I headed to Tesco after a drive back from London around Midday Saturday and en approach heard some samba style drumming.
My initial brain-association was with my fortnightly drumming circle thinking it sounded fun. However en turning the corner I noticed said drumming was part of a local protest group halted outside Tesco.
Their banner said 'Herefordshire Peace in Gaza' or something like that. I dutifully took a leaflet and headed in to buy my almond croissants.
I thought at the time that Tesco was an odd place to stop at, it's a bit out of the way of any usual marching routes, which are pretty limited given how small the town is, but usually involve high street and town hall.
However on checking the leaflet on getting home they were stopped there because Tesco supports Israeli investments, and a few other companies were named too, including Barclays, who I just happen to bank with....
On what one has become..
25 years ago I might have been on that protest, same look of stern disapproval towards pretty much anyone else who wasn't on said protest.
The thing is I don't really fit in with that same old subcultural vibe, I never really did back then, I certainly don't now.
You see I do think these protest groups are about more than just the issues, they are a subculture, and if yer not comfortable with drumming and dancing and hippy-attire, then you're probably not going to fit in, really.
Half of them probably secretly shop in Tesco and bank with Barclays anyway, when they're not performing their protest in public.
Boycotting...?
Maybe I should be avoiding some of these companies...
I generally don't agree with war, certainly not with the level of Israeli aggression in Gaza.
However I also feel there's more going on with this protest, in singling out Israel when there are many other regimes that we could and maybe should be boycotting too for historic aggression in other parts of the world.
It's something I've lost my way with a little bit, ethical consumption, and something I should maybe give a little more thought to going forwards, but in a much more broader sense than just boycotting the companies on the above list!
Noted to self!
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