the right to freedom of association

[raven]

The debate went ahead. I like the thought of hundreds of protesters sitting in the Union and refusing to move, but the thing went ahead.

We tried protesting. No, more than that, we exercised our rights to free speech and went out and protested. I am exhausted, both physically and in my head; I have done no work today, but have worried and fretted and run around and stared at LJ and not said anything. So I will answer all your comments in time, and thank you for making them, but right now I'm just going to post pictures of the protest, and try not to panic about how much work I haven't done. Claire is lovely, and suggested I write to my tutor and say something about how I cannot possibly deal with democracy in the Middle East right now, I am too busy engaging with democracy right here. (Her variant: she can't possibly engage with democracy in Thucydides right now, she's too busy... you get it.)

Thank whatever deities are out there for my friends, whose pictures I have happily stolen, with thanks.



The banners were worth seeing, it must be said. My favourite was a lovely one of Voltaire's "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" quote, with footnote:











Also. Pedar thinks that someone called in to the Radio Five phone-in this morning and was talking about me. Any confirmation on this point would be appreciated.

Comments

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

okay, just facebooked you, but: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shimgray/2066535131/in/set-72157603307308759/

I actually went !!! when I saw it. Yes, three exclamation marks did in fact appear above my head. And go 'pop'.

[shimgray.livejournal.com]

Marvellous, isn't it? This (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shimgray/2066462605/) also ranks pretty high.

[pinkishmew.livejournal.com]

Made of marvellous win. :D

[casirafics.livejournal.com]

haha -- that is brilliant.

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

Also this (http://photos-713.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v148/224/12/36807713/n36807713_35324271_6927.jpg) should be your profile pic.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

!!!!!! LOVE!

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

THAT should be your profile picture.

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

See, I even cropped it (http://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=2066535131a793967488oddk3.jpg) for you.

[sir-rosealot.livejournal.com]

I can't read the footnote on the Voltaire one- what does it say?

[shimgray.livejournal.com]

I want to know, too... I'd just assumed it was some kind of discreet counterprotest!

[sir-rosealot.livejournal.com]

Haha, I'm glad it was! Considered a mini counterprotest myself, but didn't want the BNP/Irving supporters to think I was one of them...

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

We didn't get a pic, but it was a note to the effect that Voltaire didn't actually say the quote, it's only commonly attributed to him. They gave the correct attribution, but I can't remember it right now...

[shimgray.livejournal.com]

Hurrah! It always cheers me up when someone remembers that.

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

I'd have liked to reply: "I agree with your right to free speech, but just don't want you to express your views in this specific location and venue as part of a publicity stunt organised by the overconfident and naive whose sense of self-promotion and self-importance has been allowed to dwarf the more important issues here."

[very-improbable.livejournal.com]

Am I the only one thinking of this (http://xkcd.com/285/) right now?

[very-improbable.livejournal.com]

Also, those pictures are wonderful and inspiring and you and your fellow demonstrators seriously rock.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*blushes* Thaaaaaank you.

[anotherusedpage.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Thank you with all my heart. I have tears in my eyes.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

You are so GREAT. Thank you, too, for being so all-round awesome over this.

Also. Next time you and I are in the same city, do you want to get a coffee and have a chat, about politics and culture and faith 'n' stuff? I'd like to hear your thoughts in person.

[anotherusedpage.livejournal.com]

Yes! Muchly.

As it happens I am in .ox now and will be til Weds afternoon. You around? I have my phone on me, I'll comment and delete with a number so hopefully should get e-mailed to you.

I have been thinking for a good few days I want to have a proper chat with you in person. *smile*

[annajaneclare.livejournal.com]

I read your previous post but I expect you're up to your ears in comments there so I'll just say YES to what you said there. It's disgraceful that the Oxford Union is giving any kind of credibility to these creeps.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Thanks, sweetie. It is disgusting, and I appreciate your taking the time to comment. :)

[tmpe5t.livejournal.com]

See, this is why i read your LJ... :D keep kicking bottom...!

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Heh! Thank you! *g*

[marymac.livejournal.com]

This is really cheeky, but would you mind if I linked your posts on this to a friend who really isn't getting why this is a bad thing? I think you're probably more coherent (and, y'know, there) than I could be.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Not at all! Go ahead and link, and I'm glad it's of use.

[marymac.livejournal.com]

Cool, thnak you!

[marymac.livejournal.com]

Thank, even.

[amchau.livejournal.com]

Student protests FTW.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Indeed. *loves you*

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

We have the same eyeglasses. :-)

And YAY you and your friends for going out and protesting. If nobody protests, the fuckers don't realize they're offending people.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Heee! I just got them last week, and NO ONE has noticed the difference. *g*

Thank you, dear! We could only do what we could do. But we did that.

[tau_sigma]

I wanted to say something to your earlier post, but I'm failing in useful words. I can't even manage to properly express support and the yayness that is you and protesting against them and oh, I really don't have the words.

But. Your posts were great and thoughful and helped me formulate more of an idea of why exactly I so virulently dislike the BNP. And your protesting was win, and I love the photo someone linked to above, the 'defend to the death my right to be a British Asian bisexual' one - was that you, or someone else? The person isn't very clear. Love, anyway.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

That wasn't me, noooo. It seems like there was another one out there that night.

Thank you, dear, for commenting. It means so much - I'm feeling a little beleagured out here, and knowing people support me is so valuable. Love. xx