[pagan-magik] Pro G8

[Ian Gregory]

On Sat, Jan 08, 2005 at 10:12:59AM +0000, Adrian Harris wrote:
 
> The importnat issue is our intent in enagaging with the G8 conference. If
> we simply want to disrupt it, whatever it plans to do, we *might* be
> missing a trick. I'm currently more inclined to try and influence it, both
> magically and on a 'mundane' level.
> 
> This is a discussion those going need to have to make sure we all know how
> and why we are involved.

Good point Adrian. I have been thinking about this for a while.

The first thing I would say is that previous demonstrations have
had an effect. Since Seattle these big international gatherings
(G8, EU, WTO, IMF etc) have clearly gone on the defensive. On the
one hand they have had to find more secure venues (Sea Island for
example, and now Glen Eagles). On the other hand, the organisers
now seem to be going out of their way to emphasise the positive
aspects in order to disarm critics. To a large extent this is just a
PR excercise but, then again, Tony Blair *is* emphasising climate
change and Africa in the run up to this year's summit which I guess
is a good thing. Then there is the launch of the "J8 Change the
World" schools initiative (www.j8changetheworld.com):

> J8 is the first global citizenship initiative of its kind to be
> launched in secondary schools across the UK. It gives young people
> the chance to address the most important issues facing our world
> and to put citizenship into practice.

So basically, demonstrations in the past have had some sort of
beneficial effect (at least put the G8 on the defensive)  but I
think we need to keep up the pressure.

As long as people are talking, thinking, planning etc and are ready
to take responibility and take action I don't really care what it
is they do. There might be people planning to use force to attempt
to blockade the Summit - if that is what they think is required then
good on them, but there are numerous other avenues to persue which
might be more beneficial.

Two very important things to keep in mind:

1) Media attention - this is a great opportunity to get your point
   across to a global audience.

2) Collective action - when activists get together on this scale to
   do something there is an amazing sense of empowerment, people
   learn from each other and form new relationships, networks etc.

Bearing all this in mind I decided some time ago to work towards
organising a bicycle ride from London up to the summit. This now
looks pretty certain to happen, but I will just be concentrating
on getting the ride from London to Glasgow and I don't know what
I want to do when I get there. In a sense the journey is more
important than the destination. A diverse group of people will be
spending about 2 weeks together cycling, camping, cooking, networking
with people in towns along the way, having fun, dreaming, planning
etc. Someone wants to make a film of the journey. By the time we
get to Glasgow I am confident that we will have come up with some
interesting plans, and the great thing is that we won't have to use
email lists etc to do so - it is so much easier when you are all
together sitting round the campfire together!

If you have a couple of minutes to spare I would recommend reading
a short statement by the Leeds May Day Group called SUMMITS and
PLATEAUS:

http://www.nadir.org.uk/LMDGindex_files/Summits_and_Plateaus.html

And if you are interested in the G8 Bike Ride then see:

http:/www.g8bikeride.org.uk/

OK, I think I have waffled on for long enough, I look forward to
some interesting discussions when we meet.

Livity,
Ian

-- 
Ian Gregory
http://www.zenatode.org.uk/ian/