A Peace camp by a scottish sea-loch is worth the news item for a booze-up when the balls-ups they are trying to prevent might mean that horrendous CLICHE global termination of radiation, mutation, nuclear winter, slow poisonous deaths, retributions etc.
To pre-empt "Up from the ashes" cliches, a few clues for further research . . . .
Grins all round, with you in spirits, (insert old jokes here) etc
As I type, people at the peace camp are about to fall asleep . . . . probably.
For a bit. Then . . . . **** ???? !!!!
So here are a few bits of background to wake up all the people that SHOULD have woken up to whats happening in the world AGES ago. Much done, much to do - loads of different ways to do useful things, lots of different sorts of teamwork . . . . it is necessary to "do something", but its up to you if you "dress up".
Top brass speaking out about the need for global nuclear disarmament says that its getting QUITE late . . . . see USA ex-Secretaries of State for Defence joint statement recently.
Those without odd uniforms speaking out about all this have put a few useful "situation updates" onto the web-net too, of course. Do assume that to a certain extent long-term campaigns understate the seriousness of the situation, or use jargon or buzzwords too much, sometimes due to the fact that - quite possibly there is a lot more cash in "capturing" then caricaturing-into-the-margins these sort of campaigns* - but also that "keeping on keeping on"-ism that means the metaphorical lookout stops shouting "ICEBERGS", puts on a neat looking suit, tie, etc, inveigles their way into cocktail parties with the upper class passengers, then ends up saying
"- on the rocks, on the rocks . . . . that reminds me of something . . . . errrrrrr"
That said - for info
Scottish CND
Oxford Research Group
Vertic
British CND
(. . . . more info with comments)
All respect to the baseworker types, special boat squad crews, submariners etc* but when you see these things go past your breakfast tea, week after week, WITHOUT the mental inoculation of the "COULDNT-POSSIBLY-HAPPEN" variety, it adds a certain necessary "sense of the possible". Both ways. It also tends to include all types of people as "target audience", also for obvious reasons, when you are here.
*cheers for the good work on the icecap-shrinking research, by-the-way, (down 50% from 1976 - OUCH! ). Peace camp types near-or-far are also aware that the world faces other problems too, as does the local area. Remember that the longevity of this place means that "peacecampkids" went to the same schools as "baseworkerkids" - much of a muchness, in a good way, the same "love-of-the-place" too. From Glasgows needs for asbestos casualties to get proper care - (twice the people die from this as die on the roads each year, but this is where the factories were - insurers played "pass-the-parcel" to wait as old friends died without a penny compensation), to the need for the Isles or the far valleys to keep their post offices.) It does all go together, so we see that, try to do whats possible - - - - then a little bit more.
A couple of "by-the-way"s for people that aint heard of the place
One old story says that the name of this place came from " 'fae slain ".
Afore they were slaughtered. Legend has it that the last tribal feud battle took place near here. . . . in a particularly bloody, disastrously terminal way for ALL the members of one of the sides, who had their last breakfast by one of the streams here.
Somehow typical that the experts might put the British Nuclear Warhead Submarine fleet here.
After the sea battles of the napoleonic wars, when peacetime came, the Gareloch was full of the hulks of old warships for some years . . . . this time, if we get peace, the hi-tech PROPER jobs people might get are FAR more inspiring.
From underwater research ( as mentioned ! ) to serious BIG tidal-power float-machinery creation ( the Mulberry harbours of D-Day 1944 were put together just down the coast a bit ! ) to aero-space that MEANS it (Ayrshire often hosts some of the most encouraging of the "citizens space rocket"-type initiatives. Also, somewhat typical, in a good sort of a way.
(PS did we mention the old local "we-invented-TV----sort-of" speel. . . . )
One of the early "remember each eleventh" campaign "posts" was also from here.
The world was LUCKY in that end to the Cold War.
We are going to have to create a LOT more luck like that in the near future, in all the mysterious ways or odd coalitions that the grouping of Halloween with All Saints - ALL Hallows - means, across the whole world. Does your local action matter - does your local "history" offer a strength - a reminder of WHY its worth it too. It probably does - if you look. If you saw yourself as "free-floating" - adopt a place or adopt the world, it might adopt you back. So is radiation, so is the poison - etc. Rumours of the "escape pod" from this worlds scam-repercussions are as mythical as that of a tripleAcredit mortgageswindlers I.O.U.
Getting up . . . .
Stepping up.
THERE WAS THIS "DO" AT THE PEACE CAMP. . . .
OH YES . . . . I REMEMBER.
Twas the season of lighting the lights, fireside chats, looking back at the harvest, celebrating a year, imagining good ideas for the next one - happier futures all around . . . .
We could have called it Duvali, in Gaelic it lasts for weeks (typical), light a flame for a friend or two, discover a few extra around the embers, chat about the mistakes we have seen, the good humour lightens the load - as do the spirits . . . .
lets say that this necessary celebration is OPEN
Worldwide!
Good luck with yours . . . . cheers!
Comments
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x says also see
04.11.2008 10:36
disparu too, but crucial