I went to an anti-war protest today.

Initially I wasn't sure whether I wanted to go - after all, the government is basically doing what I want, so there didn't seem like much point. But I had other reasons for going into town, so I went along. It was billed as an "afternoon for peace" - a few speeches (by local MP Steve Maharey, Metiria Turei from the Greens, a Palestinian or Iraqi woman, and someone from a local peace organisation whose name I didn't catch), some music (technically good, but a bit too "hippy" for my tastes :), and a lot of sitting in the sun with friends. It wasn't very large - only about a hundred people - but OTOH this is Palmerston North after all.

Did it change anything? I doubt it - George W. Bush certainly doesn't care what people think - but maybe it'll encourage our government to stick to its line of backing the UN rather than the hegemon.

CBIP: Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich.