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I was in town today and stumbled upon an Antiwar march.

Fantastic it was - I got right in there and shot like crazy.
What struck me the most was the fact that very young children were marching alongside the adults, carrying antiwar posters with antiwar slogans. I'm sure not all of them knew what their anger was directed at but it didn't stop them chanting and marching and giving their voice.

Anyway, I would appreciate your C&C on these. This lot is purposefully hglighting the children and their posters.






Cheers

rokkstar wrote:What struck me the most was the fact that very young children were marching alongside the adults, carrying antiwar posters with antiwar slogans. I'm sure not all of them knew what their anger was directed at but it didn't stop them chanting and marching and giving their voice.


Cheers

This is part of the problem I think, so ingrained from such a young age..

But I realy like the last pic.

thanks
MATT

Matt
Now I know why you were carrying the cardboard and the paint!

All great, but especially the 2nd and the last one.

I like that in the last one, the kid wearing camo is walking in the opposite direction to the people in the background.

Also, the sweep and shape of the flag.

Would have been nice if the guy next to him didn't make it in frame.

2nd one is proably the best one, it has a deep connection to it

an anti war protest is one of the best subjects for reportage
lots of real emotin and meaning in there
glad you got to experience one

MATT wrote:

rokkstar wrote:What struck me the most was the fact that very young children were marching alongside the adults, carrying antiwar posters with antiwar slogans. I'm sure not all of them knew what their anger was directed at but it didn't stop them chanting and marching and giving their voice.


Cheers

This is part of the problem I think, so ingrained from such a young age..

One of the issues I have with this is why is this child, in #4, dressed in military clothing? Wasn't this supposed to be an anti-war protest?

Why do I get the feeling that I'm seeing a mixed message here?

wendellt wrote:2nd one is proably the best one, it has a deep connection to it

an anti war protest is one of the best subjects for reportage
lots of real emotin and meaning in there
glad you got to experience one

Wendell - children in war zones certainly know what war is about but the children in these photos are just pawns for over zealous parents

gstark wrote:One of the issues I have with this is why is this child, in #4, dressed in military clothing? Wasn't this supposed to be an anti-war protest?

Why do I get the feeling that I'm seeing a mixed message here?

This perplexed me too. I mean I've seen parents walk along with their kids at a march, but the kids were usually uninterested, bored, and had no active part in the demonstration - they were just there as the parents couldn't find a babysitter.
But contrast that with the look on this kids face on the right here - he was screaming at the top of his voice:

MAtt,

And in a Bulldogs outfit too?

Hmmmm ....

rokkstar wrote: <snip> But contrast that with the look on this kids face on the right here - he was screaming at the top of his voice:

That's a great capture Matt. Well done!

Hi Matt
In my opinion children should not be connected to adult world , particular to those killing field of war, they should stay with their innocent wolrd.Anyway pictures show very clear of the meaning.

Moving images Matt.
There was also a march in Brisvegas but as we were on the Hunt and Shoot we were only allowed 2 shots.

I think that much of the problem in that part of the world is that the kids are indoctrinated with the hatred as babies and live it throughout their lives. We are so lucky in Australia that for the most part conflicts are resolved without bloodshed and that most of us are more than happy to move on.

spada wrote:Hi Matt
they should stay with their innocent world.

...as long as they are 'allowed' to. That way they might just bring some of that innocence, trust, respect and unconditional friendship with them as they grow into our future leaders.

Hatred, intolerance and bigotry are not genetic but are learned from those who have influence over the young.

Manta wrote:
Hatred, intolerance and bigotry are not genetic but are learned from those who have influence over the young.

That is true .

rokkstar wrote
But contrast that with the look on this kids face on the right here - he was screaming at the top of his voice:
what gets me is the anger i see in his face. i'm afraid he probably learnt it here in australia, whitch is a shame.
cheers pa

spada wrote:In my opinion children should not be connected to adult world , particular to those killing field of war, they should stay with their innocent wolrd.

I like that idea a lot.

Wars should not be held anywhere that children live.

Moz

Moz,

Can we please take that concept to the next level?

War should not be held anywhere?

moz wrote:Wars should not be held

Period. It's that simple.

Cheers
Steffen.

gstark wrote:War should not be held anywhere?

Unfortunately a lot of people, including most of the voters in the US, believe that military force is the best way to get what they want from other countries. I'm on an email list with some USniks and some of them make our right with media people seem quite restrained and reasonable, especially when it comes to people who have US oil in their countries.

So I fear that since war is an essential part of their approach to the rest of the world (half their economy is based on war), banning it is unlikely to work. As well, the US, Israel, France and Britain are all major arms exporters.... note their liberal application of vetos in the UN security council when their arms trade is threatened by immanent peacefulness.

In a way they're right - few people would reasonably conclude that it's ok for 6% of the population to consume 25% of the no-renewable resources and produce 28% of the pollution. And that's *just* the US. So "at gunpoint" becomes their default way of persuading people to let the current situation continue - why do you think world trade talks keep collapsing? Not everyone is as accepting of one-way trade deals as Australia is. And we all know how willing the US is to change "the american way of life". Just like little Johnny "I'd rather see Australia under water than under Kyoto".

Moz,

You're overlooking a couple of important factors: most US citizens do not vote, and most US citizens are totally ignorant of anything that happoens beyond the US borders.

Having lived there for seven years, I have good first hand knowledge of this, and of the total absence of international coverage that the typical US citizen gets to see from the media they have available.

That said, this is not the thread for these issues to be discussed in.

gstark wrote:That said, this is not the thread for these issues to be discussed in.

Gary, I'm actually quite enjoying the discourse. It's an intelligent subject and I'm glad that in some may my photos have helped bring it up.

Pure vanity you see

Matt,

Please read my words very carefully ... Note my use of the term this thread

Yes that last one is sensational, in part due to the confusing message it sends...

I like the contrast, the subject, the child, who would look more in place in Lebanon or some other warzone (horrid, yes) contrasted with the city scape behind...

Very good

Fair enough Gary, please let me say I meant no offence there.

I'm glad people like the shots and I must say it's certainly provoked some conversations. I was on the phone to my dad talking about this issue for an hour or so last night - he'd seen the shots too. I'm not saying they are fantastic images but they make me think (which is a break from the vast periods when I don't )

rokkstar wrote:Fair enough Gary, please let me say I meant no offence there.

None taken, Matt.