Feeling Fortified

I feel fortified after participating in the march for Palestine in London today. The past week has been an endless litany of distressing news coming out of the Middle East. Western governments have taken unconscionably immoral positions and are doing the best to stifle protest. But, today, surrounded by like-minded people who had shrugged of the government's clumsy threats and turned up in huge numbers.  I felt happy and hopeful for the first time in days. Despite our anger at Israel's treatment of Gaza, the vibe was love, not hate, and there were plenty of smiles. it turns out that more than a hundred thousand people attended, with the Guardian writing that most attended had ignored the home secretary's warning that displaying the Palestinian flag may be illegal. Today, I didn't feel powerless and frustrated. To be sure, we may not be able to change the UK government's policy, which usually mirrors the US government. After all, one million march against the invasion of Iraq in 2003 had not been able to stop it. But, the mega-marches seared into the public record the fact that that was  deeply unpopular and tarnished Blair's legacy. And, it radicalized a generation of young people who would never again look at Britain as a benevolent empire. Who knows what positive developments the current protest will set into motion?