Protestor or pain ?
August 17th, 2008 by Gareth inThailandIt seems these days that anyone with a beef about something seems to automatically assume the rest of us need to hear about it. Last week a huge traffic jam was caused and millions of pounds lost due to a “Fathers for Justice” protest.
So far almost every day the Olympics has been spoilt to a certain degree by the ‘Free Tibet’ mob. Each year in many countries untold inconvenience is caused by anti G8, anti globalisation and many other forms of demonstration, surely they’ve made their point by now. Whilst it is absolutely the right of people to protest what about the majority of us who don’t agree with their view point or perhaps their methods and have our lives disrupted, what about the effect on us. We bear the brunt of the cost of policing a marauding gang of Swampy lookalikes, the revenues lost by business, the fact you can’t go into the city and do what you want to do on that day, etc, etc.
Should we put a lid on this sort of thing and restrict it to certain days only or should these people actually use the deomcratic process and get themselves elected to the government and force the change from that side, after all its supposed to be the best system in the world and this is the way it works isn’t it?
It is an alternative. Stamping your feet and screaming in public is what kids do when they can’t get their own way right?
Ohlala! This Bridget was planning to organise a march to extol the virtues of Facebook ha!
Would that qualify as a stampede? 
Hmmm.. writing down “anyone with a beef’ - new expression for Bridget!
Loved the swampy image from 97 Gareth….
Good point on the general disruption of the majority from the minority and it’s the general public who ultimately pay.
With media changing now as a self generating content through blogs, youtube and facebook plus news brought to you by the people (China aside of course, how ironic) means mass messaging is far more accessbile and far less disruptive. The examples you give had reached most of us and proove their effectiveness in getting the message out.
As for chaining to bridges straining police resource it is often the last resort when the so called democratic process has been tried and tried again.
Pass us the bolt cutters - boy he was quick yesterday.
UGLY!!!
SIDE!!!
I’m so right there with you on this one. YES … temper tantrums by organized adults ought to be relegated to certain venues on certain days.
Like, you know? Christians get Sundays. (oops, I just showed my ugly side …)
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I am a bit disappointed with the chinese at the olympics. I wanted to see the police over there getting stuck in and smashing the do-gooders all over the show- but so far not a lot. I hope they wait until the last night and as the fireworks are going off they batter them all over the place.
Everyone has the right to protest of course.
But it does become tiresome. The media could end it all by refusing to cover any of the demo’s.
I feel that everyone has the right to express their opinion as goes women, civil, and homosexual rights. However, I do become tiresome of the many other protests of things that are not of interest to me or create huge difficulties with police. But, then I think about the civil rights movement in the US…clashes with the police were just part of it. But, it does feel like someone takes advantage to be the lone or one of the few protesters that take up time and energy. And, some are clearly mentally ill. They need treatment.
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I agree completely CC
except for the bit about women protesting. unless its that they need more ironing, or that they need more household chores.
A correctly trained woman would not have the time, or the temerity to complain.
Restrict protesting to certain days? Booooooo!!
Let them get on with it!
Is it any more interuption than roadworks? Engineering works? Computer system upgrades? Waiting for pay day?
Everybody’s point of view is valid and letting people tell them at a certain time, in my view, belittles their point.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!!
Maybe give’em Sunday off, at least?