Idiots protesting outside Easons...

cactus86

im all for free speech, but what were they playin at blocking off the entrance to the shop??

What are they protesting against?

cactus86

a Tony Blair book signing in Dublin.....didnt make sense to me either

hyperbaby

make more sense to protest outside the Dublin branch no.... ??

Crossection

Hippies

jenno86

No doubt a load of crustys with nothing better to do.

Hah. Such lazy bastards. They want to protest, but can't be arsed travelling to the actual event.

Why are they protesting Tony Blair?

ronnie3585

Galway Alliance Against War assholes yet again.

galwayfellaBETA

I didn't see the protest and hope they didn't try to block people going about their business.... but fair play to them! The Blair/Bush war was a crime!

Now if they could just protest the criminal behavior of our government

galwayfellaBETA

galwayfellaBETA wrote: »

I didn't see the protest and hope they didn't try to block people going about their business.... but fair play to them! The Blair/Bush war was a crime!

Now if they could just protest the criminal behavior of our government

But why protest Eason? They're a business - selling books. Stocking his autobiography has nothing to do with the war as far as they're concerned. They're not going to say no to a book that will likely sell loads.

Are they protesting Dubrays too?

PopeBuckfastXVI

An enforced boycott is not very democratic.

cactus86

Deleted User wrote: »

Are they protesting Dubrays too?

you took the words outta my mouth. i was thinking the same thing, that they will have to go to every book shop going if thats their way of thinking.

People protesting is something im used to, but they had their banner going across the entrance of the shop so that I had to walk around them to get in, as I went round the side they tried to shove leaflets in my face.

WesternNight

Deleted User wrote: »

But why protest Eason? They're a business - selling books. Stocking his autobiography has nothing to do with the war as far as they're concerned. They're not going to say no to a book that will likely sell loads.

Are they protesting Dubrays too?

To think of it like that would take sanity, logic and reason. It's possible they're all out of those

Qualitymark

They're protesting outside Eason's because the book is being launched there. Letter in the Irish Times from those opposed:

Madam, – We the undersigned, creative artists in various disciplines, ask Easons and RTÉ’s Late Late Shownot to facilitate Tony Blair’s promotion of his autobiographical book and the blood-money of his royalties that he proposes to pass on to military charity. Taoiseach Brian Cowen has stated that creative people have a duty to uphold “Brand Ireland”. We feel the best way to fulfil the duty would be to ensure the cancellation of this notorious war-criminal’s visit, so that Ireland cannot be turned into a launch-pad to reinvent Brand Blair as good-guy and peacemaker. (Easons book-signing, O’Connell Street, Dublin, 11am, September 4th) – Yours, etc,
JOHN ARDEN, DEREK BALL,
AIDEEN BARRY,
RONAN BENNETT,
JOCELYN BRADDELL,
RORY BRADDELL,
MARGARETTA D’ARCY,
RAYMOND DEANE, LELIA
DOOLAN, FELIM EGAN,
ANNE FITZGERALD,
MAUREEN GALLAGHER,
FRED JOHNSTONE, LUCY
JULES, JIMMY MURPHY,
ONDINE O’GORMAN, DONAL
O’KELLY, RÉ Ó LAIGHLÉIS,
BOB QUINN,
STEPHEN ROTHSCHILD,
JOHN WAKEMAN,
HILARY WAKEMAN
JOSEPH WOOD,
C/o St Bridget’s Place Lower,
Galway.

Incidentally, the use of the term 'idiot' in this way won't be kindly received by anyone who loves someone with an intellectual disability.

cactus86

Qualitymark wrote: »

Incidentally, the use of the term 'idiot' in this way won't be kindly received by anyone who loves someone with an intellectual disability.

I AM one of those people. my comment has nothing to do with anybody with intellectual disability, that is obvious.

GalwayKiefer

Qualitymark wrote: »

Incidentally, the use of the term 'idiot' in this way won't be kindly received by anyone who loves someone with an intellectual disability.

Surely the term "idiot" is used these days to describe a foolish or stupid person? Personally I find the word "retard" offensive in the context you describe but honestly can't see a problem with "idiot." Maybe that's just me...

To anyone who was down there today - were they actually physically blocking the front door of the shop as opposed to protesting outside?

Qualitymark

Qualitymark wrote: »

They're protesting outside Eason's because the book is being launched there. Letter in the Irish Times from those opposed:



Incidentally, the use of the term 'idiot' in this way won't be kindly received by anyone who loves someone with an intellectual disability.

No. It's being launched in the one in Dublin. Not Galway. If they cared that much about it, they would have protested there and not here. It is just stupid and idiotic plus is it not illegal to block any entrance or exit of a building?

Wompa1

Are they protesting again any other day? Might have to go in and buy a copy of the autobiography and sit across from the entrance reading it.

"Hey Guys, it says here Tony thinks the war was just"...interesting..

