Abusing candidates/canvassers - where is the line?

Foxhound38 · 30-04-2014 11:48AM

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

The 2 filming and shouting at her were nothing but bullies all right, but yer man with the phone wasn't much better.

How would you have reacted if it was your sister being abused to tears and folllowed down the street by these dirtbirds?

I think her brother was restrained given the context. If it were most people's sister getting that kind of abuse, someone's jaw would be getting broken I'd wager!

steddyeddy · 30-04-2014 12:18PM

P_1 wrote: »

Yes but people have the right to do that themselves. Not to have somebody do it for them and chase people away.

No of course not.

Kermit.de.frog · 30-04-2014 12:56PM

Horrible comments, nasty people.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BmbdTrBCMAEKsux.png

Foxhound38 · 30-04-2014 12:58PM

They had an... interesting conversation about this on Adrian Kennedy this morning. I'll post the link when it's up

My name is URL · 30-04-2014 01:01PM

In the video, your ones (the candidates) brother mentions the name of one of the 'protesters' children in quite a sinister sounding way. What was all that about? Seems awfully creepy the way he said it. Almost sounded like a veiled threat.

dublinman1990 · 30-04-2014 01:03PM

DazMarz wrote: »

As someone who is going around canvassing at the moment, I can safely say there is a lot of anger out there. Thankfully, none directed towards me.

But I heard of a couple of incidents that chilled me to the bone the other day.

A former-colleague and friend of my mother has a brother who is a sitting Fine Gael councillor. He was out canvassing in his local area.

A man answered the door to him. Brandishing a shotgun. The Gardaí had to be called as the man was screaming and raving and waving the shotgun around.

Another man I know is running for Fine Gael in my own local area. He is a decent, well-respected, well-liked and honourable man with a young family. He is only running because he believes that he can bring something to the table and help his local area.

When he called to a house, the owner of the house let 2 dogs loose to go after him and the poor man was nearly attacked.

I respect people's right to be angry, but that sort of behaviour is absolutely deplorable. County councillors, regardless of their affiliation, did NOT land this country where it is. Most county councillors I know are decent, hard-working, civic minded people who are just trying to do their best for their local areas. Sure, some might represent and be members of political parties that people are angry at. But directing such vitriolic anger at the lower-rung members of the party is pointless.

The chef burns the food... but it is the poor waiter who gets it in the neck.

That kinda thing. The councillors and their canvassers are at the coalface of it and are at the frontline. Very few of them (if any of them) had an input into the financial affairs of this country or had any say in austerity measures or any of that. County councillors look after local issues in the immediate local areas.

Sure, be angry. But to shout abuse, to physically threaten or to get violent is deplorable, disgusting behaviour.

Jesus. There are people like that in Ireland who do that to local politicians. FFS. :mad:

What sort of heads do they have in their minds to do some things like violence or intimidation to someone who represents their community.

You can surely say that these violent people are not representative of the local electorate.

Oh and Great post btw.

ThisRegard · 30-04-2014 01:16PM

My name is URL wrote: »

In the video, your ones (the candidates) brother mentions the name of one of the 'protesters' children in quite a sinister sounding way. What was all that about? Seems awfully creepy the way he said it. Almost sounded like a veiled threat.

And that's your issue with the video ?

tempnam · 30-04-2014 01:17PM

I'd love to see what would happen if all the politicians just woke up tomorrow and went: "ah, fcuk it... it's not worth the hassle, I give up"

Would you follow the likes of the 2 eejits in this video?

They're well able to intimidate and dish out abuse, but I wonder what plan they have for doing a better job?

My name is URL · 30-04-2014 01:19PM

ThisRegard wrote: »

And that's your issue with the video ?

It's just something I noticed.. you have a problem with that?

I think the people in the video are idiots. The guy that commented on the child of one of the protesters included.

Sounded like a weird thing to come out with for someone who was walking away... definitely something sinister about how he said it.

homeless student · 30-04-2014 01:22PM

just saw the video, nothing new, just a bunch of knackers and trouble makers who have nothing better to do than cause trouble. the woman that kept trying to grab the phone is obviously unstable, with her english accent lol

No Pants · 30-04-2014 02:12PM

Maudi wrote: »

irish people are eating out of bins

I had to eat out of a bin last week. The bucket I normally use just wasn't big enough.

Muise... · 30-04-2014 02:23PM

My name is URL wrote: »

It's just something I noticed.. you have a problem with that?

I think the people in the video are idiots. The guy that commented on the child of one of the protesters included.

Sounded like a weird thing to come out with for someone who was walking away... definitely something sinister about how he said it.

It sounded like an exasperated parting shot to me. Not so much sinister as him being worn down enough to hit below the belt.

super_furry · 30-04-2014 02:25PM

tempnam wrote: »

I'd love to see what would happen if all the politicians just woke up tomorrow and went: "ah, fcuk it... it's not worth the hassle, I give up"

Would you follow the likes of the 2 eejits in this video?

They're well able to intimidate and dish out abuse, but I wonder what plan they have for doing a better job?

Which is exactly why I'd never vote Sinn Fein.

Sh1tbag OToole · 30-04-2014 02:26PM

I dont know what the hell would posess a new candidate to run for FF, FG or Labour. What do they see in those parties?

Jester252 · 30-04-2014 02:30PM

Dublin says no is just a collection of the scum Ireland has to offer.

Foxhound38 · 30-04-2014 02:35PM

Sh1tbag OToole wrote: »

I dont know what the hell would posess a new candidate to run for FF, FG or Labour. What do they see in those parties?

Doesn't matter - they have every right to run for those parties if that's what they choose to do in a democratic system. People can vote for them on that basis or not, that's how the game works.

