A posting by John Frugal Lakey. Re-posted with permission.
“A couple of thoughts on yesterday in London.
Although it was a great day out, it was also a long day. Up at 4am , drive to Plymouth to pick up Steve, and blag a free lift on the union bus to London.
The bus…, well, I think they sussed we weren’t union members, but put up with us, as we were there to support the protest and oppose the cuts. They handed out blank banners and pens so we could make our own protest signs with prizes for best designs. Needless to say we won the prize with our “yes Dave .. the peasants are revolting” sign. The prize was a xxl purple unison / union tee shirt. Ah well, at least i can use it to wash the car.Once in London we arrived a little too late to meet up with UK Uncut – as this was the plan – and a shout-out on Facebook for info didn’t return anything, so we went along with the march, and it was massive!! I was quite impressed and easily 150,000 people attended.
The problem was, well, they seemed happy…? And i questioned myself why they were there ? It all seemed like a, well , a sponsored walk. All the signs seemed to be the same. Everyone seemed to dress the same, all the same chants from the last few years, lots of use of the word `comrade`, `brother`, `sister` etc. No one smoked, everyone was polite. Even the police ??!!?? And, to be honest, it was a little, may i say, boring.. ?
We searched in vain for a little action, someone to do something a little out of the norm. Maybe just a little little naughty, but, zip, nothing. No-one stept out of line. No sit in protests – nothing – it all seemed robotic.As soon as they got to the end of the march at Hyde park, they turned around and went back to the buses. Some stayed to listen to a few speeches from the likes of Ed Miliband( who attended an austerity speech in a Rolls Royce !! i shit you not !) – but to be honest of what little i caught of the speeches it was more of the same, comrade, brother sister speeches going over recycled crap with no real positive outlook to the future.
Now, I like what the unions have done for the working person in the past, but i honestly think if they seriously want to be a voice in the future they need top step things up, and BIG. This government and the Labour party are not listening to you, they think you are pussies. And yesterdays march proved that to them. While you marched the Tories held a day out at Ascot for the boys. Ed rubberband turned up in a Rolls-Royce and you allow this shit to happen??? I think someone is taking the piss.
What I did come away with was a bigger understanding of apathy. At the end of the day, people don’t really give a shit until it effects them personally, and then it will be too late. We have 3 main parties in the UK and, well, there is no real difference in any of them. All 3 will fuck you over in the interest of the corporates that pay them.
Would i go again?? Well maybe. Just in the hope that a few of the people there might actually be a little pissed off and inspired enough to do something other than a sponsored walk.
In fact, I’m tempted to try and go up for the 5th November action, so if anyone is looking for car-share and is up for it, give me a shout…..”
Black Sheep Diary 