Oooh, I loved these three instalments.
Coming as I do from the second (i.e. 80s) generation of Ban the Bombers (my first ever major political act was a Greenham Common demo at the age of 13), it's easy to forget that we weren't the first!
And interesting to think that the major political threat hanging over my head as a teenager, even though I'm of the same generation as your children (I'm guessing - I'm 37), was also nuclear war. It terrified me. All those Protect and Survive leaflets. Raymond Briggs.
Well, anyway. Did you go on any more demos after that?
My kids are a bit older than you - and I guess their fear was much the same; also - in the case of my son - the drying up of the earth. He saw Fantasia and took it to heart.
Oh yes, I demonstrated; pro-abortion, anti-Vietnam etc. Went to Greenham too, but not to stay, though shamed by all those grannies etc who did. Writing got in the way of that, probably rightly. Would have been marching endlessly against Iraq but for being in Canaries. It did seem a bit far to come back. Signed petitions instead, for the all the good those did.
I remember being incredibly embarassed of my mum, chaining herself to enormous drill bits and getting on the local news when they threatened a nuclear dump in Elstow, near where I grew up. It worked though... Which I guess is perhaps more than you can say for most demonstrations, so obviously worth it.
One of my earliest memories was toddling along with my Mum & Dad trilling 'Maggie Maggie Maggie, Out Out Out!' That's the funny thing about a lot of demonstrations - they're actually quite good fun. Maybe these orgs like Greenpeace etc should show more of the fun, and less of the earnestness, to drill up support amongst my generation of apathetics... Sorry - a bit long!
granny p, sensational stuff, loved reading all this with baby tricky on lap, what sort of world will be left for him...remember sitting with my friends in high school, reagan years, mourning the future, covering my english books with mushroom cloud posters after our teacher showed us...if you love this planet...
xxx
Yes - I think it was the same for you lot. My lot wasn't efficient enough... but didn't we try. My admirstion for the Greenham Commoners is boundless. I did visit a time or too - but sitting there for months/years....Am cheered by Lizzy's mother's success, but it's a bit easier with local projects. We need to get the new generation fired up with environment stuff now. If it's not too late.
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