Protest Hype

All over the news, even with breaking stories throughout the night, the media have gone nuts over the protests in Sydney last night and today. I have a number of comments to say about this whole fiasco.

First, there was not that many people at the protests. This is a shame as Cheney's visit is an opportunity for the community to express their displeasure over the Iraq disaster.

Second, there was not that many people at the protests. The handling by the police seemed to be over kill. It is indeed our democratic right to protest peacefully. Having the police demonstrate their show of force does not help the situation.

Third, there was not that many people at the protests. The media have hyped this up into something it is not. A couple of hundred people at a peaceful demonstration with an idiot or two who want to get on the TV does not make it a disaster or a lead story.

The problem is that conservative forces in this country (and I believe both major parties are included in this) have successfully created a culture of derision towards protests and protesters. In the future we will look back and think or our kids will say, "why didn't we do more to stop all the bad things we are doing in the world." My conscious will be clean, will yours?