Thursday, July 3, 2008

Demonstration on the African Queen

Over the weekend of 21st June I went on a voyage - to Lincoln - to visit Heather Buckley on the African Queen. We decided to make a banner - and take to the high seas to demonstrate (or at least sail up and down the River Witham flying the banner).
Why?
Because the banner gives voice to the individual - the banner is the traditional method for the everyman to have their say.
Why?
Because having a voice is important.
Because it is too easy to sit back and do nothing.
Because demonstrating is cathartic.
Because active is better than passive.
The issue does not have to be negative, but could be celebratory.
So, armed with a big piece of canvas, some PVA and some other fabrics, Heather and I climbed aboard to think about what we should demonstrate about.
We came up with a number of possibilities - thinking about things we feel strongly about, what we really like and the things that really bug us. But it was Heather's friend Joe that came up with our slogan - people asked us; Why are you doing it? Why make a banner? What's the point? Joe's answer was: Why Not? So that is what we decided on.
It is quite hard work making a banner on a boat, because there isn't very much space - but it just goes to show that anything can be done, anywhere.Unfortunately, the voyage had to be postponed due to freak winds - so we hung the banner inside the boat, and some of the boat neighbours came over to have a look.
The Voyage of Protest has been rescheduled for later in the summer. If you don't like it, why not make a banner and protest against it?

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