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Nat 1905 posts |
Apr 07, 2003, 13:41
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Has anyone else who has been out leafletting/protesting against the war begun to notice a complete apathy amongst the public? I was out on Saturday and no-one seemed to care anymore!! It was very sad, I'm hoping that it's just the Southampton Area that this is happening in! It seemed to be an 'Oh its started may as well let it go on now' feeling... very sad... The only reaction I got was from a very lovely gentleman who called me a 'Feminist Socialist F***king Dyke' and why didn't I just F*** Off and join a Commune... at least it was a reaction I suppose!! ;o) Still I'll keep going.... Hows the anti war thing going everywhere else?? Nat xx
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Vybik Jon 7720 posts |
Apr 07, 2003, 13:53
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100% solid in my house. But I live on my own. Stop The War is still pretty active in Coventry, but I think your description of the apathy and occasional nastiness is fairly accurate.
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RiotGibbon 1527 posts |
Apr 07, 2003, 14:13
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to be honest, it's always been a bit like that - the first 20 minutes can be really hard work, with people just walking past as if you didn't exist Since we've protested, and the war started anyway, you can understand a bit of cynicism as regards the effectiveness of protest I've found that there's been a polarisation of attitudes, with people coming more entrenched in their views, if they have them, or even less interested than before. I had a proper blood-pumping chase whilst flyposting the other night, with some really pissed-off sounding meatheads yelling and shouting out of their car window at me, whilst I headed down narrow alleyways ... hooray for mountain bikes! RG
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Annexus Quam 926 posts |
Apr 07, 2003, 14:22
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Not in such huge numbers as at the beginning but continental Europe's still pretty solid (especially France, Italy, Spain, Poland and Germany as far as I know). Very regular demonstrations, daily strikes and politicians' 'eggings' ; Surveys still show complete rejection of an amazing 90+% of the population. In the case of Britain, I guess Blair had been desperately gagging for a war, as this was his ONE last political manouvre of survival. He very well knew that once it started, opposition to the war'd become almost nullified and everyone'd join the soccer-like national-team-support bandwagon. And people who'd dare to criticize the whole fiasco would have their private phone number made public in the Sun newspaper (e.g. Gorgeous George). The rest would be easy, and he gave a sigh of relief the day Bush sent his troops in. He's finally been able to sleep better and his receding hair and drippy eyelids are back where they were. I am based in a village and work in a small town. When I got here I thought 'bloody hell... sleepy town' but I've seen lots of No War signs outside people's windows as I've never seen before. Demonstrations are rare here but not this time. I guess it's the sheer show of arrogance that's catalysed ALL people together. For once, I don't feel I'm fighting alone, since basically only a few morons (like the one you encountered, and the usual racist extremists) have been left alone to enjoy the bombing. I even saw a group of 6-year-old kids imitating the No War demonstrations. Unfortunately, people didn't expect their kids in the first years of their lives (and, let's remember, in a new millenium) to have to put up with the daily dose of maimed kids and burned faces on tv.
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grufty jim 1978 posts |
Apr 07, 2003, 14:29
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Just put a big CARS = OIL = WAR banner in our window here. Feel oddly bad about it, as it's bound to hassle our neighbours... there they are, 7:45 on a cold Monday morning. Tired, pissed off, and not at all looking forward to the week's work ahead. Then, as they climb into the car, they notice their neighbour blaming them for dead Iraqis. That's a real special way to start the day, huh? But, the fact is, it's just a slogan (and we're going to alternate it with PLASTICS = OIL = WAR) and it's a message that i think should be communicated. Am kind of expecting a brick through the window at some point though...... Also been getting some rather abusive mail from people reading my blog. One email was so chock full of expletives that i'm certain the guy was inventing new swearwords by the end (anyone ever been called a "dumb funger" before?) He was upset at my characterisation of the war as illegal and a clear act of imperialism. I've not been out leafletting; so can't gauge the level of public apathy, but there's certainly plenty of abuse available for being anti-war online. One thing that i have noticed (as an avid analyst of the media) is how the 24-hour news networks have begun to slowly return to normal scheduling. From two days before it began, to about 2 or 3 days ago; i'm fairly certain that the news media broadcast *nothing* but the war. No weather, no sports, no business. Just war. And adverts. I can't vouch for this obviously, but from dipping into it throughout the day, i'm willing to bet that i'm basically right. Now, however, although there's still a huge emphasis on the war, we also have "And now, in non-war related news..." as well as weather and sports and business segments. The newspapers are starting to do the same - although they were never as exclusively war-centred as the TV media. It's obvious that this would happen - the media can't report the same thing, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week indefinitely. The reason they can't is because the public is being made bored of the war. And boredom translates to apathy. (maybe)
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LPHP 335 posts |
Apr 07, 2003, 14:45
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I suppose you can't mention this subject for fear of controversy.. but its a controversial subject so.. I have a friend who was a British marine delivering aid shortly after the first gulf war. He has seen the miserable sights first hand. I suppose all i'm suggesting is that its easy for us to take the moral high ground when we have food to eat and clean water to drink. There are too many issues and too much propaganda for me to be able to trust the opinions of people who havent even been to Iraq to see it for themselves. And to reitify: I'm just throwing an idea into the mix... don't assume you know what my take is on all of this because i haven't actually offered an opinion for either side. Pix xx
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Nat 1905 posts |
Apr 07, 2003, 14:52
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I wouldn't dream of doing that hun.... I'm just wondering if other anti war protesters in the UK have noticed a down turn in support.... just being a "curious orange" I suppose. I'm certainly not going to judge anyone else on their views. I too have a friend who was in the last Gulf War and some of the things we've talked about have made me cry... Just want an unachieviable happy old world I suppose! Without rudeness, thats what upset me more than anything, a justifiable reason is fine by me but not to yell abuse at me, not ask me questions and scare the shite out of me so much that I had to phone Steve to come and get me ;o) Nat x
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FourWinds 10943 posts |
Apr 07, 2003, 14:54
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I really wish I'd had that in my arsenal when I was on the radio yesterday morning! What a superb pairing of words.
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FourWinds 10943 posts |
Apr 07, 2003, 14:55
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That's the point. We *have* the moral high ground. That's what upsets the warmongers.
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LPHP 335 posts |
Apr 07, 2003, 14:55
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I think we all want an old fashioned world in a sense. Anyways... who's Steve? If I phone him, will he come and get me? Pix xx
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