Fortunately, Greenpeace has taken over Pier 2 and is inviting the public on board the Rainbow Warrior. Not the first Rainbow Warrior blown up by the French secret service, obviously. That one is at the bottom of the sea off New Zealand.
This is Rainbow Warrior II, soon to be replaced by Rainbow Warrior III. This is an opportunity to say goodbye. Well, it's about farewell tours, and a promotional voyage to encourage membership and raise awareness about the earth, air and ocean, and how corporates, politicians and industrialists usually try and do what they like.
What Greenpeace does, as everyone knows, is try to stop them and piss them off. In the Greenpeace way I think that's called positive change through action.
Let's face it, they've got their work cut out round here. Hong Kong is now a colony of China and I wonder what real decision-making power Donald Tsang holds in the hierarchy with Beijing on the subject of nuclear power. But I applaud Greenpeace for having a go. Better than shutting up and saying nothing.
Educationally, it's an excellent counterbalance to yesterday. Simply at the level of a contrast between resources and technologies.
It's true, the knobs and anchors aren't as impressive, which you'd expect, given that the USS Halsey is funded by government and Greenpeace is funded by Joe Public and another hundred dollars from my purse.
But look here, when we get to the subject of conviction, the freedom fish fighter is happy.
Anyway, the tour does exactly what I needed it to do. Sends us off into discussions about conflicts of agendas, and the rewards and hazards of following through with your beliefs. Call it an education. Hopefully it all makes the kids think, which is my first reason to be here.
Not just for me to catch a few more eyefulls of dashing, young, spirited men. No. Not that at all. Honest.
2 comments:
Okay now, that is seriously cool. What a fabulous opportunity (both tours, back-to-back, actually). My own children are getting quite an eyeful of civil disobedience and protest, here on the local level: nothing quite like the real-world experience ... Pretty exciting that you all got to tour the Rainbow Warrior II.
~ Ellie
Phwooaarrr!!!! All those knobs and levers! Yes!!!! Sorry I meant what an interesting education you are I mean your girls are having. Dammit - show us some more knobs!!!
Post a Comment