Saturday, January 3, 2009

WE PROTEST, THEY KILL

Yesterday amongst the demonstrations around the world calling for a ceasefire in Gaza some 100 people gathered outside the Andalucía government’s sub-delegates office in Algeciras. It was organised by various political and NGO groups and was joined by passing members of the public.

I remember standing in the street to protest over the killing of Miguel Ángel Blanco in 1997 and eleven years on ETA still murders in the name of a would-be nation that few people want.

I marched through Algeciras against the Iraq War. After the 1994 Spanish General Election the new PSOE government withdrew its troops but the tragedy goes on to this day.

Every time there is a death from domestic violence people organise a dignified protest but the slaying of women by their partners, past and present, continues.

It is vital that in a democracy we exercise our right to show our opposition to acts of violence that claim innocent lives by protesting on the streets.

We have to do that whilst understanding that the men and women of violence are deaf to our cries of outrage – but cry we must!

The real danger to society comes not from their evils acts but when we stop demanding a halt.

Cry out, we must!

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