'Palestinians are not starving' (read on)

For over two years I was very active in XR, documented here on Blip. Gradually I began to ask myself whether we were changing minds and, if we were, whether we were changing them in the right direction. I became very disillusioned, not only about those protests and actions but also about whether my lifetime's marching and demonstrating has ever changed anything for the better. I know my quiet work one-to-one has changed lives, but en masse?

The last time I stood up with others for what I believe in was in February 2023 at the vigil for Brianna Ghey. (Ah, I'd forgotten - also the pro-refugee gatherings in the face of last August's far-right riots.)

But it's felt increasingly dishonest in the genocide that the Israeli government is perpetrating not to be out showing my support for Palestine and Palestinians.

Two days ago, on ceridwen's blip, Memories4Me  commented, A man stood in front of the White House by himself every day protesting, I think, the Vietnam War. Someone asked him why he bothered, it wouldn't change anyone. He replied, "I don't do it to change them, I do it so they don't change me."

This evening I was out in the middle of Oxford with 500 others banging empty cooking pans (the symbolism is obvious) showing that they haven't changed me. I was too far back to hear much of what was said, but I did hear a cardiologist from the John Radcliffe Hospital reminding us that people in Gaza are not starving, they are being starved by the Israeli government.

Significantly, given that the UK government has proscribed 'Palestine Action' as a terrorist organisation, and that the police seem to have interpreted that as being that any action in support of Palestine is terrorist, I didn't see one police officer this evening. The two sirens I heard were from a fire engine and an ambulance. 

The most poignant placard: "My great grandfather was murdered at Treblinka. They said NEVER AGAIN"