The power of protest

[sperm]

I was watching the news about George W Bush (aka pig-fucker) to england and how the brits were using 140,000 (or some stupid number) of police to keep away the demonstators/protestors.
This coupled with the big protests where thousands marched to voice that before the invasion of iraq that war was not in their name .....

The topic I would like to hear opinions on isnt war related, or even american bashing. But does protesting/demonstrating achieve anything anymore ?
Or is it just an illusion that our democratic right actually matters ?

I'm personally of the opinion that once protest marches did mean something, in the days where it was the best way to show the politicians what the public thought.
I now think that statisitics and polling are much more efficient, and the politicians are well aware of public opinions, how much they can push, which side they should take - much more than we even realise ourselves.
It seems with each new political event the sides very quickly decide which way to go from their sources, and its not about policies or their own philosophies.
So what is the point of demonstrations ???

The only thing I can consider is these people are trying to sway other members of the public to their cause with the sheep mentality, rather than any power lobbying .....

[Necron]

Gee, two votes. Im guessing... But it's just a guess that it was just me and you.

100% says No it doesnt..... It must be true then. Come on pplz vote

* scratch that* there ARE other voters.

Yeah I think that over time the 'Public' demonstations of old have become more of a mediocre way of pushing the forementioned "Sheep Mentality". One thing is for certain... Our democratic rights are being violated more and more every day by these governments and through mindless following and "protesting" for every fricking ideal out there has pushed a once proud way of public demonstation and disdain out the window untill we are left with no real right to Demonstate... As seen by both the Australian visit by Bush, where the public media was not allowed into Parliament and Bush did not even talk to the Aussie Media and now his Visit to the UK.... A fucking joke and a ROYAL SHIT on the ideal of democracy!!!!!

[Ins0mniac]

I think protests get more people to notice issues. It gets more people to realise how many are actually against something.

[jaseparlo]

Around the start of everything the Australian Prime Minister referred to a protest turnouts around the country of over 100 000 people or something as "rabble" and dismissed it as not representative of the public view.

It's very easy for politicians to do that these days, because regardless of the reason for the march, you get large numbers of "ferals", and there are always bloody bongo drums. People see that and think rent-a-crowd, which takes away from any value the protest may have, even if it's a valid issue.

I voted maybe though. While politicians are decreasingly interested in the will of the people, and the will of the people dissolves into apathy, a significant turn out protesting a valid issue will get news media coverage. If nothing else that encourages people to think just a little bit, and form an opinion on things.

I hope...

[tikdoph]

Good question.

I think politicians need to be vocally reminded of the will of the people every now and then.

The war in Iraq is an issue that has galvanized many people worldwide into marching against something they strongly disagree with. I can't remember the last time I saw protests of the worldwide scope of these protests.

Knowing that there hundreds of thousands of people worldwide who are so passionate about saying "NO WAR" makes ME stop and think "Why?". Had no-one said "Boo" about the war, I probably would have just happily gone along for the ride saying "Yeah, Sadist Insane must go. Let the tanks roll."

The fact that there are so many people who are so vehemently against something is often enough to give a politician pause for thought. This is a good thing, and while protests may not be the tool for political change that they once were, at least they can stop politicians from taking things for granted. Hopefully.

[Aphrodite]

I don't know about protest 'marches' but I was arrested whilst chained to a tree protesting the daming of the Franklin River...

I like to think it helped...

[tikdoph]

Originally posted by Aphrodite
I don't know about protest 'marches' but I was arrested whilst chained to a tree protesting the daming of the Franklin River...

I like to think it helped...

Well, judging by the fact that the Franklin is still there, I'd like to think that it helped too. ;)

[Ins0mniac]

Originally posted by Aphrodite
I don't know about protest 'marches' but I was arrested whilst chained to a tree protesting the daming of the Franklin River...

I like to think it helped...

Aphrodite, you're my hero!

[Aphrodite]

Originally posted by Ins0mniac
Aphrodite, you're my hero!
Thank you kind sir.

I spent my 19th birthday in Hobart gaol. David Bellamy was also arrested with our group so we made the news...

ah - such fond memories...

[r0p3 g1rl]

I personally think it does nothing to sway or change the minds or opinions of people in power.

It does however bring people together and give them hope. It lifts community spirit and I do think it’s an important part of our society.

I’ve been involved with many a worthy cause and felt I’ve done my part, but I'm not naïve enough to think people standing around holding signs and yelling chants is going to stop someone in power stomping on people who get in the way.

