The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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>Many ordinary people are prepared to campaign within the limits of the >law and will even break the law in certain ways but will not support the >use of vandalism . I'm not sure that real campaigns work like this. Lots of people participated in the anti-apartheid movement, CND, and the campaign against the poll tax, knowing full well that others were committing vandalism while not being prepared to take part in it themselves. And vandalism isn't always a turn-off; what about all those respectable quaker ladies who would go back week after week to cut the wire at missile bases? In the case we're discussing, the 'vandalism' was really quite token - almost like sticking a poster on a bus stop (which is also criminal damage, by the way). The important point, I think, is this - even if you wouldn't have done something in quite the same way, or you have some disagreement with the methods, which side are you on when there is an arrest? Sometimes you decide to support an action PRECISELY BECAUSE you wouldn't have done it yourself. Out of solidarity with Iraqis, I'm backing the protesters. As for scaring MPs; I fear that Iraq is never going to make the difference at an election. J Vernon -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT the whole list. Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html