G20 Summit Protesters: Gut Reaction

[torker]

Thousands of anti capitalist protesters gathered around the capital for two days of action around the G20 summit.

On the first day of protests, amid a huge police operation, the mood which had been good natured at the start soured as windows were smashed and scuffles broke out with police.


http://media.ft.com/cms/8fbbef30-1ecd-11de-b244-00144feabdc0.jpg

What is your gut reaction to seeing the G20 Summit protesters?

[Devo37]

a bunch of douchey career protesters that generally don't know sh!t about the causes they pretend to care about.

"don't repress me, mmaaaaannnn!!"

[Hottub]

I flushed my XM and fucked my mother.
Didn't do me much good.

[HBox]

A bunch of sorry weak people, so weak as to prefer the idea of an all-powerful conspiracy of selfish, evil people with total control of the world rather than the tenuous and uncertain reality.

[brettmojo]

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dAsWdUo7r4c&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dAsWdUo7r4c&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[A.J.]

What is your gut reaction to seeing the G20 Summit protesters?

What they need's a damn good whacking.

[DarkHippie]

are there any options that don't involve violence?

[led37zep]

What is your gut reaction to seeing the G20 Summit protesters?

As Mr. Norton stated in his (un)award winning performance in Superman.

"(T)he(y) stink and I don't like 'em"

[torker]

are there any options that don't involve violence?

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c219/denissevaz/flower-gun-1.jpg

[Furtherman]

Assholes. Mostly assholes with nothing better to do but cause trouble to get attention.

[DarkHippie]

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c219/denissevaz/flower-gun-1.jpg

thank you. it takes more guts to fight with a flower than with a gun.

[Zorro]

thank you. it takes more guts to fight with a flower than with a gun.

especially since flowers don't shoot back

[Furtherman]

especially since flowers don't shoot back

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41YG2EK7X7L._SX320_SY240_.jpg

[MacVittie]

protesting has gotten very romanticized and people protest just for the sake of protesting.

[scottinnj]

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c219/denissevaz/flower-gun-1.jpg

thank you. it takes more guts to fight with a flower than with a gun.

DarkHippie, I know you mean well, but although it may take more guts to "fight with a flower" it's just plain smarter to fight with overwhelming force.

But I wish more world leaders thought like you-then the US wouldn't have to be stretched so thin trying to maintain national security.

Which is why I am paying attention to the European leadership. During the Bush years we heard their disdain for Bush's "cowboy diplomacy"-now we have the complete opposite approach in our diplomacy efforts...let's see if they how many of them begin to assist us in policing the world.

[Recyclerz]

Protesters pushed against police barricades outside the Bank of England on Wednesday, shouting "Abolish Money!" (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g97rsFx3dbUHPQSoLAaXQa97RGBwD979KHVO0)

Well, at least their demands were reasonable and well thought out.

Also, they were not nearly as hot as the "Free Mumia" hippie chicks Ron is so fond of.

[scottinnj]

Protesters pushed against police barricades outside the Bank of England on Wednesday, shouting "Abolish Money!" (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g97rsFx3dbUHPQSoLAaXQa97RGBwD979KHVO0)

Well, at least their demands were reasonable and well thought out.

Also, they were not nearly as hot as the "Free Mumia" hippie chicks Ron is so fond of.

Abolish Money. Okay, do they have an alternative way to purchase goods and services, or compensation for work done for your employer?

I find money works much better then the way we used to do things, like the feudal system or indentured servitude.

[MisterSmith]

If the protesters weren't douchebags, there wouldn't have been violence. It would mean a lot more if they could/would protest in an intelligent, peaceful, meaningful way.



As Mr. Norton stated in his (un)award winning performance in Superman.

"(T)he(y) stink and I don't like 'em"

Or Spiderman, but Superman was good too...

[ope]

Protesters pushed against police barricades outside the Bank of England on Wednesday, shouting "Abolish Money!" (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g97rsFx3dbUHPQSoLAaXQa97RGBwD979KHVO0)

Well, at least their demands were reasonable and well thought out.

Also, they were not nearly as hot as the "Free Mumia" hippie chicks Ron is so fond of.

Those chicks are the best!

[scottinnj]

It would mean a lot more if they could/would protest in an intelligent, peaceful, meaningful way.

Or the protest organizors instead arranged for press kits and interviews with the media so their message could be clearly stated instead of the media controlling the image. I'm sure there were a lot there who had no intention of being violent, but their message is lost because of the douchebags.

This is the same thing that was done during the buildup towards the Iraq War. Instead of peacefully assembling and trying to make their points heard, they marched with paper mache images of Bush with devil horns and such. The entire opposition to Bush's Iraq agenda became mired into those images, and the argument was lost before it could begin.

Way to go dummies.

[Fez4PrezN2008]

I'd don't connect with their cause at ANY level. What do they want if not capitalisim?

[scottinnj]

I'd don't connect with their cause at ANY level. What do they want if not capitalisim?

Who knows. It's just a hodge podge of extreme leftist ideologues, with agendas ranging from the environment to socialized everything.

