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- Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
- Path: sparky!uunet!gatech!ukma!mont!pencil.cs.missouri.edu!rich
- From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
- Subject: DISRUPTING THE WAR GAMES
- Message-ID: <1992Aug28.082307.18874@mont.cs.missouri.edu>
- Followup-To: alt.activism.d
- Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Sender: news@mont.cs.missouri.edu
- Nntp-Posting-Host: pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Organization: PACH
- Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 08:23:07 GMT
- Approved: map@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Lines: 79
-
- The ACTivist July/August 92
-
- The ACTivist is published monthly (one issue during July and August)
- by the ACT for Disarmament Coalition, 736 Bathurst St., Toronto,
- Ontario, Canada, M5S 2R4, phone 416-531-6154, fax 416-531-5850,
- e-mail web:act.
-
- Reprint freely, but please credit us (and send us a copy!)
-
- /** gen.newsletter: 121.14 **/
- ** Written 11:27 pm Aug 11, 1992 by web:act in cdp:gen.newsletter **
- DISRUPTING THE WAR GAMES
-
- By Chris Sheridan
- The ACTivist
-
- The 19th Annual London International Air Show, which took place
- in London, Ontario on June 6, was greeted this year by a group of
- enthusiastic protestors, gathered to voice opposition to low-level
- flight testing over the Innu land of Nitassinan (Labrador and
- north-eastern Quebec).
-
- The demonstration, of about fifteen people, was organized by the
- London chapter of CASNP (Canadian Alliance in Solidarity with
- Native Peoples) with some members of the local Greenpeace chapter
- joining in.
-
- While some of the world's most advanced killing machines, including
- the Stealth Bomber, stormed overhead, we held signs with slogans
- denouncing the use of Innu land for military activities.
-
- As the traffic congested at the gates, most of us shoved information
- flyers in car windows and talked to people about the reason for the
- demonstration. At the same time, we managed to collect a number
- of signatures on petitions addressed to Brian Mulroney, 'Defense'
- Minister Marcel Masse, and Newfoundland Premier Clyde Wells.
-
- One CASNP member, Harold Koehler, purchased a ticket into the
- show and walked around the area where the jets were on display
- for about three hours, with a sign saying 'NATO out of Nitassinan'.
-
- It was a day in which learning was key, not just for those Air
- Show-goers, but for us as well. Many of the demonstrators were
- given the opportunity to see how deeply entrenched ignorance is
- in our so-called 'free' society. While some Show-goers were quite
- interested to learn more about the issue, others voiced their outright
- distaste for the opposition to low-level flights. Comments like
- "Communists," "Get a job," and various obscenities accompanied
- many of the pro-military retorts.
-
- Most people at least took information sheets which served to
- raise awareness and, hopefully, support for the Innu. Most
- encouraging was that people of all different social, economic and
- ethnic backgrounds lent their support to the demonstration.
-
- One of the most interesting aspects of the day was the amount of
- interest shown by young children. Many parents, who initially
- walked by without paying attention to the demonstration, returned
- to the gates to get an information sheet because their children had
- asked them so many questions as to why we were there. This
- illustrated the importance that children will play in future social
- change. Without prejudices or politically partisan ties, it seems
- that children are often the most interested in finding out the truth
- about issues like aboriginal rights.
-
- It is important that demonstrations at local Air Shows continue
- across the country to display that support for the Innu of
- Nitassinan is indeed growing. Solidarity with the Innu Nation is
- becoming increasingly vital. The latest reports from Goose Bay
- indicate the town council's willingness to entice NATO into
- expanding its military activity in the area. As one placard
- at the demonstration read, "No One Can Be Free, Until All
- Are Free." We must continue to push for the freedom of
- all people in this country, including the Innu people of
- Nitassinan.
-
-
- ** End of text from cdp:gen.newsletter **
-
-