Some clown following them around roaring at them to go independent and calling them traitors is just that, clownish behaviour.

MonstaMash · 30-04-2014 02:36PM

I say release the hounds on them all

In all seriousness though...confront the candidates with the issues you have by all means, but abusing them just demonstrates the inability to engage them on an intelligent level.

Graces7 · 30-04-2014 02:38PM

Maudi wrote: »

Eleven austerity suicides a week..Eleven..people..irish people you dumwit..kill themselves..because of this gov austerity (its not really austerity its money shovelled out of the country to bondholders/imf.) Children are put out of their homes by the thousands because of repossessions..homeless figures are at an epidemic level..irish people are eating out of bins.for christs sake!!.emigration is rife..working people are the new poor..and you expect citizens to what? Have tables on the streets laden with tea and scou
nes coronation style to welcome the parasitic van guards of the political dynasty that caused this corrupt cash grab to happen ..yes welcome ..come tell me more lies to my face and why I should vote corruption once again..I dont think so pal..people have woken up..

where are you inventing these stats from please?

i have family working with the salvation army here so am well up on the reality.

there is no homeless epidemic here . eleven suicides a week..not. where are people eating out of bins...the feeding services are keeping pace at present and working very hard to do that.

this kind of hysterical exaggeration does not achieve anything.

you wanna help; great. all the groups feeding need hands on volunteers

better than ranting. non political

Tom.D.BJJ · 30-04-2014 02:39PM

Maudi wrote: »

Eleven austerity suicides a week..Eleven..people..irish people you dumwit..kill themselves..because of this gov austerity (its not really austerity its money shovelled out of the country to bondholders/imf.) Children are put out of their homes by the thousands because of repossessions..homeless figures are at an epidemic level..irish people are eating out of bins.for christs sake!!.emigration is rife..working people are the new poor..and you expect citizens to what? Have tables on the streets laden with tea and scones coronation style to welcome the parasitic van guards of the political dynasty that caused this corrupt cash grab to happen ..yes welcome ..come tell me more lies to my face and why I should vote corruption once again..I dont think so pal..people have woken up..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

Foxhound38 · 30-04-2014 03:21PM

Maudi wrote: »

irish people are eating out of bins.for christs sake!!

Who is eating out of a bin?

Where are you getting this drivel?

Muise... · 30-04-2014 03:25PM

MonstaMash wrote: »

I say release the hounds on them all

In all seriousness though...confront the candidates with the issues you have by all means, but abusing them just demonstrates the inability to engage them on an intelligent level.

anncoates wrote: »

To be honest, the left candidates these days need to toughen up. I remember (in the late 80a) a canvasser (very near the street in that video) for a now defunct left wing party trying to headbutt a dog that jumped up on a wall to bark at them.

careful now! :eek:

No Pants · 30-04-2014 03:54PM

Foxhound38 wrote: »

Who is eating out of a bin?

Where are you getting this drivel?

If you remove a full stop and add a couple of capital letters it almost becomes a sacrament.

Maudi wrote: »

Irish people are eating out of bins for Christs sake!

My name is URL · 30-04-2014 04:18PM

Muise... wrote: »

It sounded like an exasperated parting shot to me. Not so much sinister as him being worn down enough to hit below the belt.

Same line of reasoning could be used to excuse the actions of the idiots throwing insults at the candidate.

Making vaguely threatening statements about someone's kid is no more excusable than shouting abuse at someone, though. He came across no better than the other scumbags in that video.

Foxhound38 wrote: »

They are the lowest of the low, and they make the anti-government side look like ignorant bullies.

They don't make the 'anti-government side', whatever the hell that is; look like anything. They make themselves look bad.. that's it.. but there's always plenty of people ready to attribute the actions of a few to an entire generalised group because it fits their agenda to do so.

Little CuChulainn · 30-04-2014 04:59PM

My name is URL wrote: »

Making vaguely threatening statements about someone's kid

I think he was implying he rode her.

Galwayguy35 · 30-04-2014 05:17PM

SeanLEFT wrote: »

You mean her brother trying to protect her from the scum

Oh was that who he was, didn't know that.

In that case he should have stood up to them.

Muise... · 30-04-2014 05:25PM

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

I think he was implying he rode her.

:pac:

I didn't catch what he said, but I was perplexed as to why her being 21 was so important her mother had to scream it twice.

Little CuChulainn · 30-04-2014 05:28PM

Muise... wrote: »

:pac:

I didn't catch what he said, but I was perplexed as to why her being 21 was so important her mother had to scream it twice.

"Tell Shannon I was asking for her"

Muise... · 30-04-2014 05:29PM

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

"Tell Shannon I was asking for her"

how sinister.

Slicemeister · 30-04-2014 05:34PM

Have sign up on the front door, no canvassers. Doorbell rang last night around 5.15, three members of FG canvassing outside. Opened the door, saw their flyers and said Go before I hunt ye.

What does the well suited chap at the rear do? Proceeds to push a flyer towards me. I took it tore it in half and handed it back.

Missus had arrived by then so I left them to it. That was civil I think, only thing unfortunately was my missus wanted to hear them out, felt bad about that.

My name is URL · 30-04-2014 05:37PM

Muise... wrote: »

how sinister.

Fairly scummy to bring a persons child into such a thing and them not even present alright. Obviously he was looking to further fan the flames in the situation.

No sympathy for the wanker in the reaction he was met with. If someone mentioned my kids in such a way during an argument I'd be pissed off too.

He's as much a scumbag as anyone else in that video. The confrontation had ended when he decided to turn round and start it up again.

Abusing candidates/canvassers - where is the line?

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