“THE WORLD seems to have gone crazy.” How many people have said that over the last few weeks?
Paula Mitchell
The summer events have been devastating. Thousands may be dead in the hellhole of New Orleans. 1,000 Iraqis died in a terrifying stampede. There are suicide and car bombings daily in Iraq. Terrorist bombs have hit London and out-of-control police have shot dead innocent people in both London and New Orleans.
It is understandable that many people are horrified, fearful, and want to shut the door in the hope that they won’t be affected. But many don’t.
Hundreds of thousands have already demonstrated in Britain against the war and occupation of Iraq – millions have done so worldwide. Tens of thousands marched against the G8 in Edinburgh aiming to make poverty history.
March
You can march again on 24 September in London. But now there will be many more who have been appalled by the summer events and who want change.
The Socialist Party fought for an emergency trade union-based demonstration after the London bombings, against terrorism, against war and against racism. But even though 24 September is some time after the event, there will still be many who want to march to make a stand against terror and to demand immediate withdrawal of the troops from Iraq.
Many more will also want to show their anger against Bush and the US government for their criminal handling of Hurricane Katrina.
Thousands have died unnecessarily. The hurricane brings home the reality of the threat to our environment, and the willingness of governments worldwide to allow big business to destroy the planet and our lives along with it. Thousands will see that as an additional reason to act.
Beginning of renewed struggle
Some people may think there have been many demonstrations and nothing has changed. But the Socialist Party thinks that this demonstration is important because it can be the beginning of a renewed struggle for change.
The only force in Britain that is capable of tackling any of these issues is the great majority of ordinary working and young people.
By marching we can show our anger at the tragedy and quagmire that is Iraq, and demand immediate withdrawal.
We can show to those small number of people who very misguidedly might get drawn in to terrorist activities that there is another way to fight, based on mass action by a united working class.
We can show that we stand united to isolate those dangerous elements like the BNP who want to sow division out of the London terror attacks.
But much more than that, we can start the fight for a new world – one that is not based on super-exploitation of millions of lives, one that is not wracked by war and terror, one that does not sit back while the environment is destroyed.
We think that’s possible, when the majority of people organise to take the vast wealth of the world into our own hands and plan our own destinies, instead of leaving everything in the hands of the greedy multinationals and their warmongering governments.
Demonstrate on 24 September. Join our red socialist contingent. But don’t leave it at that. Join our party, and help us fight against war, against terror, against racism, and for a socialist world.
Assemble 11.30 at College Green (opposite House of Lords, Millbank) and march to Hyde Park.
Stockwell feeder march assembles at 11am, Clapham Road, down from Stockwell Tube.
East London feeder march assembles at Altab Ali park, Whitechapel High Street, London E1.
Demo called by STWC, CND and MAB
