The March for the Alternative, held on March 26, was a planned event to protest the British government's proposal for dramatic cuts in public spending.
Up to half a million people gathered in London to proclaim their idea of a better alternative--one that would not leave a million unemployed and public services dysfunctional.
Several major publications, such as the Guardian, dedicated a page for participants to share and comment on their experiences for that day. In addition, the website featured footage of the protests and interviews. The choice to feature the public voice marks an important victory for democracy and rhetoric as it demonstrates that discourse is open and available to the public.
Many of the marchers praised the "amazing atmosphere." They applauded the march as "the start of a fightback against economic and social vandalism."
The new budget cut proposals affected each of the individuals there. Yet although each person had their own personal reasons for protesting, everyone joined together as a group and marched for the common good. One commentator proclaimed, "My middle-aged feet are killing me, but I will march again and again until they are bruised and bleeding – not for me, but for everyone else." Another explained that he had many close friends who unfortunately were unfit to walk for miles, and thus he participated in this event so that he could be "marching for them." The statements from these two people reflect the feelings of the majority of marchers, who came to fight for a common cause.
Overall, the March for the Alternative turned out extremely well, and the participants can all be proud of their efforts. Many enjoyed the experience, and it is exciting to see such a huge crowd of people excited about expressing themselves.
After giving rhetoric such a harsh connotation, for once it's nice to see a healthy public discourse that actually helps society! Even if people were unable to march, they could read the experiences of those who were able to and almost experience it for themselves. Celebrating the event through public discussion allows more people to gain awareness of the issue and thus participate in it.
ReplyDeleteAn issue such as this which so personally will affect the lives of the British people calls for a dramatic statement. This march seems to have accomplished that. The fact that people were concerned about this government action and chose to act on it is commendable and will get the attention of the leaders of the country. This is a situation in which rhetoric is a necessary advantage for the citizens.
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