Saturday, February 19, 2022

How to Protest Properly

We support the right to protest, but
and the But is important,
It can’t be any sort of protest,
You should not have any persons disapproved of
at your protest, no one whose ideas are amiss
Who are they? Don’t worry, we'll provide a list

We support the right to protest, but
There must not be too many
How many is ok? We’ll tell you,
Ideally?
Not any.

We support the right to protest, but,
Please
It cannot be connected with
Some other protest overseas
From other countries there is nothing whatsoever you need learn
Be contented gazing on the silver fern

We support the right to protest, but
It must not be too loud
No amplifiers thank you, chanting is ok
No, not as loud as that, or with those words
Be silent if you can’t chant in
a proper way

We support the right to protest, but
it must not disrupt anything
The normal flow of life must be protected
Have all your placards disinfected

We support the right to protest, but
Preferably, you’ll postpone.
Or
If you really really must protest,
make sure to do it silently,
at home,
alone.

(Don Franks is a Wellington musician, poet and veteran left-wing activist)

10 comments:

  1. Thanks Karl, I thought it was very good. Of course we also now know that anyone who protests against this government draws their water from "the river of filth".

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  2. Good one, Karl. You introduced Don Franks as a "veteran left-wing activist". Is there any good reason to label him like that in this connection?? Is this particular protest left or right??

    I am not so sure.

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  3. Very good. It perfectly sums up the attitude of this parliament.
    The team of five million must realise that there is a new team in town:
    The team of 120.
    The Pharmarxist Party.

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  4. Karl du Fresne may have applied the label because he and I are not always on the same page, or have not been much in past years. These days we have a shared interest in defending the diminishing opportunity for freedom of speech, currently being smothered by the cuddly woke pink security blanket.

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  5. So very clever, thank you, there's little to smile about these days but this helped :). Would probably go right over the heads of those attacking those inspirational protesters though.

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  7. Nice.
    ON MOnday I reckoned that the only was was 'down' for the occupation...someone was likely to spark a 'fire' and it would all end in tears. Let's see.

    There has been a shift in the press, the polies, a bit...I remain disappointed in the polies & as for Michael Wood...Yes, I know he was referring to undercurrents, that 'undertoad'...what a plonker.

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