Manchester Jerk Off

[alkmyst]

So, the Blair Government has permitted another Stop the War rally in Manchester on Sept 23rd. Permitting the march to take place is necessary to maintaining the facade of an ersatz democracy.

How long is it going to take people to realise that the hierarchy of the STW movement are in the clutches of the PTB? STW is the official opposition that allows the people to perceive that their voices might just be heard by Tony Bliar ...do you really think he gives a monkey's cuss?

At least one million people protested against UK participation in the invasion of Iraq ... the media reported that there were maybe 50,000 people on parade. Tony Blair took absolutely no notice whatsoever and sent the British troops into yet another illegal war. Why didn't Tony take any notice? Because the protest was no more than a token gesture.

OK, so a million people hit the streets in London alone and were joined by many millions more in towns and cities around the world … but it was still no more than a token protest!

Protest marches that take place at the weekend are of minimal consequence. Police and other emergency service personnel benefit from a few hours of overtime, the train, bus and coach companies make a few extra bucks 'cos a million people want to show their distaste of TB’s Foreign policy and food vendors do very well … but in terms of overall effect, the impact on Government is zip ... zilch...nada (for Government read Tony Blair - the Cabinet is inconsequential).

Everybody has a great day and feels good that they made the effort to join the march ...but in the overall scheme of things? It matters not a jot!

So how do we change this? Whether 10,000, 100,000 or one million people turn up to protest (the attack on Iran is imminent!), they need to be prepared to stay there … until Tony takes real notice.
Go with backpacks loaded with sandwiches, snacks, fruit and water ...as much as you can carry. Be prepared to share what you have with your fellow marchers but be ready to stay for two, three, seven ... ten days and then some. Stay in Manchester for however long it takes. Imagine this scenario repeated in other cities around the UK ...and then across the world? Do you think that it might get some attention?

Alternatively? Have a nice day out in Manchester... then go home and watch the NeoCon psychopaths and puppet Tony launch another illegal war... in your name and in the name of freedom and democracy.

Two million people took to the streets of Madrid after the bombings on March 11, 2004. An estimated ten million took to the streets across Spain. The incumbent government was defeated in the general election which followed shortly afterwards and Spanish troops were subsequently removed from the coalition of the (un)willing. Peaceful protest can make a difference and the difference will be directly proportional to the determination of the people to make their voices heard.

Please also bear in mind that due to the determination of Tony Blair to continue with his quest to introduce more and more restrictive legislation, this may be one of the last chances that the British public has to express the strength of public opinion via the medium of peaceful protest.

10,000+ camping in the Manchester parks on Monday 25th September and beyond … might just get some attention!

However, TB knows that he has got you all by the balls. You're all so much in debt, mortgaged to the hilt & paying 20%+ interest on maxed out credit cards. You're all going to be back at work on Monday ...you know it, I know it & TB sure as hell knows it.

Ultimately, the choice is yours but you're not ready to be serious just yet ...and Tony is laughing his socks off as the Police State draws ever nearer.

Al K Myst.

[Pikey]

Al K Myst states

[SHERITON HOTEL]

'Stop the War' are by definition a failure. I didn't support the direct action by hauliers and farmers circa2000 against fuel tax rises, how can you have government by blockade? but the invasion of Iraq was an illegality done in our name, why didn't we mobilize and blockade the refineries to bring the country to a standstill, why is there no campaign targetting companies who supply the occupation forces in Iraq that has proven so successful by animal righters?

The "leadership" of STW have shown no imagination, marching achieve sweet FA!

[Rabbie McM]

Equally, I have often thought about how the Trade unions have done diddly squat (with very rare exceptions.) There could be the threat of all out general strikes if any military action occurs against Iran (out of solidarity with working people in Iran) etc. But then they're just a bunch of "towel-heads" aren't they, so what do workers here care ?

What is the point of belonging to a trade union like UNISON (which I do) - which has over a million members and thus can be controlled like a glove puppet? We went out on strike on pensions a few months back on a ballot turnout of 28% (many didn't get voting forms.)

Pretty obvious the STW coalition is controlled in my book, absolutely correct. Which is not to say there are not loads of decent people on it that are trying. I'd be tempted to go to Manchester myself if I could get to the front of the protest pen and throw assorted rotten vegetables at Blair or Reid, but then that would make me a terrorist, wouldn't it?

The 9-11 contingent at STW protest (see Xmasdale's post) is clearly a more profitable route.

[xmasdale]

The people of Hungary are out on the streets of Budapest because their government has admitted it lied. Blair's government refuses to admit it lied. I'll go for the Hungarian model, by choice. At least they eventually decided on honesty.

But why do Hungarians stay out on the streets protesting while we Britons dutifully go home after a nice day out protesting and meeting our friends?

I think the most useful thing we lot can do, is get across to Stop the War protestors that 9/11 was an inside job. It may be that their leadership are so controlled by the powers that be that they come out with the line that George Bush has told us the truth: Al Qaeda did it and Hugo Chavez is just another crazy conspiraloon.

Don't worry too much about the Stop the War leadership; there will be masses of grassroots activists out there who think for themselves and are not going to be told what to think by the likes of Andrew Murray and Lindsay German.

Noel

[xmasdale]

Why do we have to have three threads on this demo: this one http://www.nineeleven.co.uk/board/viewtopic.php?p=25171#25171 , this one http://www.nineeleven.co.uk/board/viewtopic.php?p=25039#25039 and this one http://www.nineeleven.co.uk/board/viewtopic.php?p=25044#25044 ?

Noel

[paul wright]