The Rabble

April 23, 2001 6:43 AM

The Rabble Brand new journal--on-line, born in Quebec as a result of the demonstrations. Some good reading here.
posted by Postroad (6 comments total)

I haven't seen much coverage of the Quebec demonstrations, but did people actually take their kids with them to demonstrate as one of the articles on the site mentioned?

If so, that's a bit disturbing. I'm all for people demonstrating for what they believe in, but why would someone willingly expose their children to the risk of tear gas or being trampled?
posted by CRS at 6:57 AM on April 23, 2001

CRS, you kinda make it sound like parents are bringing their kids along and purposefully standing in the line of fire. Demonstrators who bring their kids along usually do so not to gain public sympathy or to act as human shields or anything like that, but to show their children that it's important to make a stand for what you believe in. There's a big difference between recounting the day's events to a child when you get home and bringing them along so they can see what you're actually doing; and then there's the importance of involving them early, so they don't feel remote from the things that you think are important.
posted by lia at 8:36 AM on April 23, 2001

I understand that, but weren't there "green" demonstration areas which were away from potential disturbances?

Since I didn't follow the stories this weekend, I was just curious whether this occurred at one of those areas (and I wouldn't think the protesters were using the kids for political gain) or in one of the "red" areas (in which case, I would have suspicions).
posted by CRS at 8:42 AM on April 23, 2001

What's the point in taking your kid along to see a bunch of people stand in some marshalled off area that will be ignored?

I can see the argument for not takng them, but I don't think the rest of your argument holds. In other words either you think it's wrong to take kids along or not - the green/red area argument is a (green/)red herring.
posted by andrew cooke at 9:11 AM on April 23, 2001

Ah, yes. Kids, let's go to the state-approved demonstration. Mommy and I went to the police station to register for our license!
posted by dhartung at 12:46 PM on April 23, 2001

I attended a solidarity demonstration in my city and a fair number of children were in attendance. Granted, we weren't being tear gassed, and the police presence was minimal, but these kids are going to grow up knowing that there is an alternative. Point being - taking kids to a demonstration should be more for their education and upbringing than to make a political statement (I agree wholeheartedly with CRS - children shouldn't be used for political gain).
posted by lumiere at 9:33 PM on April 23, 2001