S.O.S. (Solstice over Shannon) Press Release

national | miscellaneous | news report

Friday June 06, 2003 11:48

by Nico - S.O.S.

Cork

(021) 454-1455

Hundreds of people from across the country are expected to attend a huge festival that is being planned for the solstice (21st June, 2003) at Shannon Airport, at the site of the former Peace Camp.

There have been a number of anti-war protests at Shannon over the winter. This event will be something quite different. Rather than allowing U.S./U.K. warmongers to push us to react and focus on what we DON’T want, S.O.S. will be an opportunity to focus on what we DO want; peace, love, music, beauty, truth, understanding and diversity. S.O.S. will allow people who might not normally get involved in political events to party for a cause. It will be an all day event with roots reggae on one sound system and a second sound system provided by the Protest and Play Collective, featuring the sounds of DJs Fiasco and Eugene. There will be free vegan food courtesy of Food not Bombs, drumming circles, art installations, and plenty of activities for children, including face painting and balloon animals. We will also be launching Cork’s new “Green Garage”, which aims to assist interested parties in converting their vehicles over from diesel to bio-diesel.

S.O.S. is brought to you by the same team who organised last summer’s highly successful “Diversity Day” event in Cork. This event will have similar multi-cultural, multi-lingual and environmental themes. All are encouraged to attend. It should be a very special day.

Reclaim the Skies!

The only firepower we want over Shannon is the Sun!

S.O.S. spokesperson, Nico, said:
“There can be no doubt that our spaceship earth is in need of saving at the moment. This is largely because of the huge military presence everywhere, which prevents people from living a good life because they’re too busy dying a horrible death. Our response to this so far, has been to make placards and march with megaphones and chants, declaring what we don’t want. And we’ve seen how quickly protesters burn out on that kind of thing – as soon as the television war ended, all such activity ground to a halt. I feel that what we need to do, now more than ever, is build on the positive rather than attacking the negative; to focus on what we do want rather that what we don’t. We need a big celebration to recharge everyone who’s burnt themself out fighting war. Or who just wants to party. The aim is to include rather than exclude.”

Further information: Nico (021) 454-1455 or Jen (021) 432-2561.

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Comments (8 of 8)

S.O.S. Checklist (posted as article)

by Ray

Fri Jun 06, 2003 12:55

A handy checklist of things to bring to S.O.S.

· Donations of vegetables, grains, pulses or bread for Food not Bombs (the more we bring them the longer they can feed us) (optional)

· Large containers of water from your local holy well (optional)

· Tents and sleeping bags (optional)

· Musical instruments (optional)

· Digital, video and traditional cameras (optional)

· Love, creativity, imagination and an unquenchable desire to boogie down (essential)

· Resolve to respond to any harassing guards with simple truths (ex. You are a guardian of the peace and I am here to celebrate peace. Surely your duty is to protect me from those who want war.) and to maintain a firm and peaceful stance in the face of any aggro (essential)

· Yourself and your friends (essential)

RECLAIM THE SKIES!

posted as article

Fri Jun 06, 2003 12:56

Call for contributions to S.O.S.
by Anarkitty - Protest & Play Fri, Jun 6 2003, 11:22am
address: Cork
This is an open invitation to anyone who likes to make music, drum, sing, dance, juggle, do performance art, create installation art, dress up, dress down, laugh, flirt, etc. to participate in the S.O.S. (Solstice over Shannon) Event which is taking place on Saturday, 21st June ’03 at the site of the former Shannon Peace Camp.

All those who attended Ecotopia last summer are especially urged to participate.

THE ONLY FIREPOWER WE WANT OVER SHANNON IS THE SUN!

hi anarkitty!

by iosaf

Fri Jun 06, 2003 16:58

do it w/ balloons.
(reclaim the sky)
:-)

Sounds good, but a few questions and comments

by Paul

Fri Jun 06, 2003 18:21

Is this aimed to mesh with the national demonstration planned for Shannon on 21st of June? When is SOS starting? Will you join in the march? Are you hostile to marches, and if not why the hard words about people chanting etc?

If this is not timed to distract from the march on the airport, I would completely support it. The Catholic Workers, for instance, have timed their event in Shannon to meet up with the march at two o'clock in the town centre.

But, if people are being asked to continue partying somewhere else while the march is ongoing, then i think that is absolutely wrong. Have the SOS after the march and a bunch of us marchers might join you. Participate in the march. Don't pose a party as an alternative to the demo! Make the two work together.

Not burnt out

by Rasta

Fri Jun 06, 2003 18:44

Nico might be burnt out but the rest of us will fight on - placard in hand! Don't like megaphones but do like demos. Rock on to the demo on June 21st!!

Sound System gonna bring me back up

by S. Aerobics - Reclaim the Runways

Fri Jun 06, 2003 19:09

For too long it's been 'Shannon the Warport' or the 'Axis of Onslaught'. A dumping ground not only for US military foreign policy but also for 'anti' sloganeering.
But is such a 'dirty' place worth defending ?
S.O.S. - let the clean up begin.
Decontaminating strakers sweep the runway in the joyous riot of a pitch invasion as....
Green Garage make Shannon the worlds first aviation-bio-diesal refuelling stop.
'Shannon the BIOport'
S.O.S. - LET THE CLEAN UP BEGIN

Negativity?

by Johnny

Sat Jun 07, 2003 21:23

Nico: "Our response to this so far, has been to make placards and march with megaphones and chants, declaring what we don’t want. And we’ve seen how quickly protesters burn out on that kind of thing – as soon as the television war ended, all such activity ground to a halt. I feel that what we need to do, now more than ever, is build on the positive rather than attacking the negative; to focus on what we do want rather that what we don’t."

This is just a jumble of cliches Nico. Are you suggesting that we abandon protest/resistance and party the system to death? Let's be honest, we might find that much more fun than marching on the airport but the government will hardly be left quaking. We build on the positive when we protest or engage in acts of resistance. Placards and megaphones? What IS the big deal about them? I've never carried either a placard or a megaphone in my life (have carried banners) but they don't bother me. Read a placard at last Shannon demo: 'Make peace not war!' What's wrong with that? Where is the negative in that?

We march with hope, anger, and buckets of positivity. We want to run US warplanes out of Shannon because we care about the human suffering that they create. We are not being negative.

Also, I second the comment above: join in the march and then boogie through the night. These events should complement each other.

sound systems gonna bring me back up.....

by pete ranks

Mon Jun 09, 2003 14:42

one thing that i can depend on.......

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S.O.S. (Solstice over Shannon) Press Release

Comments (8 of 8)