South London Protest Cafe - Do justice/ Eat cake

[Lulastic]

Hello!

Myself and some friends are beginning a South London Protest Cafe, based at House Cafe in Camberwell, every 6 weeks or so.

We hope people might just fancy coming along to eat cake and drink wine and try make the world a more just place. We will watch films, write letters, talk to politicians on either local or global justice issues.

Our first event is this Wednesday, a film screening, from 7-9pm.

Are you/ your organisation interested in being collaborators? Or even just popping along? Would love to hear from you.

You can find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/SouthLondonProtestCafe or tweet me! @lulasticblog

Thanks!

[northlondoner]

Hang on. Cake AND wine. This is dynamite.

[Lulastic]

Steady...

[eddie]

Is this for real?

[Lulastic]

In what sense Eddie?

Maybe I didn't explain it too well. The idea is to just have a space where people can talk, and act on issues that matter to them. Sometimes going to a town hall to, say, fight against local public service cuts isn't that appealing, I would certainly rather meet in a cafe to plan, get the MP to meet us there.

Would love to hear why my original post generated so much cynicism?

[intexasatthe moment]

Sounds an excellent idea to me ,sometimes I wonder if its just me worrying/being outraged by something and it would be nice to talk to other people .

[KidKruger]

would this include moral and Masculinist issues ?

[Lulastic]

Phew, thought for a moment I had gone mad ever thinking this was a good idea! Hehe. I think having the space to dicuss an then decide we can do is really key - hope to see you there!

Lucy

[Lulastic]

In terms of the issues- we will decide as a group what to work on but fairly sure they will be of a social justice nature, either local issues of global issues.

[HannahSE23]

I think it's a great idea.

[Ali56]

I would like to come but am in a wheelchair-is the cafe accessible and does it have a disabled toilet?

Thanks.

[Lulastic]

Thanks Hoona!

Ali56 - the cafe is on street level, no steps, and a toilet on the same level but it isn't a specific disabled toilet I'm afraid. Do you think it might be okay?

[Marmora Man]

I find this concept rather strange - it's as if "protest" is more important than any given issue. As I read the proposal it's "let's get together and decide what to protest about" - a low level form of Mao's permanent revolution?

Rather than create a cafe for p*ssed off people to plot protests, why not, instead, open a place where people can meet, socialise, drink and eat well, make friends, celebrate life, exchange recipes or knitting patterns, gossip, review recent films, arrange football matches, plan festivals or carnivals and, perhaps, also plot protests.

[the-e-dealer]

Whats the Movie?

[Annette Curtain]

Can I get off with anyone?

(& after stuffing cake & wine into my face)

[the-e-dealer]

Yeah thats what I was really wondering. Straight to the point!

[Salsaboy]

What sort of cake?

[uncleglen]

Global issues are too complicated for me I'm afraid

[maxxi]

Cake and wine - sounds a litte...

"High Priestess seated on Altar, God position.

Magus, kneeling, kisses her feet, then knees, bows with head below her knees, extends arms along her thighs, and adores.

Magus fills cup and offers it to High Priestess, who, holding Athame between palms, places point in cup.

Magus says: "As the Athame is the male, so the cup is the female, and conjoined they bring blessedness."

High Priestess lays Athame aside, and takes Cup and drinks, gives Cup to server, who puts a little in each glass.

Magus presents Pentacle with cakes to High Priestess, saying, "Oh Queen most secret, bless this food unto our bodies, bestowing health, wealth, strength, joy and peace, and that fulfillment of love that is perpetual happiness".

High Priestess blesses them with Athame, takes Cake and eats, while the Magus gives her the Cup again and kisses knees and adores.

All sit as Witches, and invite High Priestess to join them."

...is this what you had in mind?

[Lulastic]

Hi Marmora Man,

Yep, I can see your point. I guess I am coming from a circle of people who do just generally care about a "more just world" - the cafe is a direct response to groups that take one issue and mobilise around that. Because actually myself, and many of my friends, care about LOADS of issues - the environment, the NHS, the Arms Trade, the food system- but don't have the time to be involved in any significant way with any of them. The Protest Cafe is about carving out a space to doing SOMETHING on ONE of them, one evening at a time. Each event is open to the public so everyone can dip in and out depending on if they want to find out more/ do something about that particular thing.

To me, that just makes sense.

The film is Best Before- it is about the London Food Revolution and is brilliant.

Sadly the cake eating is fairly simple, Maxxi, so not sure it will float your boat.

[Huguenot]

I'm against everything.

[maxxi]

Huguenot Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm against everything.

Ah, that'll be a slice of seed cake and a paper cup of tart riesling then...

[Marmora Man]

Lulastic said

"I guess I am coming from a circle of people who do just generally care about a "more just world" - the cafe is a direct response to groups that take one issue and mobilise around that. Because actually myself, and many of my friends, care about LOADS of issues - the environment, the NHS, the Arms Trade, the food system- but don't have the time to be involved in any significant way with any of them."

Sounds a tad precious - do you believe your circle of friends is in some way superior to others in caring about a "more just world"? I am sure many people do - but protest is a very limited route to achieving that ambition.

Why not try participation, engagement, discussion, learning, understanding, fund raising, negotiation and action.

Protest, on its own, without offering an alternative is about as much value as a child's temper tantrum "I hate you, I want sweets, don't want to eat that".

[maxxi]

Marmora Man Wrote:

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"I hate you, I want sweets, don't

> want to eat that".

aka the UKIP manifesto

[Huguenot]

I signed up for SumofUs over some despicable corporate crime, but the protests came thick and fast.

They were both intelligent and unintelligent, well researched and downright fabricated.

I finally realised that these guys had no real interesting justice, honesty or society, they simply wanted to protest. Much of what they did was moronic.

If you have sound intent, insight and alternatives I may well support your cause. If you just want to protest I'd think you're an idiot.