|
It’s bigger, and less organized, than I’d thought it would be. Maybe I’m used to smaller protests in the US. The weather is beautiful; just warm enough and sunny. During the past week lots of people have asked how Americans feel about Bush, about Iraq, about our civil liberties being curtailed. There’s more attention paid to US politics than I expected. Of course, when you’re a small country being tossed about by a giant petulant child like the U.S., it pays to keep alert. I’ve spent quite a bit of time this last week apologizing for the excesses of the past four years. I’ve walked past the tube stations that were bombed and felt ashamed. Last night we went to a bizarre little out-of-the-way restaurant and the hostess was eager to find out what was going on in America. She’d heard Bush was going to be impeached, was that true? I could only tell her I hoped it was.
We stand for what seems like forever in the line between the railings holding us all in the proper place, waving placards while the drummers up to the front keep us entertained. Eventually, an hour past the time we were scheduled to start, we finally start moving forward. The drummers change the beat, keeping us in time as we slowly make our way up. We march past Scotland Yard, and we’re forced to the opposite side of the street as a prevention measure. The shirts all have slogans, some homemade and some professionally printed. The streets are lined with a watching crowd, some of the Londoners wanting to see what the ruckus is about, some of them tourists, blissfully unaware of the purpose behind the march. I hear a flat southern twang ask if this is something that happens every day at this time?
We walk past Scotland Yard and move slowly toward Trafalgar Square, closed off due to a concert. There’s sporadic cheering and clapping from the streets as we pass. I’ve taken a ton of pictures that I’ll post as soon as I can download them from the camera, but for now it’s just words. There are many more Muslims than I’d thought there would be. Looking back, I’m not sure why I’m surprised, but I am. There’s everything from the typical neo-hippy and neo-Goth group that seems to attend every protest, for any cause, to very prim and proper looking grandmothers and grandfathers passing out Socialist newspapers. The politics here are a revelation. The left wing in England is very, very left indeed. Our most liberal Democratic Senator would seem like a right wing reactionary by comparison. As we march I’m assured that capitalism is the death of individuals, and the only way we can truly progress is to turn to socialism. I try not to argue, but I still kinda think that capitalism can work, if kept on an appropriately short leash and whipped soundly whenever it crosses the line.
We turn onto the next street, headed toward Hyde Park and I see a Starbucks. I dash in, post what I have so far, and now I’ll dash back out and rejoin the march that is still passing by the windows. I’ll post more later this evening and also post pictures. This has been an incredible week, and ending it with this march is perfect.
==============================================
So now the march is over and I'm back at the hotel. We marched through to Hyde Park, conveniently near Kensington Gardens, where I' supposed to meet Mark to tour Kensington Palace. It was exciting and exhausting. My feet hurt, my back hurts (you try carrying a 7 lb. laptop through London all day) and I'm glad to be sitting down, finally. These are a very few of the pictures I took. Cheers.
|
Bumper Stickers & MORE
