Right to Roam

Before I go any further, I'll nail my colours to the mast; I intend to be in Edinburgh on the 2nd of July for the Campaign Against Poverty march (Sans white band, although should they bring in ID cards I'm thinking a yellow one with a star might be a fetching statement).

My gripe is that I'm not sure this is how voices are heard anymore. I have no idea how many people really marched in Glasgow before the Iraq war to outside the SECC. It was chilling to experience such a mass movement. (Not as cold as seeing the snipers on the crane overhead). Many more marched in London and other cities around the world. A dictator was still deposed over the excuse of having weapons that did not actually exist, as most everyone who went on that march knew.

Marching is the merchandised acceptable method of protest these days. We get to let of steam, feel good and go home. Or worse some agitators (whomever they may be, and governments have a long history of planting agents provocateur) may start some rioting and defacement. But nothing happens. The protest is perhaps acknowledged. Tony will come out at some point and say on the front of Gleneagles that we have been listened to, if we're lucky.

I really hope I'm wrong, but it didn't work before. There must be some other way.