This has really blown me away. And....it is very reminiscent of sixties and seventies anti-Vietnam protests. generally speaking, marches against homelesness, or other such causes rarely muster more than a thousand people in Toronto. This is a VERY wealthy city, and the status quo, hasn't changed much in the last thirty years. Toronto residents generally seem to feel that the dark side of our city is simply an abberation 'mongst the comfort.

Apparently not when it comes to saying how they feel about the up-coming war with Iraq.

About a mile from us (along Kingston Road) is a HUGE Catholic Seminary, complete with schools, hundreds of acres of well-manicured lawns (I've never seen ONE human being ON the lawns) and needless to say Mr. cynic here has gotten quite a bit of comedy material related to what may be going on INSIDE the buildings.

But........The BIG sign outside one of the Catholic schools that says "NO WAR WITH IRAQ", has really tempered my cynicism. Truthfully I would have thought the Cardinals and 'Underpopes' would have had it removed immediately. They haven't.

Something has definitely changed in the last three or four days....this is NOT a 'hippy protest', it has BECOME the mainstream. I think if I were in ANY Government, I'd start taking notice.

Were there any major demonstrations (pro war in Iraq, as well) in your town? Do you also get the feeling that the "anti-war" sentiment is about to really escalate? Are folks THAT scared?

Rick (gee, my first political thread in a longggg while)