuclear bunker-busters, it is only making the opposition worse.
There were cheers as marchers were given updates about turnout elsewhere in the world - 90,000 in Glasgow, two million on the streets of Rome. 'I'm not political, not at all. I don't even watch the news,' said Alvina Desir, the hypocrites leading the ignorant queuing on the Embankment for the start of the march at noon.
I guess that'd make her an unbiased observer, but I don't think it'd give her the right to have an opinion...
A Cheshire fireman nearby said: 'They will take notice of a protest like this. Our MPs, and Blair himself, were voted in by ordinary people like those here today. Blair is clever enough not to ignore this.'

Andrew Miller, 33, from New Zealand, whose feeling, echoed by all around, was that 'all the different groups that are marching today show the world that the West is not the enemy, that British people do not hate Islam and Arabs and the coming together of people is the greatest way forward.'
Unfortunately for us, Mr Miller, the Islamic Jihadists don't care that you don't hate Islam or Arabs. You are not one of them therefore they hate you. Do you get it? Are you ready to teach your mother to wear a burqa?
Lesley Taylor, a constitutional law lecturer who's lived across here for 29 years, holding a forlorn placard reading 'American against the war.' Why only one? 'I don't know any other Americans here. In the Eighties here I saw a lot of anti-American resentment, and now it's back. I accept that the perception of George W. Bush has something to do with this, but still... these are the same people the thinking middle-classes, who were so shocked and honestly sympathetic after September 11: how can they turn so nasty so quickly?
Because the media has indoctrinated them with anti-Americanism and brainwashed them into thinking appeasement is a solution
'Because America is making your Prime Minister go against the huge majority of the British people. And that won't be forgiven. Look about you. That's what this is about; not fierce party politics but a simple feeling that democracy, British democracy, has been forgotten.'

Chris Wall, a Nottingham mother who had brought down eight children with her: 'They indoctrinate them talk about it at school and that's a good thing. Children need to be aware of what's happening in the world. And this is, of course, a peaceful protest.'

In Hyde Park itself, a long line of purple silk lay on the grass, facing Mecca, and Muslims took off their shoes to pray.
What a surprise, get used to it people.
Mo Mowlam warned: 'We will lose this war. It will be the best recruiting campaign for terrorists that there could be. They will hate us even more.'
They hate us anyway.
Will yesterday, astonishing yesterday, change anything?
I hope not.
Posted by:Anonymous

#6  Hope you don't mind, Mojo - I'm going to add that to the title bar mottos. It'll replace "54-40 or fight!" until Cretien cheeses me off again...
Posted by: Fred   2003-02-16 22:18:11  

#5  Let them hate so long as they fear.
(Oderint Dum Metuant)
-- Lucius Accius
Posted by: mojo   2003-02-16 21:08:30  

#4  Those of us that have thought the issues through know why war is inevitable.
And then there are those who think that warm bodies alone can resolve the issues.
When those warm bodies turn cold, the war will be over.
Posted by: john   2003-02-16 14:47:49  

#3  Gonzo, Saddam finances Palestinian terrorism by providing checks to the relatives of bombers. Removing Saddam will reduce the incentives for Palestinian terrorists...thus inching that problem closer to solution.
Posted by: Arthur   2003-02-16 12:00:58  

#2  The bold strap-line for this event was "FREEDOM FOR PALESTINE". Always on view when the BBC filmed speakers on the podium.
What on earth has Sammy's chemical kitchen got to do with freedom for the non-existent "Palestine". At least Arafat is showing that he has not lost all his marbles and intends to appoint a Prime Minister.
Some misguided Britons see some link between Iraq and the Palestinian Authority's cause. Aside from lack of democracy and a penchant for uncivilised behaviour to neighbouring countries I see no link.
Posted by: gonzo   2003-02-16 11:20:23  

#1  'I'm not political, not at all. I don't even watch the news,' said Alvina Desir, queuing on the Embankment for the start of the march at noon.

She's entitled to an opinion, but it illustrates the degree of independent, logical, and critical reasoning many of these people have bothered to do before jumping on the bandwagon. If this was a demonstration you supported, wouldn't you feel a bit embarrassed if one of your fellow marchers came out with a quote like that? Seems like ignorance was something to be proud of yesterday.

On a TV debate I've just seen (Dimbleby debate, ITV1, UK) an exiled Iraqi told how most of his leaflets appealing for the marchers in London to remember Saddam's human right abuses were thrown back at him with the retort: "this isn't about Saddam Hussein, it's about the US." Although he himself didn't want a war, at least the poor guy has a clearer idea of who his friends are now.
Posted by: Bulldog   2003-02-16 10:20:59  

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