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Pride London is tomorrow. I had been reckoning on not stewarding this year, (because stewarding can be physically demanding, and I start a new job on Monday for which I want to be at my best).
As some may have heard, at least one car bomb (by the sounds of it, now two) have been discovered today in London. Both of these have been on the route of the Pride march, though as far as is known at present they are NOT aimed at Pride, but at the wider political situation.
So I've decided. Anyone who thinks that terrorist acts - of whatever description - are going to dissuade me (or most Londoners) from going about my lawful business is gravely mistakened. I shall now join the Pride March (unless it cancelled on Police advice - which at present seems unlikely).
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. ... Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night devoid of stars." Martin Luther King
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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You know, with the new job on Monday, I think I would give this one year amiss. The bombs are an irrelevance and your health is important.
I was planning to march for the first ever time this year, but mother and hospital somehow seem more important.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Well, I had been planning just to stand in Whitehall and watch the parade, but I think I'll join in the march for a bit if I can. I certainly won't overdo things though! Especially as I think it prudent NOT to wear the TENS unit I usually rely on for pain control - it is probably not a good time to be wandering round central London with semi-concealed wires running round under my shirt!
It's obviously sensible for you to concentrate on visiting your Mum at the moment (but do come on Pride next year). Last year, Pride was just over a week after my aunt had a bad accident which left her in Brain Injury Rehab for eight months. I managed to do Pride in the morning and visit her in hospital in the evening, but that was only because she was in hospital locally - I certainly wouldn't have considered doing Pride if I'd had long journeys as well!
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. ... Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night devoid of stars." Martin Luther King
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Well, it was very wet indeed when I got to Trafalgar Square at 1330, to find a place to stand (see pic of the main stage at the foot of Nelson's Column). The Parade arrived about 1415, by which time it had stopped raining, but still very overcast. This year, we were not allowed to march down Whitehall (past the end of Downing Street) ... I assume, a security precaution, although this is the route we've taken in the past.
There was a really good atmosphere on the march - it seemed as though I was not the only person to have come along precisely because of the car-bombs yesterday. While not quite the largest Pride London march I've seen (which was EuroPride last year), it was still a very good turnout.It was great to see the Royal Navy gay guys being allowed to march in Uniform, as did the Gay Police Association. For some daft reason, we still don't permit the Army or Air Force to do this!
I enjoyed it, but for those who have postponed their first experience of London Pride - this was probably a good year to miss simply because of the weather!
"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. ... Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night devoid of stars." Martin Luther King
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I'm glad to hear it went well, NW -- I wish I could have been there!
David
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