Can we protest the GAAW? Get our own banners printed up stating, "Go Home" and "Stop Annoying Us".

cactus86

Wompa1 wrote: »

Are they protesting again any other day? Might have to go in and buy a copy of the autobiography and sit across from the entrance reading it.

"Hey Guys, it says here Tony thinks the war was just"...interesting..

i was thinking it would be fun to do that as well

Lupine

Deleted User wrote: »

Hah. Such lazy bastards. They want to protest, but can't be arsed travelling to the actual event.

jkforde

Is it just me or is anyone else getting tired of some users lamely using 'idiot', 'crusty', 'hippie' to label anyone who dares speak or protest against the status quo. It's intellectually lazy and gets us nowhere. I don't agree with these peoples' methods but is it any wonder that we get the politicians that we do and are currently being hoodwinked into the biggest transfer of public monies to private 'investors' if the reaction to any form of protest is 'hippies'. Jesus, grow up.

cactus86

jkforde wrote: »

Is it just me or is anyone else getting tired of some users lamely using 'idiot', 'crusty', 'hippie' to label anyone who dares speak or protest against the status quo. It's intellectually lazy and gets us nowhere. I don't agree with these peoples' methods but is it any wonder that we get the politicians that we do and are currently being hoodwinked into the biggest transfer of public monies to private 'investors' if the reaction to any form of protest is 'hippies'. Jesus, grow up.

i said it from the start, i have no problem with people protesting, but going out of the way to make it difficult for people to go into a shop that they have every right to shop in is idiotic!

galwayrush

They are really the Galway Alliance Against Selected Wars. All the wars/ disputes/Air Shows in the world and they only have issues against the ones the British, U.S. and Israel are involved in. As well as being idiots they are also racist in their bias.

sgthighway

Good Idea. Lets go down and protest at the protesters.

Passer By: Excuse me. Are you the Galway Alliance Against War?
Boardsie: **** off! We're the Real Galway Alliance Against the Galway Alliance Against War

Diabhal Beag

I wouldn't mind but I'm sure Easons has books that are anti Blair and Bush anyway.

Fuctifino

I love how they werent protesting at the Iranian foreign minister when he was here.

Blair did more for Ireland with the agreement in easter '98; without which WE would still be "at war". Its funny how they've such a short memory.

I like Tony Blair.

I'm sure there will be far more in the book about Tony's part in the peace process up north (ie somewhere he actually had influence and used it to make the place better)

I might watch him if he is on the late late.

Also I think the origin of the word idiot is interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot_(Athenian_democracy)

An idiot in Athenian democracy was someone who was characterized by self-centeredness and concerned almost exclusively with private--as opposed to public--affairs. Idiocy was the natural state of ignorance into which all persons were born and its opposite, citizenship, was effected through formalized education. In Athenian democracy, idiots were born and citizens were made through education (although citizenship was also largely hereditary).

Fuctifino beat me to it.

Bosco boy

Usual rent a crowd, it's a wonder our senater niall o brollochan who is normally with them and anti everything was missing, I suppose when you get a handy seat in the senate and a fat pay cheque you quickly tow the party line and lose you old ties!!!

furiousox

Why don't they do something useful and protest against that gob****e Joe Coleman's book while they're at it??

inisboffin

Sorry if I missed it, but does it say somewhere that it IS the GAAW? A good few of the names I recognise, and while some likely are involved in GAAW, I am not so sure about others..

Or is the protest organised by GAAW and the letter to the Times a separate thing?

tracker-man

inisboffin wrote: »

Sorry if I missed it, but does it say somewhere that it IS the GAAW? A good few of the names I recognise, and while some likely are involved in GAAW, I am not so sure about others..

Or is the protest organised by GAAW and the letter to the Times a separate thing?

It was published in the Galway Advertiser today.

I am DEFINITELY gonna buy this book now. I hope it goes to number 1 in the charts

Oh and I'm all for The Galway Alliance against the Galway Alliance against war!

Spacedog

I must have missed the day where everyone on Boards decided that the war in Iraq was cool, Tony Blair should be the president of the universe, and to get up and say otherwise when house prices are a bit down makes you an asshole.

Then I'm ashamed to say I'm not one of those assholes. wish I was there.

2 words : Hutton Report

tracker-man

Spacedog wrote: »

I must have missed the day where everyone on Boards decided that the war in Iraq was cool

I don't think anyone said that.

galwayrush

tracker-man wrote: »

I don't think anyone said that.

Definitely wasn't said by anyone.

Steyr

Yes it was the GAAW, said so in the Advertiser today, Amazing they wont get off their arses to go to Dublin, bunch of muppets as soon as something positive comes to Galway that has any bit of it that doesnt conform to their liking they are up in arms about it. GAAW=:pac:

Steyr

I too fully support The Galway Alliance against the Galway Alliance against war!

