Tired of London, Tired of Life - A website about things to do in London

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3 November 2011

Wander around some tents

Your author has made no secret of the fact that he doesn't like the continuing blight on one of the most beautiful spots in our city, but it is always worth taking a trip down to St Paul's Cathedral to make up your own mind.


As the rest of us desperately try to keep our heads above water, the activists' only achievement is some clergy resignations and preventing the rest of us from visiting Paternoster Square.

They claim to represent 99% of humanity, waving banners saying things like "We are not some special interest group. We are you", but your author doesn't remember being asked to vote for them.

But it's up to you to make up your mind, and you should wander past. For more background, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15546275

^Picture © Alan Denney used under Creative Commons^

10 comments:

  1. Tom, you can go and vote there if you want to affect/debate what they're doing. In fact I would add that to your recommendation for the day's visit - go at about 7-7.30pm and watch or participate in the General Assembly.

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  2. On behalf of myself and the rest of the protectors we unreservedly apologise for being a "blight" on your hitherto splendidly scenic pathway by the church. Foolishly, we had presumed that protesting in such an iconic and busy area would mean that we would get maximum media exposure. However, following your bold and well thought out critique we now realise that it would have been far more useful to stay at home (those of us that still have homes anyway) and sit back ignoring the vague and creeping sense of unease that immoral and greedy men are strip mining our futures to line their own already gilt edged purses.

    I can only repeat our apology for spoiling the view. Clearly our priorities are skewed.

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  3. ...but I'd prefer it if you just went home.

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  4. In my opinion, it's fine to protest and raise your voice.
    The problem starts when you assume that everyone has the same opinion.

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  5. Thanks Anna, I wholeheartedly agree. I really think it is a good thing for people to go down and make up their own minds. I've been a few times and it always grated that the people there claimed to be representing me. Good to have your input.

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  6. The use of the open space doesn't actually bother me so much - isn't there a history of cathedral forecourts being used for public assembly? True, it's cluttering an attractive area but there is something appealing about the humanity of it beneath the soaring St Paul's. My problem is that I don't see a coherent message coming out of the camp and an actual objective is not apparent. I can't help but feel that it would be much more constructive having a small, focused group with clear intent and workable solutions. Rather than just a camp of people with a bunch of random causes...

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  7. Longtime follower to the blog Tom. I find it a shame that you've decided to use it to unabashedly express your own opinions when it seems to me not really an appropriate platform. You really could've stopped at just inviting people to visit the space and make up their own minds, but clearly that wasn't your real intention. I'm sorry to hear you don't like 'the people' as if you knew them on a personal level rather than just disagreeing with their tactics. Perhaps you should put a bit more time into researching St Paul's (as you normally seem to do) and its use such as St Paul's Cross which has historically been a place for public discussion.

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  8. Thanks for your input guys. Good to have a healthy debate.

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  9. I walk past "the camp" on a daily basis on my way to work. (I'm an engineer, BTW, not a banker - despite the suit). I'm also concerned about the protest's lack of a clear objective.

    It also seems to be degenerating into a site for anyone with an issue to join; further losing its direction. I fear that this will end really badly, with so called "anarchists" infiltrating and manipulating the situation for their own headlines. If this happens, the current camp incumbents must take full responsibility.

    I love London for its diversity; people and architecture. I walk past the shabby posters glued to office pillars and feel saddened that people feel they have the "peoples' mandate" to do this. And most protesters appear to have a far more privileged education/upbringing than you and I. I hope that those involved have the decency to leave before Remembrance Sunday (having first cleaned up the area) - but I'm pretty sure that this won't happen. Yet more disrespect.

    David

    PS. The local Blacks, M&S and Starbucks are doing a roaring trade. Thank God they're not part of the anti-Capitalist agenda!

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