Friday, July 8, 2005

I Could Have Had A G8

By now, I'm sure you've all heard about the G8 summit on the news.  In case you haven't been watching TV nor reading the newspaper, here's a brief synopsis: leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) major industrialized nations are meeting in Scotland to discuss African poverty and global warming.  This year's G8 summit is the 31st summit.  The agendas usually consist of topics such as health, the economy, labor and other issues of major or global concern. I follow the G8 summits very closely, not for hearing what the world leaders decided to do, but to see the protesters.

I've always admired protesters - not the militant, violent activists, but your ordinary sign-carrying protesters.  I admire them for their convictions, and for actually doing something about an issue they believe in, even if it's only carrying a sign.  With my warped sense of humor, I love reading the signs that the protesters carry, and especially like their interesting slogans.

From what I've gathered, the police aren't letting anyone remotely near the Gleneagles Hotel, where the summit is being held.  They've erected a five-mile long wire mesh fence around the hotel.  I'm not sure if it is to keep the protesters out or to keep the G8 leaders in. 

The funniest scene from the G8 protests is the group of people wearing the giant masks of the G8 leaders.  I think they look like living bobbleheads.  It must be the same group of protesters year after year - the heads look the same, but each year at the protests, they change the clothes the living bobbleheads are wearing.  I think it's a scream.  Seeing the G8 bobbleheads on the news is way funnier than when the police get hacked off and spray the protesters with the water cannons.  Hmmm.  I might have to look on eBay.  Maybe we can find some of the G8 bobbleheads on there.

No comments: