Protests in Ireland are pathetic

Stark · 17-10-2011 02:00PM

It's the high levels of fluorine in our water supply keeping us sedated.

jester77 · 17-10-2011 02:05PM

Unless the Unions are involved then protests in Ireland usually don't amount to much

Wattle · 17-10-2011 02:06PM

Anyone wrote: »

Yeah lets wreck the place, that will show them......:rolleyes:

We protested the most effective way, using the ballot box.

It didn't work. Nothing changed.

ejmaztec · 17-10-2011 02:12PM

The protestors should all go to Greece and wreck what's left of that country, so that the Irish tax-payer doesn't have to pay for the damage that would otherwise have been done here.

Anyone · 17-10-2011 02:18PM

Wattle wrote: »

It didn't work. Nothing changed.

Thats your opinion, its not one I share. Lets see....the largest political party in this country, and the one responsible for this mess is pretty much dead.

ilovesleep · 17-10-2011 02:25PM

I don't know anything about this protest but I admire them because at least they are protesting at something they believe in instead of lying down with dogs.

There's far too much people willing to bend over here in this country. Protests can and do make a change just look at the OAPs who got medical cards back.

Tell me what's fair about the very people who ruined Ireland walking away with golden parachutes while austerity measures are put on the rest of us and we pick up the pieces while they continue with their golfing lifestyles and there are many people in Ireland who can't even put food on the table.

I believe a protest of a grand scale would help at demanding for fairness.

ejmaztec · 17-10-2011 02:27PM

Anyone wrote: »

Thats your opinion, its not one I share. Lets see....the largest political party in this country, and the one responsible for this mess is pretty much dead.

But the other gombeen bums ended up in power, so it's business as usual up at fuckwit-central.:(

ilovesleep · 17-10-2011 02:29PM

Anyone wrote: »

Yeah lets wreck the place, that will show them......:rolleyes:

We protested the most effective way, using the ballot box.

I think you are confusing protests with riots. There's a difference.

I think it is disgusting of some posters here in this thread saying that a protest here will lead to a violent riot. Nonsense. There was a protest last winter and huge numbers turned out to shoe their absolute disgust at what FF did to our country. And there wasn't any violence there either.

Anyone · 17-10-2011 02:35PM

ejmaztec wrote: »

But the other gombeen bums ended up in power, so it's business as usual up at fuckwit-central.:(

And wrecking the place and rioting will change what? I mean nothing has changed in Greece(not for the better at least), nothing has changed in Italy.

So in both cases, ours and other eu countries, nothing has changed. As for "other gombeen bums", at least we know whats ahead of us, 3 years of harsh budgets etc.

reprazant · 17-10-2011 02:36PM

mcwhirter wrote: »

After the protests in Dublin I was expecting at least some international press coverage.
There was not one mention on sky news of it, plenty of footage of Italian protests.

The protests here are really patheic, what is wrong with people, do they enjoy bending over and taking it all in??

I am curious, have you been at any of the protests?

Are you involved in any way in the current Dame Street protest?

Or do you sit at home and wait for others to do your protesting for you, and then complain when it isn't good enough?

Anyone · 17-10-2011 02:37PM

ilovesleep wrote: »

I think you are confusing protests with riots. There's a difference.

I think it is disgusting of some posters here in this thread saying that a protest here will lead to a violent riot. Nonsense. There was a protest last winter and huge numbers turned out to shoe their absolute disgust at what FF did to our country. And there wasn't any violence there either.

No I didnt, I was replying to the OP. They said that Protests here are pathetic. Just because its not on Sky News. I said our protests are very effective, that done through the Ballot Box, more effective than rioting/wrecking the place which is the coverage that Greece and Italy get.

ejmaztec · 17-10-2011 02:44PM

Anyone wrote: »

And wrecking the place and rioting will change what? I mean nothing has changed in Greece(not for the better at least), nothing has changed in Italy.

