Ootautahi (CHCH) adds a thousand GE Free Marchers
Over 1000 Cantabrians braved rain and cold to march for a GE Free Aotearoa today.
I arrived at the Canterbury Museum (Rolleston Avenue) at 2pm on the dot with my mother and daughter (3 generations at one demo!). The weather was cold and damp and the march was just setting off towards Cathedral Square.
We arrived at the Square about 20 minutes later, having taken a fairly relaxed pace and spent time informing local residents hanging out their front windows and showing our placards to passers-by in the Arts Centre Market. Some of the best ones were:
"GMO: Government Manipulated Oppression"
"Bowie says no to GE"
"US corporates go back home"
and my favourite "Our Earth is not a test tube"
The rain dampened the crowd's spirits somewhat but a huge proportion of the crowd stayed around for most of the nearly 2 hour rally (big thanks to Massive for the sound system and Unimog truck), with speakers Charles Drace and the Greens' Metiria Turei and a host of GE Free entertainment including some excellent rock/rap numbers from Jodie Lloyd (of Dark Tower fame) and Lindon Puffin (formerly of the Puffins) and an inspired acapella performance by a young boy.
At least 1000 people marched with us, imagine if the sun had been shining! It's easy for the Life Sciences Network to claim this is a small turnout but think of it as 1 in every 300 people living in this city. For each person on the march there would be one who agrees but had other plans, one who agrees but wasn't feeling up to crowds that day and quite a few who know little about the issue but would have come if they knew more.
Neither could it be said that this was a crowd of rent-a-mob "professional protestors". Many of them were families with children and many had clearly never been on a demonstration before as it took a lot of energy to get people chanting as they overcame the usual 'newbie activist' fear of being heard and embarrassed.
Even so, after people warmed up a bit there were heartfelt cries of "Aotearoa - GE Free" and "1,2,3,4, Kick GE Out the Door, 5,6,7,8 GE Free it's not too late". We took off about 3:45pm as my daughter was cold and getting a bit miserable. The rally had been ended but there was still a reasonable crowd hanging around for more entertainment.
Overall a good effort by all concerned. Let's hope either the politicians listen or the 1000s that marched today turn up to pull up crops when they don't.
Comments
Life Sciences Network claim that only 200 marched.
The Sciences Network claim that only 200 marched in Christchurch.
See http://www.lifesciencesnetwork.com/news-detail.asp?newsID=4942
It is interesting that the Auckland march which I attended had varying reports of numbers:
March organisers said 35,000-40,000
NZ Herald said 9,000
Police said 15,000
Alan Liefting
Christchurch
useless
You lot are useless. the only way to stop GE is by joining Safe. Yes - we are the only group worth joining because we really care! the rest of you lot are just protesting to make you feel good and to stop feeling guilty for eating animals!
rediculous
I'll be posting some photos soonish that will refute life science network's claim of 200 protesters in christchurch.
I'll email them with the pics to just so they can get their facts straight for once...
Get off your fucking high horse
To The Righteous and Exalted Anthony,
There are a great deal of other reasons to be opposed to GE. I myself am not against the science, because I (shriek, get the witch!), think it could have some useful applications. I don't however trust corporations such as Monsanto, who brought us Agent Orange, to use such knowledge to the benefit of humanity.
I hope for a major change in the way we relate to economics and politics internationally.
And before you cry about it, I don't eat meat either, and neither do a great deal of people who aren't members of the organisation that you claim near dictatorial control over.
That post that you spewed reeks of fanaticism and the rigid fist of authority. Get off your high horse you arrogant toss-pot. Maybe you need to take your head out of your arse. You're no hotter shit than the rest of us.
Love & Kisses,
Andy
anthony...
"the only way to stop GE is by joining safe"
So the only org having any effect whatsoever is safe? I think that march raised more awareness about the public opposition to GE than anything safe has ever done.
"Yes - we are the only group worth joining because we really care!"
What makes you think any of the people who attended that march don't "really care"? If you're method and cause is so flawless, then why don't you fuck off and concentrate on it? After all, us "useless" ones don't want to be wasting the time of such an obviously inspired leader(/furor?).
"the rest of you lot are just protesting to make you feel good and to stop feeling guilty for eating animals!"
I suppose that anyone considering protesting GE should just give in and let it free if they're not vegetarian/vegan?
You're nothing more than a narrow-minded, self-assured bastard.
Oh... and the march was pretty good :)
Slanderous posting
RE: ANTHONY TERRY
To the person impersonating me I wish to say the following. I know who you are. I know you are the same person who has continued to poster slanderous and melicious postings on various forums in an attempt to discredit SAFE, me personally and to incite reactions from others, thereby wasting everyones their time and energy. If you really have some concerns about me perhaps you will have the courage to contact me directly to discuss them with some form of rational and logic.
To those reading the above posting I can assure you that neither SAFE nor myself have anything to do with it and ask that you please disregard it. I can be contacted directly at safe@chch.planet.co.nz if you need any further clarification.
Anthony Terry
SAFE Director
New Zealand
I'm not anti
Will people please stop using the word "anti"!
I am pro-GE Free New Zealand - it sounds much more positive!!!
SAFE
Anthony,
If you're being impersonated online then I'm sorry for my blast. I'm a very aggressive and anti-social person with a hair-trigger temper and tend to open fire very easily.
I've been impersonated online before myself. It is a bit of a mind fuck to deal with, especially if you're like me and more than capable of getting yourself in trouble without any outside help.
I did think that the offending post was a bit fishy now that I think of it. Maybe I need to liberate my own high horse from it's continued oppression.
Please accept my apology for going off half cocked, like I usually do. My foot is now firmly in my mouth. Foot don't taste good. Methinks it's time for my annual bath ; )
Slightly embarrassed,
Andy
I'm hiding
The offending comment and the subsiquent replies to the offending comment
Stop Your Fighting, Go Vegetarian !
Wheres The Love ladies And Gents?? !!
Why do we still have to fight about who is right and who is wrong?
I aggree 100% With Anth's Article the only way to stop GE is by joining safe, and becoming a vegetarian or better still vegan....(I Did and feel so much better for it!)
G.E is still one of the most touchy subjects, So if you care about the G.E Issue and really care, boycott products and companys that feed their animals G.E Feed.. IE...
KFCrulty,McSh*t,Pizza Smut,StarFuc*s and anyother products that contain G.E
Come on Guys & Gals, Keep It Natural.
blowin' in the wind
hey, for those who weren't at the chch march (and those that were too) here is the words to 'blowin' in the wind' that was sung at the march, adapted locally:
GE Free Blowin