This is just such old lefty shit, a few people manically rushing round 'organising' a demo where you get told about a meeting to go to where you get told about the next demo. The people doing this running around really believe (like any religious fanatic) that what they're doing is important but does it connect with the real world?

I'm not against doing stuff, protesting and so on - but that is very different from 'building' demos where, I haven't even looked but I'll bet anything, you're gonna listen to a labour mp and other worthies from the 60s who are all something in broadcasting now. There's a fuckin world out there where if you want to stop war you stop war. You stand in front of trucks you break down fences into bases and take out jets you harass the warmongers at their conferences and whatever.

This demo has nothing to do with actively stopping the frightening growth of the US/British war against the east. It has a lot to do with the needs of the British 'left', who have learnt nothing from the direct action movement in Britain or in the majority south of the world. I would rather be sick through my eyes than spend a Sunday afternoon having socialist worker sellers being pleasant to me in the hope that I'll become one of them.

I agree, protesting along will not do very much. It is *part* of the process though. The point of a march is not only enact change about the thing being protested about, it is to bring people together and to show solidarity with one another, and to help people realise their own strength.

So, while I agree with you that other forms of resistence are important, maybe even more important, I wouldnt go so far as to dismiss a demo altogether.

Look, assuming you're not going to be engaged in other forms of resistence on that day (if you are, more power to you), why don't you come along anyway and help contribute in this small way by showing up and marching with us?

Here is a practical thing that was helpul at our campus.

We have a weekly video-forum, "Capitalism under scrutiny", where we show videos on a big screen. Mainly documentaries, but all politically realted stuff. Naturally we try to put on a screening that has some relevance for current issues.

This tuesday we showed the Pilger documentary "paying the price" (I think that's the title) about the detrimental effects of the genocidal sanctions put on the people of Iraq. It is powerful stuff. We were lucky enough to have an Iraqi that was living in Baghdad when the bombing started. He held a short appeal and there were discussions afterwards (what should we do etc). The result was that we probably mobolised 15-20 people (and they hadn't been involved in any protests before).

We've also seen that these video-forums attract different "sorts" of people and not just the ususal suspects.

Was the posting by "Whoever" the first appearance on IMC UK of a comment by the Pentagons new Office of Strategic Deception? Certainly his/her petulant sneering suits them to the ground.

Left/green/anarchist - who gives a toss. Just be there on Saturday.

Typical leftie basher - can't even get the day right....

Your direct action must be awesome - those of you who turn up on the right day, that is......

You will be amazed by the astonishing diversity of people, all ages, colours, creeds, classes and affiliations who come together in solidarity to resist the war-mongering and tyranny, and the speeches can be worthwhile too, again from a wide range of active individuals, who ARE trying to make a difference. Admittedly, it's like drawing blood from a stone convincing the sheeple that Blair and Bush are the real terrorists but we've got to try.

I can't be there but I'd love to. Will make it for the next one where Iraq will probably be under attack. Demos are ok, but the real problem is getting the real stories out, as the term sheeple implies - and the left just isn't into doing this - always taking the government line to be the basic truth which we must protest - whereas it's a big lie

that ugly arguement rears it's head
by extremes of social movements
i thought the arguement was now dead
but your all just finding new ones
if we are to mount a challenge
to the tyrannists who control us
then we'd better stick together
or they will divide us and control us
now i don't know about you lot
but there is work for all to do
it matters not your method
if your objectives they are true
so lets all come together now
and rise up to face our masters
prevent the world from further suffering
and humanitarian disasters
so all you anarchists and lefties
communists and greens
lets pull together numbers
and create a protest not yet seen
for there is strength in numbers
no longer scattered and isolated
rise up for our children
before our earth is desecrated
instead of arguing about the methods
or disagreeing about who's right and wrong
come together to fight
for what is right
before this whole world we know is gone

written by nuggett
(spur of moment)after all your incessant bickering

award winning poet looking for venues to recite humanitarian
philosophical environmental style poetry (particularly demos social centres etc)