So in both cases, ours and other eu countries, nothing has changed. As for "other gombeen bums", at least we know whats ahead of us, 3 years of harsh budgets etc.

I made no mention of rioting changing anything, except possibly the tax-payer getting saddled with the bill for the damage.

Protesting hasn't change anything, and a change in government hasn't change anything either.

super_furry · 17-10-2011 02:44PM

Well what are they protesting about? What are their main issues? What are their solutions and what are their end goals?

The problem with Irish protests is that they're more often than not either started by or hijacked by the Socialist Workers Party, are totally undefined in their goals or aims and attract the same hundred or so regulars that would protest the opening of a McDonalds.

4leto · 17-10-2011 02:51PM

The world is falling deeper in recession, the Euro is in very real danger of collapsing, the US is running an enormous deficits ans has lost its triple A credit rating by one of the rating agencies along with other western economies.

What is doing this is government's sovereign debt building up from running massive fiscal deficits, they simply have to cut them.

But that is the problem, THEY CAN'T because of democracy and fear of protests and unpopularity. Its as if the whole economic structure is heading for an unimaginable failure, if you want to know how bad this can get, Greece or Argentina in the 99, but this would be even worse again.

Anyone · 17-10-2011 02:52PM

ejmaztec wrote: »

I made no mention of rioting changing anything, except possibly the tax-payer getting saddled with the bill for the damage.

Protesting hasn't change anything, and a change in government hasn't change anything either.

I disagree about the change in Government, personally I think we have a better Government now than we did. However, I didnt think things were going to be automatically changed overnight. But I do think overall the nation is in better shape now than it was prior to the election.

My comments on rioting were directed to the OP, who says the protests here are pathetic because they aren't on Sky News. Sky News will only show violent protests because its a rag channel.

dsmythy · 17-10-2011 02:53PM

The OP seems to be upset that we are not making a show of ourselves like the Italian protesters did. Rome's image has been temporarily damaged.

Bannasidhe · 17-10-2011 02:57PM

super_furry wrote: »

Well what are they protesting about? What are their main issues? What are their solutions and what are their end goals?

The problem with Irish protests is that they're more often than not either started by or hijacked by the Socialist Workers Party, are totally undefined in their goals or aims and attract the same hundred or so regulars that would protest the opening of a McDonalds.

First point - why don't you inform yourself? Both Occupy Dame St and Occupy Cork have Facebook pages.
Second point - those involved in the Occupy movement are determined that it will be a non-party political, consensus based movement so there will be no Socialist Worker party (or any other political party ) banners etc allowed.

problemchimp · 17-10-2011 03:05PM

Anyone wrote: »

Thats your opinion, its not one I share. Lets see....the largest political party in this country, and the one responsible for this mess is pretty much dead.

Yeah true, but we're still fuucked 'cause the new government are doing more u-turns than a drifter and using the same policies as the last shower. Nothing has changed.

super_furry · 17-10-2011 03:05PM

Bannasidhe wrote: »

First point - why don't you inform yourself?

Because honestly, right now I'm far too apathetic to do so. For the reason I laid out earlier, and from my participation on several similar protests in the past I have less than zero confidence in their ability to achieve or change anything.

It's lazy and maybe even selfish but I look on those protests as an absolute waste of time and effort and doubt that they will change a single thing. If I'm even more honest, I'm probably part of the problem that these protesters face. Politically I'd be broadly in line with their goals but based on my past experience and cynicism I expect them to fare the exact same way that similar efforts have - they'll get bogged down with in-fighting, bicker endlessly over political theory and continue to be the disorginised mess that they've always been.

Bannasidhe · 17-10-2011 03:06PM

problemchimp wrote: »

Yeah true, but we're still fuucked 'cause the new government are doing more u-turns than a drifter and using the same policies as the last shower. Nothing has changed.

and never will unless we force that change.

SafeSurfer · 17-10-2011 03:08PM

dsmythy wrote: »

The OP seems to be upset that we are not making a show of ourselves like the Italian protesters did. Rome's image has been temporarily damaged.

