Care to protest???

Biggins · 29-01-2009 04:16PM

Returning to the main topic.

We will never agree on many things but when the cuts come to our wages and more taxes are imposed on what we are getting already, it become clearer (hopefully) to many that line is slowly being crossed.

Facing rising still(!) electricity, gas and phone charges, the present government is hitting us all on two fronts alone. Then we have the vat/tax on goods (across border shopping topic and reasons for...), the closing down of cancer services and hospital services, the much money wasted daily on projects un-needed right now (another Dublin frakin' statue!!!), hitting our pensions, not willing to pay back fully the money that was taken wrongly from pensioners (already that was show in court to be taken in the wrong), then we have the many, many "perks" (http://www.herald.ie/national-news/td-expenses-worth-more-than-average-wage-1593304.html) that the mob is getting in the Dail, then we have the banks being rewarded with public money while they give themselves STILL massive bonuses!....
Meanwhile our elected representatives are just back from a month and a half holiday!!!

...and thats just the tip of the ice berg! :mad::mad::mad:

I mean, COME ON!!!
Damn right its time to protest!

ben bedlam · 29-01-2009 04:18PM

Rest assured, when the time comes, the Irish people will voice their dissatifaction with the current government and economic situation by overwhelmingly voting Fianna Fail into power for a fourth consecutive term. We really are smart.

panda100 · 29-01-2009 11:52PM

Mark200 wrote: »

Protesting won't change anything. Just speak with your vote in the next election

Well protesting certainly worked with the pensioners and the reversal of the medical card decision.
Voting on the other hand will change nothing.You'll just be replacing one shower of greedy,self serving politicans with the same neolibral policies, for another. Wether you vote FF,FG,Greens or Labour your giving a resounding vote for capitalism and the inevitable inequality,poverty, environmental destruction and war that comes with it.

I actually felt sick today when I walked past the Mansion house and saw the mayors 09-D-1 shiny Mercedes parked outside.Absolute F*cking cheek,flaunting her obscene wealth while most struggle to pay bills.

30-01-2009 12:29AM

Having a march is they most inefficient way to protest. Voting is the most efficient.

tallaght01 · 30-01-2009 01:04AM

I'd love to see the kids doing something mad like chaining themselves to the Dail railings. Fair balls to them if they do it.

But I wonder what they'd be protesting against.

I'm no economist, but as far as I'm aware the current crisis is as a result of the global downturn, as well as some nutcase in AIB loaning himself enough money to buy the moon.

The rest of the stuff (health, infrastructure etc) was problematic long before BIFFO took over.

Foxhound38 · 30-01-2009 01:07AM

D wrote: »

Having a march is they most inefficient way to protest. Voting is the most efficient.

I'd rather have a march than a referendum

Poccington · 30-01-2009 01:59AM

Hard Larry wrote: »

Hey where is the

"I can't protest I'm a State funded Stormtrooper-but I will be there when the protest happens in Riot Gear" option?

I was wondering that myself.

HOLD THE LINE!

sunshinegirl · 30-01-2009 02:17AM

The people are the power,if everyone took an hour of there time and stood outside a desiginated areas to protest the government would have to listen.
They cant ignore 3million people protesting, people who think by just complaining to a work collegue,friend,in the supermarket to a randomer will fix anything is barking up the wrong tree. The French have the right idea,stop work for an hour ,a day and show your disgust.It isnt hard,it makes a point.
Im sure when the government bring in the water charges shortly the public will have something to say about it,but then again some people are too lazy, or like to be made fools of by the government.

Valmont · 30-01-2009 03:07AM

Protesting is only for socialists and students....and old people (surprisingly):pac:

Valmont · 30-01-2009 03:11AM

panda100 wrote: »

...your giving a resounding vote for capitalism and the inevitable inequality,poverty, environmental destruction and war that comes with it.

Argghhhhh, it's happened, the communists have sunk their marxist claws into Ireland, quick! everyone grab the nearest copy of Atlas Shrugged and hold on for dear life!

Say what you want about FF, I'd rather them than Joe Higgins.

Biggins · 30-01-2009 03:14AM

Valmont wrote: »

...I'd rather them than Joe Higgins.