Often protesting only slows down whatever they’re trying to stop. But as I said I think protesting is important and I do believe in freedom of speech but I also believe in common curtsey. With that I'm referring the when G.W.B was in Australia addressing parliament and two people there interrupted him, that was in my view extremely rude and uncalled for. EVERYONE has the right to freedom of speech and they should have heard him out before that protested. There’s a time and a place for everything and that wasn’t the time or the place. After he was finished I think that’s fair game.

[gooey]

protesting makes people feel part of something


its going to happening whether it works or not.


five words: SNAFU

[BlueBoy]

In the past it had a huge effect.
Today's media however report it as "Oh, and here's the other side." As if it was below them to report it.

[SmaSheD_CoW]

Originally posted by Aphrodite
I don't know about protest 'marches' but I was arrested whilst chained to a tree protesting the daming of the Franklin River...

I like to think it helped...

Damn hippies :swear:

[FireHart]

hehe, i read prostate...

And no, protesting doesn't really help when there are dickheads like GWB in the world. Sorry...

Though it should still be done

[asskickergod]

Originally posted by gooey
protesting makes people feel part of something


Look at me! I'm part of the vocal minority!

[Fuzzy Dice]

ask yourself:

When you see protestors on the news, do you care?

that is your answer to the poll.

[Aphrodite]

Originally posted by Fuzzy Dice
ask yourself:

When you see protestors on the news, do you care?

that is your answer to the poll.

No it's not !

Do I care when the Wharfies or Builders Labourers Union are marching - not a great deal...
But I care when the teachers have issues, or when they propose to chop up half of the Botanic Gardens to build houses, or when they propose to sand mine Fraser Island...
I bet u would be the first hitting the streets if they doubled beer prices or doubled your car rego...

People protest about individual issues which affect them.

[r0p3 g1rl]

Originally posted by Aphrodite
No it's not !

Do I care when the Wharfies or Builders Labourers Union are marching - not a great deal...
But I care when the teachers have issues, or when they propose to chop up half of the Botanic Gardens to build houses, or when they propose to sand mine Fraser Island...
I bet u would be the first hitting the streets if they doubled beer prices or doubled your car rego...

People protest about individual issues which affect them.

teachers are over paid!!!!!! im sick of hearing about them striking

[thingy]

Originally posted by r0p3 g1rl
teachers are over paid!!!!!! im sick of hearing about them striking

Please tell me you are being sarcastic.

[Ins0mniac]

Originally posted by thingy
Please tell me you are being sarcastic.

She'd better be!!!

[Scythe]

Originally posted by asskickergod
Look at me! I'm part of the vocal minority!

Every major societal change in history, good or bad, has started off as the opinion of a monority. Being vocal is how it goes from being a minority opinion to a majority opinion.

[Ins0mniac]

Originally posted by Scythe
Every major societal change in history, good or bad, has started off as the opinion of a monority. Being vocal is how it goes from being a minority opinion to a majority opinion.


Remeber AKG was also against women's sufferage, pro damning of the Franklin River, anti U.S independence as these were all started from a vocal minority.

[katana]

Well Planned and organised protests for a major cause have always been successful, They have to have four items for success. Be in the interest of a very large amount of people,have well known people in support of them,have persistantly large turn outs and have good media coverage.

Over the years a lot of protest groups have achieved what they started out change. Now days a lot of the protests are just a half hearted attempt at follow the leader.

[BlueBoy]

Originally posted by katana
Well Planned and organised protests for a major cause have always been successful, They have to have four items for success. Be in the interest of a very large amount of people,have well known people in support of them,have persistantly large turn outs and have good media coverage.

Thats sounds like the whole Ansett thing. :p

[Chrissy]

I can think of one protest in the UK that had a major affect. The Poll Tax protests/riots in the 90's resulted in Margaret Thatcher being chucked out of 10 Downing Street, and the Poll Tax being abolished.

History (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/timelines/england/pwar_poll_tax.shtml)

There was huge public opinion against the introduction of the Poll Tax, and although it was implimented for a while, it was very quickly abolished.

I shouldn't think that the protests over George W Bush visiting the UK will do that much, since all media coverage will be censored before it is reported to the USA anyway. After-all, he is going home on Friday. I do think that it will make our government and Tony Blair in particular, realise that us Brits have worked out what was going on with the war in Iraq, and I hope it will make them see that we aren't going to behave like a pack of sheep anymore and do what Georgie tells us.

Our Labour government has a pretty shaky hold on it's power anyway to be honest, i'm sure that Tony is aware of this, and if he's not careful, at the next election, the Conservatives will win again, as a vast majority of people were hoping that Labour would turn out to be 'fresh new blood' and do more for this country than the previous Conservative leaders. These protests that are going on in London at the moment will hopfully impact on Tony Blair, and he might actually realise that he has to start keeping some of the promises which got him to power in the first place.