A significant number of people are angry enough to make a fuss. We are a Liberal (19thC/Thatcherite) Democratic (In our own weird way) Country with Social Democratic leanings (we aren't France or Sweden) and George Bush quite Frankly sticks in the craw.
Also coming to london are the leaders of the 33 poorest nations holding a conference on the Millennium targets on poverty, now likely to be missed because fighting poverty is now tied to fighting terrorism. In Peru, for example, poverty programmes have been replaced with Coca growing reduction programmes. Poverty fuels anger and that anger gets directed back at the Rich and we are the rich. I'm not saying that Osama Bin Laden or his backers are poor, they are not, but the foot soldiers of Al'Quaeda are.
Britain has been led into an illegal war, a war founded on false pretenses. I'll agree that Iraqis are freer, no doubt, but they are also far less secure, Iraqis are dying daily because of aftermath of this war. British and American troops are dying almost daily. Of course we shouldn't withdraw from Iraq or Afghanistan (which the US has already done, in the main). We should clean up after ourselves in the world, but the mess goes back far further than the last couple of Wars.
Even if you were pro war there are good reasons to come out against Bush:
'sticking two fingers up to the Kyoto agreement and ploughing his way through virgin Alaskan wastelands to find more of his beloved black gold
withdrawing millions of free condoms and millions of US$ from family planning ngos across the developing world who are fighting to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS - unless they promise not to mention the word abortion in any of their work
being the most prolific state executioner of all time
pretending to be the president although he was never actually elected' (Copied from a friends email)
http://www.stopwar.org.uk/http://expatsagainstbush.typepad.com/
― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 09:05 (twenty-one years ago)
Who is paying for it? Not us, I hope. They better present the bill for the extra policing TO BUSH, like they did to that twat in the box or I'm going to be very cross.
I wasn't going to go protest, but the more I read about it, and the more I find out about the demands that the secret service have been making, the angrier I get.
― Citizen Kate (kate), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 09:24 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 09:28 (twenty-one years ago)
And Blair is all "No, we have to have him here to work out the EU steel thing before we have a trade war!" and crap like that. I'm more in favour of boycotting products from Florida.
― Citizen Kate (kate), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 09:31 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 09:32 (twenty-one years ago)
National Lampoon English Vacation aka Dubya Takes A Trip
― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:05 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:07 (twenty-one years ago)
― dave al-q, Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:18 (twenty-one years ago)
i think ussr/germany might rival us though dave on the misery front.
― enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:22 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:23 (twenty-one years ago)
― chris (chris), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:24 (twenty-one years ago)
― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:24 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:25 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:26 (twenty-one years ago)
― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:27 (twenty-one years ago)
germany ukbelgiumussrus
― enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 10:29 (twenty-one years ago)
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 11:18 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 11:21 (twenty-one years ago)
or both, most likely.
― enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 11:23 (twenty-one years ago)
― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 11:38 (twenty-one years ago)
― chris (chris), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 11:41 (twenty-one years ago)
― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 11:42 (twenty-one years ago)
― chris (chris), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)
The last president to come on a state visit was Woodrow Willson, the first Internationalist US president, coming to Europe to try and ensure that the US didn't get embroiled in a conflict as dreadful as as the First World War ever again. Of course the US was blocked by congress from taking part in any of the International Structures that he created. Compare if you will Willson to Bush.
― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:09 (twenty-one years ago)
that dimwit johann hari can't write a par without bringing up wilson, laregely because like anyone who studied history to 15 he knows what the 14 points are. they were pie in the sky bullshit mixed in with a mehcanism that would keep the US, UK, fr, etc top nations while everyone else cd fuck off or remain as colonies. bush is worse, of course.
― enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)
― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:01 (twenty-one years ago)
― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:03 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:04 (twenty-one years ago)
― enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:05 (twenty-one years ago)
― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:05 (twenty-one years ago)
worth it, brah.
― enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)
― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)
― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:11 (twenty-one years ago)
― enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:12 (twenty-one years ago)
I've got important things to do. I'm not in Britain often. I'll be spending my valuable time getting an NHS pedicure, finding a book of Artaud's essays, seeing my family, and doing an interview with a Swedish radio station. No time left for the junta runt, his red rug and his goonsquad.
― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:19 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:20 (twenty-one years ago)
― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:21 (twenty-one years ago)
well, that's all fair enough, the other stuff, and i don't think having a load of pinkoes throwing eggs on cnn will make any odds -- but i'm todally not convinced by your reasoning. two statements:
i don't think americans are complete idiots
most americans supported bush in his war, and believed that iraq was behind 9/11
― enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:23 (twenty-one years ago)
the tag line is 'proud of my country, shamed by my president', which works for me.
― colette (a2lette), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)
― Dancing Queen, Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:26 (twenty-one years ago)
1) Ex Pats Against Bush? Excellent!
2) DUDE! I didn't realise that the protest was going straight past my house. That makes it very convenient. I *have* to take the day off work now, as my road will be closed, so I can't go in!
― Citizen Kate (kate), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:27 (twenty-one years ago)
Collette BTW I might march with the expats too.
― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:28 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)
I must say it would be absolutely typical Suzy to hold up a banner that nobody else understood and that dropped an obscure name. Great communicator, you see.
― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:34 (twenty-one years ago)
― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:40 (twenty-one years ago)
― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:43 (twenty-one years ago)
― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:44 (twenty-one years ago)
― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:47 (twenty-one years ago)
― enrique (Enrique), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)
(ps i'm teasing - well sorta - b4 this derails the thread)
(i do think conspiracy theory is a rightwing plot to hobble the left)
― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 17:24 (twenty-one years ago)
― Labia, Tuesday, 18 November 2003 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)
And it works!
― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 17:26 (twenty-one years ago)
What more proof is needed of Bush's sniveling cowardice? Not that his pants-pissing Air Force 1 itinerary on Sept 11 wasn't enough demonstration.
― Benjamin (benjamin), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 09:06 (twenty-one years ago)
― enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 09:10 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 09:12 (twenty-one years ago)
Christ, they didn't even fire on the mob during the Gordon Riots...
(What could the Daily Mail hvae done last night, I missed it!)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 09:14 (twenty-one years ago)
Re: HSA's high state, shouldn't he have had this on sunday.
― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 09:15 (twenty-one years ago)
the mirroir say they had a guy working in the palace who laid out bananas for the prez 'just hours' b4 his arrival, which he could have poisoned/inserted up charles' asshole first.
― enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 09:16 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 09:18 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 09:20 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 09:21 (twenty-one years ago)
― colette (a2lette), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 11:16 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Wednesday, 19 November 2003 11:18 (twenty-one years ago)
talking of Hardt, Negri and Foucault
― the pinefox, Thursday, 20 November 2003 13:18 (twenty-one years ago)
― the pinefox, Thursday, 20 November 2003 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)
― alext (alext), Thursday, 20 November 2003 15:37 (twenty-one years ago)
― alext (alext), Thursday, 20 November 2003 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)
― zebedee (zebedee), Thursday, 20 November 2003 16:48 (twenty-one years ago)
― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 20 November 2003 16:54 (twenty-one years ago)
― Hunter (Hunter), Thursday, 20 November 2003 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)
― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 20 November 2003 20:11 (twenty-one years ago)
― Jeremy the Kingfish (Kingfish), Thursday, 20 November 2003 21:14 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Thursday, 20 November 2003 21:28 (twenty-one years ago)
― Jeremy the Kingfish (Kingfish), Thursday, 20 November 2003 21:33 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Thursday, 20 November 2003 21:38 (twenty-one years ago)
― daria g (daria g), Friday, 21 November 2003 05:08 (twenty-one years ago)
I got home to panicked messages from my mother, who had somehow misheard the attacks on the British Embassy in Turkey as being a bomb in Britain. (???) Out of the blue got an email from my mother (not known to flights of conspiracy) who said she wouldn't be surprised if the CIA had a hand in the Turkey bombings, trying to hype Bush in the UK. (???)
(Sorry, just had a long conversation with a colleague about this...)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Friday, 21 November 2003 09:17 (twenty-one years ago)
film choice this weekend: fassbinder's 'the third generation'. arms manufacturer funds terrorists so the state will buy even more from him; terrorists wage campaign against repressive state.
― enrique (Enrique), Friday, 21 November 2003 09:23 (twenty-one years ago)
Statements of the obvious, part 3000...
― Citizen Kate (kate), Friday, 21 November 2003 09:26 (twenty-one years ago)
― enrique (Enrique), Friday, 21 November 2003 09:29 (twenty-one years ago)
― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 21 November 2003 10:27 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Friday, 21 November 2003 10:29 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Friday, 21 November 2003 10:30 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ed (dali), Friday, 21 November 2003 10:32 (twenty-one years ago)
(The peace symbol pretzel was the best banner of the march!)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Friday, 21 November 2003 10:33 (twenty-one years ago)
― Pete (Pete), Friday, 21 November 2003 10:33 (twenty-one years ago)
but if the war's over, why are we still bombing, dicknose?
― enrique (Enrique), Friday, 21 November 2003 10:34 (twenty-one years ago)
― mark s (mark s), Friday, 21 November 2003 10:35 (twenty-one years ago)
(Even Suzy had to concede that Gr1gs0ns are nice yesterday.)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Friday, 21 November 2003 10:38 (twenty-one years ago)
― suzy (suzy), Friday, 21 November 2003 10:44 (twenty-one years ago)
― Citizen Kate (kate), Friday, 21 November 2003 10:47 (twenty-one years ago)
things that have riled my mother beyond belief:closing the entire route between tony's house and the pub (c. 5 MILES!)stopping ppl parking outside their houses in the middle of the villageher physio session at the local community hospital being cancelled because of the visitthe local school having to cancel their christmas fairSECURITY MEN GOING INTO PEOPLES' HOUSES AND SEARCHING THROUGH THEIR CUPBOARDS FOR BOMBS
because my father was a district councillor when tony was starting out, mother usually gets a xmas card from the blairs. she said last night she was going to send it back with a snotty letter this year...
also the dun cow is rubbish...
― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Friday, 21 November 2003 11:11 (twenty-one years ago)
― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Friday, 21 November 2003 15:13 (twenty-one years ago)
― Tim (Tim), Friday, 21 November 2003 15:20 (twenty-one years ago)
― Pete (Pete), Friday, 21 November 2003 15:22 (twenty-one years ago)
Nice to see that Tony has so much faith in his own constituents that he is even entertaining the notion that any of them would blow up THEIR OWN HOUSE and those of all their neighbours just to get a pop and Georgy-boy, isn't it?
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 21 November 2003 15:29 (twenty-one years ago)