Yeah and Ireland's image has been enhanced because we are willing to accept deeper austerity to pay for the failed risks of investors.

Who decides if the Italian protesters have damaged the image of Italy or the acquiescence of the Irish has improved our international reputation?

Thats right the people who decide are the people who's debts we are paying.

maninasia · 17-10-2011 05:49PM

seamus wrote: »

I think most people know there's something happening, but they don't know what.

There's a protest in Dame Street. What do they want? Dunno. Something about complaining about stock markets or something.

If they want support, they need to tell us what they're hoping to achieve, what the aims of the protest are. Otherwise, you know, the rest of us have to go to work, we don't have time to spend just sitting around and camping on Dame Street.

That's right, y'all need to be told what to do.

Bannasidhe · 17-10-2011 06:22PM

Domo230 wrote: »

If I could even find their demands and they were reasonable and realistic then I would join them.

The reason people are repeating what is being said is so those at the back of the crowd can hear.

mattjack · 17-10-2011 06:24PM

drdeadlift wrote: »

Cycled by there last sat around 6ish,loads of music blaring out was cool!

Was cool there this afternoon,with that breeze blowing around.

The Internet Explorer · 17-10-2011 06:29PM

Fortunately born onto a crazy planet.

Fortunately born human.

Born in 20th Century Ireland.

Fortunate human is fortunate despite what anybody says.

super_furry · 17-10-2011 06:37PM

Bannasidhe wrote: »

The reason people are repeating what is being said is so those at the back of the crowd can hear.

“We will find an answer among ourselves, it will emerge.” They don't even have the questions, nevermind an answer.

Having watched that I'm still none the wiser as to what their aims are and more importantly how they seek to achieve them. It's the same tired, redundant rhetoric about fighting the system and 'rocking on'.

There's absolutely nothing of substance there. Nothing.

Bannasidhe · 17-10-2011 06:40PM

super_furry wrote: »

“We will find an answer among ourselves, it will emerge.” They don't even have the questions, nevermind an answer.

Having watched that I'm still none the wiser as to what their aims are and more importantly how they seek to achieve them. It's the same tired, redundant rhetoric about fighting the system and 'rocking on'.

There's absolutely nothing of substance there. Nothing.

Here's a mad idea - why don't you ask the people there?

super_furry · 17-10-2011 06:43PM

Bannasidhe wrote: »

Here's a mad idea - why don't you ask the people there?

Like I said earlier, I couldn't be bothered because going on past experience and judging them on the evidence they present ln the likes of that video and elsewhere, they don't know the answers.

At the risk of repeating myself, there's nothing of substance behind the rhetoric or catchy slogans.

You seem to be an advocate for the protesters. Can you tell my (a) what they want to achieve and (b) how they hope to achieve it?

Wertz · 17-10-2011 07:01PM

That the IMF and ECB “stay out of our affairs”
That the bank debt taken on by Ireland’s government be lifted
That offshore oil and gas reserves be “returned to the people”
That “real participatory democracy” be established in Ireland.

(courtesy of someone in the economy forum)

That's what they want to achieve...short of Marty McFly's car and a magic wand, it's probably not going to happen.
That doesn't mean that they don't have a right to protest for it...

Bannasidhe · 17-10-2011 07:09PM

super_furry wrote: »

Like I said earlier, I couldn't be bothered because going on past experience and judging them on the evidence they present ln the likes of that video and elsewhere, they don't know the answers.

At the risk of repeating myself, there's nothing of substance behind the rhetoric or catchy slogans.

You seem to be an advocate for the protesters. Can you tell my (a) what they want to achieve and (b) how they hope to achieve it?

:rolleyes:

Why should I bother?

I informed myself. I decided for myself. I chose to get up off the sofa and make my views known.

If you can be bothered - inform yourself. If not...why are you bothering to post here....?

Protests in Ireland are pathetic

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