Steyr

http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/30129

GAAW to stage ‘Stop Blair’ protest at Easons
Galway Advertiser, August 26, 2010.

By Kernan Andrews

The Galway Alliance Against War will stage a lunchtime protest outside Eason’s today in opposition to the company’s decision to host a book-signing event for Tony Blair in Dublin next week.

The local peace group is accusing the former British PM of being a war criminal and argues that he “deliberately lied” in order to launch the Iraq war which has led to the deaths of 1.3 million Iraqis and thousands of US and British soldiers.

The group is urging other peace organisations around the country to protest at Eason’s stores. It is also calling on the public to contact Eason’s locally and nationally and voice objections to the visit.

GAAW spokesperson Niall Farrell said he was “shocked” that Eason’s would have “anything to do with this man”.

“The British Legion has very reluctantly accepted Blair’s offer to donate his proceeds from the book to the organisation,” he said. “Many widows and families of dead British servicemen, as well as severely injured British soldiers, have described the donation as ‘blood money’.”

Euro_Kraut

I walked past the protest today. They weren't blocking anyone.

Peaceful protest is fine. I think they are completely wrong but thankfully we live in a country where people are allowed be wrong. They only got some local coverage on this because there is zero other news at the moment - The front page headline in today's advertiser was about a guy selling his leaving cert notes on eBay.

I am sure they are delighted with the publicly they have got out of this.

Sconsey

Steyr wrote: »

GAAW to stage ‘Stop Blair’ protest at Easons

Hmmmm, I think they might be a few years too late.

Sponge Bob

Blairs best war was when a general was sent on a limited mission and refused to leave when he got there. Yer man is head of the army now ...after disobeying Blairs orders

And they love Blair ever since even though it was not his idea at all.

In fact our own armys largest foreign deployment was based on that episode.

So not only are they protesting 200 miles away from the event but they're also protesting a book for which all royalties are being donated to charities.

inisboffin

Ok, so is letter to times from a different group to GAAW, but just *support* the same boycott/protest? Bit confused.

cactus86

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

I walked past the protest today. They weren't blocking anyone.
.

they may have stopped by the time you went past but they were definitely making it difficult to get into the shop when i was there.

Your right though, no problem with peaceful protest

Simarillion

My favourite part of the protest is the letter to the Irish Times, which says " we the undersigned creative artists in various diciplines! Well I know of some of these people and the designation of creative artist seems to be a classier term for, has nothing better to do than sit around all day and occasionally write whining letters to the Advertiser.

Sponge Bob

Galway has quite a few of these so called 'organsiations' .The local An Taisce are another pack of arroagant unaccountable full on wind and piss merchants.

As long as they did not block Easons they are well within their legal rights to protest and they are not as sneaky as An Taisce either.

I save my utter loathing for An Taisce/Galway Green type ecofascists. GAAW merely exercise the latent cynic inside :cool:

furiousox

Spacedog wrote: »

I must have missed the day where everyone on Boards decided that the war in Iraq was cool, Tony Blair should be the president of the universe, and to get up and say otherwise when house prices are a bit down makes you an asshole.
Then I'm ashamed to say I'm not one of those assholes. wish I was there.
2 words : Hutton Report

Yeah it was just yesterday, did you miss it?
There was a poll on boards and everyone decided the war in Iraq was cool.
Wow, what are the chances, eh?
Of course if you differ, you could have voiced your disapproval by.....um....I don't know...standing outside Easons?
You obviously have principles, I take it you were there?

Robbo

Deleted User wrote: »

So not only are they protesting 200 miles away from the event but they're also protesting a book for which all royalties are being donated to charities.

I'd imagine that GAAAAAAWWWWW would have issue with the charity itself as well, namely that it helps British soldiers.

So in that respect, if Bob Fisk was donating to the same cause, they'd be out in numbers...

?Cee?view

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Galway has quite a few of these so called 'organsiations' .The local An Taisce are another pack of arroagant unaccountable full on wind and piss merchants.

As long as they did not block Easons they are well within their legal rights to protest and they are not as sneaky as An Taisce either.

I save my utter loathing for An Taisce/Galway Green type ecofascists. GAAW merely exercise the latent cynic inside :cool:

Beautifully put:D

I agree completely.

Wompa1

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Galway has quite a few of these so called 'organsiations' .The local An Taisce are another pack of arroagant unaccountable full on wind and piss merchants.

As long as they did not block Easons they are well within their legal rights to protest and they are not as sneaky as An Taisce either.

I save my utter loathing for An Taisce/Galway Green type ecofascists. GAAW merely exercise the latent cynic inside :cool:

Ha Ha yeah protesting a book that benefits charities is pretty much as cynic as it gets

Aerohead

We all know where the GAAW come from especially Mr Farrell who has a hate of everything British and American, its a pity he would not go back to the North and leave us in peace here and not to have to listen to the sh..e he comes out with.