>Bob Brown's speech kind of worried me, but then he always kind of worries me.
>So comfortable and vague... sure everyone (at least everyone there) can get
>behind less money for weapons and more for feeding the hungry, but it's so
>content free.
You are likewise somewhat vague about what worries you, but Bob is a very sincere bloke. Especially about this, the first time I met him, back in the late 70's I seem to recall, he was fasting on the top of Mt Wellington in Hobart because of the presence of a US aircraft carrier in the port. It was there for three or four days and he stayed up there fasting the whole time.
I was down there staying with a hippie mate of mine, we took one yankee sailor we met up with down at the casino, up the mountain to have a chat with Bob, who explained the evils of war and nuclear power to the fellow. The sailor was very polite and thoughtful.
Perhaps a 5 minute speech at a rally of hundreds of thousands will tend to be a bit lacking in fine detail, less money for the means of warfare and more for feeding the hungry can seem something of a motherhood statement, but if you are worrying that Bob doesn't sincerely believe it, then you needn't worry. Bob is the very epitome of a "true believer".
> I know I should just be thrilled there were so many, it was such
>a success, and relieved it's had such generally positive press even in the more
>hideous media formats (because that makes it so much more effective), and I am,
>I guess. Yeah, I am. But the unfocused rhetoric still bothered me.
Perhaps you would prefer the rhetoric was focused on something more radical? But it is focused nevertheless. The focus is squarely on containing the military adventurism of the rogue superpower. Anyhow, preventing war is actually quite radical you know. You may find it comforting to consider that the US is highly unlikely to take any heed of anti-war sentiment. It will go to war anyhow, which can only serve to further radicalise the millions of people who took to the streets last weekend.
So we may be in for interesting times.
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas