I find it telling that the Leave voters are so antsy and defensive that they can't even leave a thread like this alone -- a thread that was created so people could share info about attending, discuss logistics, etc. Are there not enough threads already open to debate? Do you lack opportunities to repeat the same Daily-Mail-cribbed cartoonish rhetoric about 'the voice of the people' versus 'the Establishment'?
I'm not an anarchist. The last time I went on a protest march was 2003, against the Iraq War. Did it do anything? Did it bollocks! Am I glad I went? Yes. Should I have shut up, because we live in a representational democracy and the wise figures we the people voted into Parliament felt that the invasion was a great idea?
That march, like this one, has little to do with any hope that major policy will be changed. It's about showing the depth of feeling and range of opposition involved, and hoping that at least influences the way this huge fuckup is handled.
Since Mooingcow has helpfully compiled an imaginary list of why people might attend, here are some other suggestions:
- because we want to make a clear statement of support for Europe and European workers in this country.
- because far right gloating and 'go home'-type intimidation has increased since the result, and we don't want twatbadgers like that to be the most vocal faction in this country.
- because we have lived and worked in Europe before and value that experience.
- because we've lived and worked in non-EU countries, particularly America, and learnt that we're more European than we knew (and that the rest of the world, even countries with whom we have 'special relationships', are far, far more indifferent to us than we assumed).
- because the range of education and employment opportunities available to our kids has narrowed.
- because the Brexit campaign has openly lied and misled voters, and holds no accountability for that whatsoever.
- because one of the main supporters of Brexit has now decided he cannot actually face dealing with the consequences, which shows an ominous lack of foresight or confidence.
- because this is turning out to be a power struggle for the tory leadership, despite cheerful guff about it being 'the voice of the people'; the latter is actually just being used shamelessly, irresponsibly for leverage (although that's gone a bit tits up for Boris 'oh shit: we won?' Johnson).
- because we are embarrassed at the behaviour of Farage in EU parliament.
- because we work in the academic community, which is almost entirely opposed to Brexit, which will damage funding, research, collaboration and leave our institutions struggling to compete globally.
- because we work in the financial sector, which will gradually (or quickly) relocate to other European bases if passporting rights are affected. (Don't like finance? Fine! But you didn't vote against the banks: all that you achieve is that this country won't profit from their presence.)
- because we work in agriculture, and have been promised a replacement for EU subsidies (which, amongst other functions, keep smaller and medium-sized farms competitive in the face of huge agri-businesses and the much more profitable factory farming): given the rate at which core assurances of the Brexit campaign are being retracted, we think that stands repeating.
- because we're about to get a new prime minister, for whom none of us voted (yay, control!), and we hope it'll be one who'll take a balanced approach to exit negotiations, rather than spitting in the faces of the same people we want to trade with.
- because we hope for damage limitation: a deal struck that retains trading rights and freedom of movement, and doesn't wreck our relationships in Europe or turn us into a tiny, recession-struck, isolationist country.
And I'm sure I'll think of a few others. It's just pathetic to see the tactics used by Brexiters on this thread. If you're so sure you've got right on your side and the popular mandate, why are you here, trying to intimidate people with talk of violence ('don't take your kids!'), snide dismissiveness ('it''ll achieve nothing, but jog on') and confused attempts to paint anyone who marches as both an anarchist AND an elitist ('if you march, you think 52% are stupid racists!'), AND a lapdog of the establishment, and... whatever else you've got.
No Brexiter has ever actually answered this question, so don't exert yourselves, but I want to know: don't you have any personal conscience at all? Is there no referendum result you'd protest, or does the 'voice of the people' trump every opinion and belief you hold?
If we'd voted 52/48 to ban abortion, or cut DLA, or bring back hanging -- would you shrug and accept that the people had spoken, or would you be using democratic means to make sure your dissenting voice was heard?