[SP1!]

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c219/denissevaz/flower-gun-1.jpg

thank you. it takes more guts to fight with a flower than with a gun.
I prefer the response those hippies got in "Watchmen", flower in gun, *Blam* dead hippie.

These morons are the same bums that pan handle in little 5 points down here in atlanta and have completely ruined a cool scene. If you want to drop out of society, fine, do it. Just dont begrudge us for having goals and wanting to take nice vacations at the beach.

[NewYorkDragons80]

are there any options that don't involve violence?

Even though I agree in theory with a lot of what free trade and globalization accomplish, I can almost sympathize with those who are frustrated by the quarantine of protests. Still, I loved this piece in the Times (http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/protesters-fail-to-bring-down-global-capitalism-with-costumes-puppets/?scp=1&sq=puppets%20costumes&st=cse) titled, "Protesters Fail to Bring Down Global Capitalism With Costumes, Puppets". What percentage of people at these rallies are well-dressed, practice good hygiene, or otherwise present themselves in an image that could win over the undecided public?

[A.J.]

especially since flowers don't shoot back

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41YG2EK7X7L._SX320_SY240_.jpg

You complete me.

[sailor]

I prefer the response those hippies got in "Watchmen", flower in gun, *Blam* dead hippie.

thanks for ruining it. dick.

[Kublakhan61]

Assholes. Mostly assholes with nothing better to do but cause trouble to get attention.

Possibly because their voice isn't being heard otherwise and they believe they have something to share. If they protest and get wild there is a chance they will get media attention and possibly bring a few more people to their cause. All people are part of an interest group in one way or another, it just a matter of deciding if you're a free rider or activist. They are activists and they believe in something different. Nothing wrong with it.

[sailor]

Possibly because their voice isn't being heard otherwise and they believe they have something to share. If they protest and get wild there is a chance they will get media attention and possibly bring a few more people to their cause. All people are part of an interest group in one way or another, it just a matter of deciding if you're a free rider or activist. They are activists and they believe in something different. Nothing wrong with it.

they're vandals and yes there is something wrong with that.

[Kublakhan61]

they're vandals and yes there is something wrong with that.

I blindly accept your argument. You've got me.

[sailor]

I blindly accept your argument. You've got me.

so you say there's nothing wrong with it, but when i point out their vandalism ("windows were smashed ") is wrong you've got nothing better than acting silly? sorry, was i supposed to accept your assertion blindly?

[Kublakhan61]

so you say there's nothing wrong with it, but when i point out their vandalism ("windows were smashed ") is wrong you've got nothing better than acting silly? sorry, was i supposed to accept your assertion blindly?

Read mine again. I don't make an assertion - I put a possible explanation for their actions. Their vandalism is wrong but recent history teaches us that people who quietly protest get little to no media coverage and therefore have little to no voice. The violence and vandalism these protesters have resorted to will, for some, raise the question of "Why do they act this way? What is their agenda?" They are merely grabbing at some attention.
Same as the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. King's decision to lead a march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma when he knew it was against the law (they were without permit and knew Wallace wanted the march to be stopped). They broke the law and got media attention. The media showed the police beating men and women up for walking over a bridge. People asked questions. Things began to change.
I'm not trying to say the G-20 protesters are right, just that they are acting on historical grounds. We know protest works, and we know that non-violent protest no longer works.

[sailor]

and we know that non-violent protest no longer works.

i don't think we know that at all.

and there's a huge difference between civil disobedience and the non-civil type.

[torker]

Me (far left) 5 years ago.

http://www.ronfez.net/gallery//watermark.php?file=846&size=1

Me (far right) last weekend.

As you can see I continue to blossom the older I get.

http://i451.photobucket.com/albums/qq236/dizzynyc2008/Casey%20Dave%20Shower%202009/IMG_0117.jpg

I would love to see '5 Years Ago' AJ cave 'Last Weekend' AJ's head in. Frickin' yippie.

[A.J.]

I would love to see '5 Years Ago' AJ cave 'Last Weekend' AJ's head in. Frickin' yippie.

I buy the Navy ships and weapons that kill terrorists!

[Recyclerz]

they're Vandals and yes there is something wrong with that.

Big fan of the Visigoths, are ya? Or did you bet the Romans and the over?

[Recyclerz]

I buy the Navy ships and weapons that kill terrorists!

Damn, that's mighty generous of you! That's gotta set you back a couple of grand a month. :wink:

[Kublakhan61]

i don't think we know that at all.



Maybe I'm just feeling disenfranchised ... I was there for several of the initial anti-war protests (back when it wasn't fashionable to oppose the war). We were civil. We marched. We chanted. We were tossed into the back of paddy wagons with our hands zip tied behind our backs after the police pushed us around.
There was never any coverage in the actual newspapers, only online. Reports if any were often small and served only to quote the President's reaction to the protests. He once said that the protests don't bother him because "the people don't make decisions for this country."
I'm feel confident in my claim that we know quietly protesting doesn't do much in the way of giving a voice to the voiceless.