Jeasus, haven't heard his name in a while!
Is that old sod still alive??? :eek:

Valmont · 30-01-2009 03:17AM

Biggins wrote: »

Jeasus, haven't heard his name in a while!
Is that old sod still alive??? :eek:

Not only is he alive, but putting up socialist posters all around the streets of our fair city!

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 30-01-2009 03:21AM

If I was still living there, I'd be with you. Protesting is a lot like voting - if you don't use your right to do it and make your voice heard, then you can hardly turn around and criticise the consequences.

sunshinegirl · 30-01-2009 03:22AM

Valmont wrote: »

Not only is he alive, but putting up socialist posters all around the streets of our fair city!

Fair Fecks to him,at least he doesnt sit idly by.He is informing the people,you can choose to listen or be blindly led. Im sure you will be out protesting when your wages are cut shortly or you pension is no more.

minidazzler · 30-01-2009 03:44AM

Why is it that any fvcktard with a sign can Protest? What ever happened to Organisation, real fvckin goals, something to achieve.

If you want to oust our current government, how the fvck do you plan to do it? Who do you want in their place.

This Amateur sh1t is killing me. Come up with a real plan, an organistation, a political party with real aims, goals, and educated people.

Holding some sh1tty sign and yelling in the streets with anything less than 500 people GETS YOU NOWHERE!

You should think large scale, get people with real fvcking skills, people who know what they are doing.

You want to protest to feel like you are doing something, that is not the same thing as actually doing something.

Fvck everybody who thinks that they are strong alone.

A peaceful protest that draws out Huge amounts of na Gardaí is the way to go. but the only way to get that is to really have a large amount of people.

Joe Hill Said it Best....ORGANISE!!!!

100 people with signs and shouting are an annoyance that we zone out.

1000 people get us to Acknowledge them.

But 20,000. That gets our Attention.

So Unless you have 20,000 or more people willing to fight for what you want, get back in your Box.

Start a real plan, that actually might work. None of this fantasy bullsh1t that anyone with a piece of fvcking cardboard and a Marker can do.

People laugh at protesters who are not organised. Mediocrity is not OK. Our government is Mediocre at best, but there is not one Political Party in this country that I trust!!! Not fvcking one.

So we need a new one. and that bollix Declan Ganley and his CIA backed libertas. If we had accepted the Lisbon Treaty, Dell would not have moved to Poland. Maybe India, but not fvcking poland.

Now if you want to really protest, get off your fvcking arse and put some real effort in. Recruit enough protesters to get your Message across. Stop being stupid and thinking One Man can actually change anything. Barrack Obama, one man. but he is a Symbol for many men. YOU Are not.

But with the correct clearly organised message, you can be. but it would take some real fvcking work.

Now any questions?

Valmont · 30-01-2009 03:47AM

minidazzler wrote: »

Now any questions?

Why do you use so many bad words...

sunshinegirl · 30-01-2009 03:50AM

Valmont wrote: »

Why do you use so many bad words...

you beat me to it

minidazzler · 30-01-2009 03:50AM

Valmont wrote: »

Why do you use so many bad words...

Because I was typing straight from my head, and it usually helps getting the point across.

Valmont · 30-01-2009 04:59AM

I admire your passion

IvySlayer · 30-01-2009 10:22AM

Minidazzler: Remember they tried to take the medical card away from old people, protesting caused them to reverse their decision. Granted some backbenchers influenced them, but we can do the same.

I don't want to wait until the next general election. I want action, now. Yes, the world is in recession, but the Irish Governments solution so far is to squeeze every cent we have from us. They spent millions bailing out banks, but has that benefited us?

Brian Cowen wants me to be patriotic, give me a reason to. I'm proud to be Irish, but the government is a joke. I think he should just GTFO out along with Brian Lenihan and let someone else try.

Biggins, Vadrefjorde, I'm with you, I want to protest, peacefully. I look forward to the site.

minidazzler · 30-01-2009 02:51PM

IvySlayer wrote: »

Minidazzler: Remember they tried to take the medical card away from old people, protesting caused them to reverse their decision. Granted some backbenchers influenced them, but we can do the same.

I agree, but the difference being how many people did they have go to Dail? A fcukin sh1tload.

