[ssf] Re: Remember Falluja...

[Mr Jase Malgod]

On the Fallujah thing, I thought Adam's bid to get Sheffield twinned with 
Fallujah was a superb bit of action. Targeting councellors and MP's with a 
campaign really can make a difference. Maybe draft up a letter which can go 
out to MP's which asks their views with facts and a link to the video. If 
it's a written letter they have to respond... 

Could do in conjuction with http://www.rememberfallujah.org/ 

Jason 

Dan writes: 

> It would also be good if something more came from it: further action. The 
> film at 4pm in MATILDA, if anyone watches it, is horrible, unbelievable.  
> I'm compelled to try and do something. 
> 
> But I don't think either a press-attention-seeking demo or a vigil is 
> going to be that 'something'.  Change comes about through consistent 
> effort; it takes time. 
> 
> First thing I'd like to do is find out what our elected leaders think 
> about the use of phosphorus and napalm; about the destruction of 36,000 
> homes and targeting hospitals which were 'the source of rumours about high 
> casualties'. 
> 
> Again - might not achieve anything straight away, but then neither will a 
> press stunt. 
> 
> Blowing up parliament might just achieve rapid change - but the result 
> would be a little unpredictable as regards actually making the world a 
> better place! Didn't work out so well with the twin towers, did it, after 
> all? 
> 
> Dan
> --- 
> 
> Mr Jase Malgod wrote:
>> atw writes: 
>> 
>>> 
>>> dan> If not, does anyone fancy helping me organise a silent vigil some
>>> dan> time in the next week or two?  Which would only involved deciding
>>> dan> a date, time, place and then telling people?  Definitely not
>>> dan> something SWPy and shouty!
>>> I find vigils fundamentally disempowering affairs that seem to achieve
>>> little if anything at all.
>>  
>> 
>> I find demo's can be similar in their effects although more cathartic and 
>> so more 'empowering'. 
>> 
>>> As media events they don't work because
>>> they are always ignored.
>>  
>> 
>> Not necessarily, some are covered by the media and most demo's are not 
>> covered either. 
>> 
>>> Therefore the only people who see them are
>>> passers by at the time of the event, and often its not clear what
>>> "that funny group of people over there" are even doing anyway.
>>  
>> 
>> That's a matter of communication through banners or leaflets which is the 
>> case with demo's as well, where people are not sure what "that funny 
>> group of people over there" are marching about for anyway. 
>> 
>>> I suspect many people feel like this as vigils frequently get low turn
>>> outs.
>>  
>> 
>> They generally get far less publicity and are not supported by the usual 
>> 'left' groups. And they do appear to achieve less because you don't 'do 
>> anything', yet it all revolves around what you are actually doing. A demo 
>> is about publicity at the end of the day, it's about saying "this number 
>> of people did this for this cause", so there is no difference whether 
>> they are marching about or standing still. 
>> 
>>> It seems to me that the prime goal of the vigil is to alleviate the
>>> guilt of those responsible (us). We feel we 'must' do something, so we
>>> just do anything, however completely ineffective.
>>  
>> 
>> And the difference with demo's is...? 
>> 
>>> The nice thing about
>>> vigils are that they are completely risk free. You don't even the run
>>> the risk of criticism since it's hard to have a go at someone for
>>> simply remembering the dead.
>>  
>> 
>> Agreed it is not confrontational, yet that is the strength of vigils, 
>> they can reach out in a way that confrontation does not and they retain 
>> respect. The vigils for Iraq at the start of all this were a strong and 
>> popular measure, the long lasting Hunters Bar vigil was a case in point, 
>> good reaction and good publicity. 
>> 
>>> Afterwards we can go home feeling slightly better about ourselves.
>>> Switch on TV and watch the horrible stuff happening in the world with
>>> a slightly clearer concience. "At least I did something," we can tell
>>> ourselves. But did we?
>>  
>> 
>> Again, the same could be argued of the more cathartic demo's, have a good 
>> shout, sell a few newspapers, run about a bit, get it out of your system 
>> and then forget about it. 
>> 
>>> 
>>> There are surely better things we could do. Even small demo's are
>>> better than vigils.
>>  
>> 
>> Different things appeal to different people, it is not what sort of 
>> demonstration that is important, it is how that demonstration is carried 
>> out. A vigil organised in an effective way, communicating well to the 
>> media could involve just a few dedicated people and acheive more 
>> publicity and effect more pressure on those in power than a march of a 
>> million people (which as we know achieved f*** all). I like the idea that 
>> is we had a million people in London, to encircle the houses of 
>> parliament and stay there, not necessarily blocking the streets, just 
>> staying there, watching vigil. I think such an action has a nobility that 
>> marching and shouting cannot acheive. But again, different things appeal 
>> to different people so there is no absolute right or wrong way in vigil 
>> or demo etc. Just that the action should be planned well to be effective.
>> Jason
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