If you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention

Snapped at the March in May protest in Sydney [image: whirlygirlblog]

Today I went on my first protest march, along with 10,000 or so other Sydneysiders. We were part of the March in May events happening across Australia – a follow-up to the March in March – against the policies of the current government.

I’ve never considered myself an activist but certainly over the years I’ve become much more politically aware, and also more self-aware. I know what kind of world I want to live in – and it is not one where greed and individualism take precedence over human decency. I don’t want to live in a divisive world; I want people to care about each other, to collaborate rather than compete, and to show compassion rather than contempt for the most vulnerable.

I wasn’t quite prepared for how emotional I would feel, arriving at Belmore Park to a crowd of thousands – ordinary people giving up their Sunday afternoon to show the world they are not ok with decisions being made by the Abbott Government. Then later, marching down Broadway, with people in their cars honking and cheering to show their support.

On stage, a series of speakers got up to have their say and get the crowd going. We were reminded that our mobile phones are a ‘weapon of community’ – and they were sure being put to good use. Forget people-watching, this was an exercise in sign-watching. From the inspiring to the creative to the crass, people were carrying all manner of placards, which were being snapped and shared across the internet at lightning speed. Democracy in the age of social media.

[image: whirlygirlblog]

[image: whirlygirlblog]

The March movement has been criticised for being unfocused, but I think whether you’re angry about spiraling education and healthcare costs, cuts to welfare or foreign aid, the treatment of asylum seekers or inaction on climate change, there is a singular philosophy underpinning that – humanity. It means you care about your fellow human beings and the planet we all depend on to survive, and want to see us all thrive, now and into the future.

I don’t expect everyone to have the same politics as me, but I do despair at how uninformed and disengaged many of us are. I don’t think we are solely to blame for this. Successive governments have given us good reason to switch off. Media outlets provide limited – and often biased – insights. Thanks to the internet and social media, there is more information available to us than ever before but it can be overwhelming to know where to start.

I hope these protests encourage Australians to put more time and effort into informing themselves – not only about the current election promises of our political parties but their underlying values and ideologies. Otherwise, we are disempowering ourselves and doing a disservice to our families, communities and country.

More photos from March in May here.