To hold a real proper protest in this country their are 2 main groups to get out. Students and Oldies. But getting them out to protest en masse when it does not DIRECTLY affect them straight away, is basically impossible.

They are the Greediest bunch there is, even with their Free Travel, Old people will not go to a protest when they know it only has a real effect on the younger people and the country. They are not exactly as "Patriotic" as you might think.

And Again....Who do ye want to take the place of our current Government?

How organised are ye? Setting up 1 small website is not organised...that's just a small start.

Caoimhín · 30-01-2009 03:10PM

minidazzler wrote: »

And Again....Who do ye want to take the place of our current Government?

Nail. Head.

PrivateEye · 30-01-2009 06:19PM

"A spark in Athens becomes an inferno in Paris!"
-Graffiti on the walls of the French embassy in Athens,December 2008.

I don't think Ireland will follow the likes of Iceland,Greece and France. We live in a country where the government subsidise private education and horse racing, and were more than willing to bail out scum like Fitzpatrick, but normally protest to this never moves beyond mobilisations. The reason for this? I would say weak unions.

The students union, the U.S.I, is a prime-example of a weak, careerist bunch of 'DOWN WITH THIS SORT OF THING' people who think photo-shoots are the way to reverse cuts. They're not.

I'm not advocating we all start throwing bricks, but in both Greece and France it was general strikes that forced the media (and thus the government) to sit up and pay attention. When Begg and the sort grow a pair of bollocks and start representing US as workers, maybe then things'll change.

Why is it that any fvcktard with a sign can Protest?

Because its there right, Franco.

So Unless you have 20,000 or more people willing to fight for what you want, get back in your Box.

20,000 has to start with 1. We'll probably be more than 10,000 but less than 20,000 this Wednesday, feel free to come along and help us reach "the right number to protest!"

I think if the public sector (Bus drivers, firefighters....) do take strike-action here as has happened before, it will be our real 'national duty' to get behind them. Wait and see, things will only get worse.

I'd urge any students (and indeed anyone else who sympathises) to come out Febuary 4th.

Alessandra · 30-01-2009 07:23PM

Yes I would definitely protest. There is nothing being done to assist those who have lost their jobs. Particularly those who are unskilled and with basic education are worst off in terms of job opportunities. There appears to be no plan to see us through and we are in limbo day-to-day as to what the situation re jobs, tax, debt etc is, and the not knowing is causing a lot of panic among the more vulnerable. I understand the government have to make tough decisions but why can't they just make them? It appears to me that certain sectors are being scapegoated and disproportionately penalised and those that brought us down are sneaking off with generous renumeration for thier sins.
I was troubled to hear today that we are now economically on a par wth Portugal, Greece and Spain.. How the mighty have fallen.
A great flaw in our society is our unwillingness to get on our feet and protest. Iceland and in recent days France has been on the streets and standing up for themselves. This of course has not been publicised in our media strangely enough... Perhaps if there was a unified approach from citizens the Government may be forced to take notice of the urgency of the situation. I'm all for action

Guitarist-JEM · 30-01-2009 07:25PM

I protest when I can against Shops that sell fur ..
:cool:

BTE72 · 31-01-2009 12:45AM

Guitarist-JEM wrote: »

I protest when I can against Shops that sell fur ..
:cool:

Real people are losing jobs by the day and in true Irish fashion ... the sure it's grand attitude reigns on..

This generation has been softened and fattened up by the good auld celtic tiger.

Money has come to easy for too long and it has come to an end.

It isn't good enough to say we'll wait to vote next time.. That's bull****. Admittedly i haven't a clue what to do myself but i feel that the working man and woman is being **** on again and again.

The government are flogging a dead horse by taxing the **** out of us but that's because we, the working class are the biggest contributer to the national purse.

Are they serious..?

I would protest for Action... real action by the government.. Real leadership.. positive leadership..

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 31-01-2009 02:15AM

Re: waiting for the vote.

"What do we want?"
"CHANGE!"
"When do we want it?"
"IN ABOUT THREE TO FOUR YEARS TIME!!!"

And then FF get voted back in again because people think Enda Kenny isn't good-looking enough.

Conclusion? These are very prosperous times for Ireland! People don't feel the need to protest and will return the same government.

Care to protest???

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