"Mait001" wrote in message
...
Jonn, I appreciate the senitments you express, but I would suggest that
the
vast majority of those who demonstrate next week, and did so on the
previous
marches, are the usual anti-capitalist rent-a-demo anarchists who despise
America for a number of disparate reasons, and would demonstrate against
Bush
even if he'd just found a painless cure for World poverty.

I agree that there is a significant bandwagon affect - it scared the crap
out of me commuting through Westminster the day the war started, and I was
against it. However, I think the scale of protests planned do suggest
something about a significant feeling against George Bush personally - you
notice that Clinton (who was hardly whiter than white - ask the Sudanese)
was never greeted in this way. If Bush had solved world poverty, this
wouldn't be happening; but he is seen as a warmongering economic elitist.

Basically, I think we're looking at an anti-war movement that happens to
include some anti-capitalists rather than the mob of anarchists you
describe. (I don't even think all the anti-capitalists are of the same ilk -
a lot of them will be for fair (rather than free) trade, and not the
complete breakdown of global capitalisation and the rule of law.)


People like Pat Arrowsmith who actually disrupted the Court in which I was
appearing at Highgate two days ago. She started hurling verbal abuse at
the
District Judge and her no-hope supporters in the public gallery started to
join
in. What an appalling shower.

I don't disagree that some of the anti-war movement - as with any movement
of any size - are going to be over the top, selfish, or unpleasant. The case
you describe sounds particularly unpleasant, and I appreciate that it must
have been quite nasty to see. There are better ways to protest.

However, I do think it's disingenous to tar everyone with the same brush.
Protest is a part of a healthy democracy. I also wish that London wasn't
going to grind to a halt next week, but I'd much rather have seen the
President take the hint and cancel the visit than I would people stay quiet
on global issues that they feel so strongly about. There's a quote about
"all that is required for evil to triumph" that seems aposite here, but I
can't remember for the life of me who said it.

Jonn