At St Nicolas Church a small exhibition has been put on, at the invitation of the Abingdon Peace Group, telling the stories of people, from both sides of the WWI conflict, who resisted the call to arms. There was also a talk this evening at St Nic’s church about these people.
On the way to the talk, I took a picture of a rainbow arching above the church and County Hall.
The first half of the evening got us talking together in groups, trying to discover the reasons why some people, as various as a Jamaican Carpenter, and a Huddersfield member of the British Socialist Party, resisted the call to fight for King and Country.
At the end we were asked to share an experience when we had stood up for something we believed in, when most people were of the opposing view. Listening to two members of the Abingdon Peace Group I realised they had stood up for their beliefs in self defining ways.
In the second half we heard three stories. One was of a Maori Princess, shown in the poster above, who led her people in a campaign of non violent protest against conscription.
To see the posters and read the stories visit St Nicolas Church over the next few days, or visit The World is My Country website.
Much better if they asked some mosques to participate. I was having a conversation with someone who knows the Middle East very well and he said that we do not understand the culture of the Middle East. The societies there only understand strength and a strong leader and do not understand a weak democracy. This is why only strong leaders get into power and democracy does not work. They view any weakness with contempt. I do not think that a capitulating British Chamberlain would be viewed in a good light.
it was a thought provoking meeting and a reminder of the continuing importance of standing up and saying Not in My Name .Relevant to that is the showing nationwide in cinemas tomorrow night of the film We are Many about the largest protest in human history in Feb 2003 when 2 million people in the UK and up to 30 million people worldwide marched in protest against the Iraq War. Locally the film is being shown at the Odeon George Street and the Phoenix in Oxford at 8pm. The nationwide screening is followed by a live satellite Q&A hosted by John Snow.