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I’ve been away for a week, visiting Sydney on a bit of a junket. While I was there I joined in the Marriage Equality march that went from Town Hall to Taylor Square. I had intended to go to the speeches at the start but… well, I must admit I got a little caught up at the AC/DC exhibition. Marching is more fun anyway. I took a bit of video as we went along. As you can see, someone threw an egg from an apartment near Hyde Park which thankfully missed. Most people, though, were supportive.
The Sydney Star Observer says there were around 2000+ people there which they considered to be a good turnout. The comments then erupt into an argument over whether that number of people is good enough or not.
I must admit, I sometimes feel that rallies and marches have had their day. It seems that now we’ve got the internet, it’s a bit redundant to march down the street shouting slogans and blocking traffic. I think I developed this hesitation after going to a very-poorly attended anti-filter protest in 2008. I KNEW that heaps of people opposed censorship but unfortunately they didn’t turn up. It was too hard, apparently, they were all busy doing something else. It left the rest of us looking like a rag-tag bunch of losers protesting something that no-one really cared about.
I suspect it may be more effective to spend the time writing emails to MPs or creating online campaigns. I noticed that not a single major media outlet covered this Marriage Equality march, even if there were photographers there. Getting on the news has become the main reason for protests now; it feels as though the success of your issue relies solely the mercy of a faceless old-media editor somewhere.
Maybe I became cynical about protest rallies in 2003 when MILLIONS of people turned up to anti-Iraq war protest rallies all around the world and it made no difference at all. And yet I know that it’s still important to get out there and be loud and visible sometimes. It is worth it – if only so we can make witty signs and then upload our videos.
Being that I wasn’t around (or even yet a twinkle in my parents’ eyes yet) for the 1960’s sit in’s and anti-war rallies, nor the civil rights marches and boycotts staged by MLK in my country, among many many others… I can’t speak to how effective marching and protesting has EVER been. I’m sure that, as you point out, the internet may make it feel less important, when just a couple of clicks on change.org allows you to sign half a dozen petitions instead of getting out of your chair and missing a day of work for a rally…
And, I don’t know about Aussie-land, but growing up around the Washington, DC area in the US, to me it’s still an important part of the standing up and being heard, and I will probably still go to them even if they’re small and have poor turn-outs.
And yes, witty-signs and internet notority for everyone! Hurray!