Man, those Aussies sure know how to protest!
Americans [myself included] are a bunch of spoiled namby-pambies when it comes down to protesting the Iraqi occupation. Why can’t we get out and organize something like this, i.e., a world record number of mooners, called the "Bums for Bush" all ready, willing and able to welcome the decider guy by showing him their best [back] sides; when he arrives in Sidney, Australia on Friday for the annual APEC Summit.
An intrepid group of Australian anti-war protesters is planning to give Bush a warm, two-cheek greeting on Friday, baring their butts in what they hope will be a world record moon. The protest is aimed at lightening the mood in Sydney; the downtown area set to be patrolled by up to 5,000 police and military personnel, and divided by a massive steel and concrete fence in preparation for the summit.
According to Sydney police, they expect violence during a whole series of protests against Bush, Prime Minister John Howard, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. But the en masse two-cheek salute to Bush and Prime Minister John Howard, according to organizer Will Saunders, is intended to lighten the mood, and give the two recipients a nonviolent but "cheeky" show.
The AFP story comes to us via Raw Story :
"There's this heaviness about the protests," Saunders told AFP.
"It's hoped to make the point that protests don't have to be these terribly heavy serious things."
The "Bums Not Bombs" group will particularly target Bush, whose unpopular war in Iraq has been strongly backed by Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
The visits by the world leaders, including Bush's five-day stay at a luxurious 3,500 US dollar per night harbourside hotel, have resulted in road blocks, changes to public transport, and other disruptions in Australia's biggest city.
The protest will take place on Friday in Sydney's Hyde Park, close to where the leaders will be meeting.
In a leaflet to possible supporters, the group calls for 4,000 cheeks -- er, 2,000 people -- to "tell Bush what we really think about his visit."
Saunders added that numbers for the protest weren’t certain yet but a core group will definitely perform a "21 Bum Salute" for the dignitaries – one butt [or two cheeks] for every country attending the summit.
"I think there's certain to be hundreds of people," said Saunders, who previously attracted media attention when he and another man painted "No War" on the Sydney Opera House in huge, bright red letters on the eve of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The group said it needed 4,000 cheeks to break the previous world record moon. "This is one APEC protest we can all enjoy," it said.
Mr. Bush seemed unworried about any of the protests:
"People feel like they want to protest -- fine, they can," he told a press conference in Sydney.
Hey! Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Anyway, IMPEACH ALREADY!
Peace