It's quite an amazing feeling when you get thousands of people congregating in one place, at the same time and for the same reason. The energy, the 'oneness' and the cause you are there for just take hold and you feel very, very powerful. It's not power of that destructive, egotistical nature - it's that people-power we so often hear about.
Obviously it's not a new thing - it's been happening for millennia however this was the first protest that I have been to, am passionate about and our cause is incredibly alarming.
'They' want to mine New Zealand. By they, I mean the National government and those that support it. It's not just any-old-where in this amazing country of ours either. They want to dig up and effectively destroy our national parks nonetheless. Those immaculate, untouched, preserved, serene, ecological and diverse natural playgrounds. These mining folk call it 'surgical mining' but to me and 50,000 plus others in this country, there is no such thing.
To me, the Earth is like a human being. It clearly has moods, endures feelings, displays emotions, endures disease, has beautiful skin and those vital internal organs. Stripping the goodness out of the earth (be it open-cast or 'keyhole' is irrelevant as whatever the method, you get the same result) is like taking out the internal organs of a human. Over time, the human will die. Right now, AS I TYPE, there are millions of litres of oil spilling into the Louisiana coastline due to a complete BP disaster and it has already been labelled as the worst environmental disaster in US history. The earth, is literally bleeding.
What more do we need to see before we stop? How much more damage do we need inflict on this planet before it just stops spinning?
Whether or not humans are causing this climate change phenomenon or whether we are actually just witnesses to a natural cycle of solar system life, it really is becoming quite obvious that we are not helping the situation. We are most definitely doing everything in our selfish power to take, take, take and no give. Well, some of us are trying to give a little...
I was in the right place at the right time and man am I happy and proud I went. It was even more poignant because it was May 1st, my birthday. I figured if I can march against something that is very dear to me, what better day than on the 33rd anniversary of my day of entrance into this world.
I woke up and decided to catch the bus into town (something that I should do more of) but this was a day of symbols... My scooter was sitting there however the bus seemed more fitting as it was going in anyway. I chose a window seat near the back and as we went along, I noticed a few people getting on and off. It was great to see 4 adults and 4 kids all jump onboard, head towards the back and sit down next to me. They were clearly going to show their disgust at this mining proposal as well, which inspired me to think that when I become a dad, I am going to take my little one(s) to all these sorts of things as I really do believe it is important for them to see people standing up and being passionate about the things they believe in. I feel that in this current technological world we live in, of which I am very much a part of and enjoy, there is a growing feeling of complacence - an acceptance of just 'what is'. I don't like it. I want to be more of an activist that and inactivist...
So, on arriving into the Civic I jumped off the bus and followed what slowly became a steady stream of people heading downtown, towards the start of the march. I arrived expecting a fair crowd however what I saw was mind-blowing. I was immediately smacked in the face by the energy, telling me that what we were doing was important. Having this many people doing the same thing proved it...
Adults, kids, dogs, clowns, actors, cheer-leaders, musicians, police, banners and chants were all present, waiting to get going and show this government that we were not going to sit there with quiet complacency any longer.
After listening to an amazing instrumental band and hearing the loud-hailers warming up, the march started moving and as it did so the different slogans were being heard up and down New Zealand's largest street - it was sensational.
Along the way there were people taking photos, shop owners coming out in support and police trying to hold up traffic and all the while, we marched. They eventually decided that the whole road was a no-car zone - this spectacle must have looked pretty impressive. We marched all the way up to Myers park and while the first of the protesters filed in, there were still those bringing up the rear down by Whitcoulls. It was huge.
The fact that we are even having this debate is ludicrous. While the rest of the world is literally high-tailing it towards sustainability, New Zealand's leaders talk mining. I am devastated that this National, John Key led government is not listening to the people of New Zealand on this one, as we are the ones who own these lands. We are the ones (as is he) who go out into them every day, weekend or holiday period and it really is what defines us as New Zealanders. Our outdoorsy reputation, sports-based lifestyle and that 'joie de vivre' that Kiwi's do so well all stems from living amongst inspirational landscapes.
Digging up these places for a quick buck and a few 'economic benefits' (the majority of which will go offshore) is just plain unacceptable and theft from the New Zealand public. Theft in any form is illegal, so why should a whole party of people be exempt?
Stand trial John and Gerry...
