What is the significance of the Feb 16 Walk Against the War in Sydney?

I can tell you all the things that went wrong on the day. But what went right?

In the hottest and most humid day Sydney saw the largest anti war peace march in history.

Twice the size of the anti nuclear marches of the eighties. Just 75 days since our 30th November Rally - fourteen or fifteen times more people voted with their feet against war.

Despite the heat, humidity and delays, the vast majority of people were of good humour. They felt good - they celebrated their diversity, their humanity, their MATESHIP.

MOST OF THEM WERE DEMONSTRATING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIFE. They were validating their own inner feelings by seeing so many other people of a like mind.

An hour and a half after the march started there was still a shoulder to shoulder crowd at St. James Station determined to complete their walk.

What is the political significance of this? This was the highest level of political activity. This was crossing the line of inertia that our modern media culture encourages. Making news not watching it.

For all of the up to 300,000 people there will be ten more who have similar views or to whom they will talk.

Although I have described the globalisation of Economic military and political power earlier, it is not corny to say we saw last weekend the globalisation of people power, as more people in more countries said no to war and clearly no to President Bush.

There is now an increased need to maintain the spirit of cooperation and mutual respect that has characterised the Walk Against the War Coalition. We must make sure that egos, political differences, religious or cultural differences cannot be used to divide us.

But John Howard is right. We need to be alert but not alarmed.

Alert to when General Murdoch and Private Alan Jones of Howard's media brigade go into action.

And not alarmed when the first salvos to manipulate public opinion intensify.

NOTIFY OTHERS OF THEIR SUSPICIOUS PRACTICES. Arm yourself with a pen and send a letter of "MASS MEDIA" DESTRUCTION. Reach for the phone and engage the shock jocks in verbal battles. And at all times wear your purple ribbon so that other patriots who believe that war is not the answer can recognise you.

Democracy itself is in our hands.