Didn't most of the people in New York get arrested because they tried to block the roads?
I found it a bit uncomfortable how the new york protesters were being comnpared to protesters in Tehran, Syria and Libia.
As far as I know Obama was not having protestors shot by snipers, there hadn't been decades of instances of people having nails torn out, electrodes on the testicles, people being "disappeared" and their familiers threatened. Women in America have the vote and are not sentenced to death for adultery, their not locked up for wanting the same rights as men.
Yes pepper spray is nasty but get a little perspective.
Sorry to rant but aside from "Black Flag" which are another case all I am seeing in these protests are a bunch of people who had it rather well over the past decade whilst the rest of the world suffered and now the bills need paying are starting to feel aggrieved.
If they were protesting against capitalism whilst they were doing well under it i'ld have a bit more respect.
Hell, if they even had a clear list of demands i'ld have more respect.
It just seems to be a vague "rich people are bad" sentiment without a clear message on how they're going to change things.
The people behind these protests know that if they were to go into specifics support will fragment.
Also I would be very careful before throwing my support behind anonymous. At best they're a bunch of script kiddies that have a taste for your credit card details and a sideline in corporate espionage.
Or at worst they're a puppet organisation under the control of one the brutal regimes that are currently engaged in cyber warfare. I notice in their campaign they not attached Russian, Chinese or North Korean interests.
And if I see one more bloody Guy Fawkes mask....
End of rant.
*goes off to get coffee and kick puppies*
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Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 8:57,
Reply)
yes theres valid points here
context etc but the main point is double-speak of Govt.
the self-styled "democracy" are quite the opposite;i work at a port in the UK and the international crews love the courtesy that we show them as opposed to their treatment in US ports. They are routinely searched offshore at gunpoint;they are not allowed to set foot even on the jetty they land at;they are not allowed hospital visits;they are not allowed fresh water deliveries;they are allowed food or other ships'stores deliveries.
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strictlyrockers hasnt been on here for ages, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 9:10,
Reply)
Democracy doesn't mean "nice guys" though it just means you get to choose your leadership.
American border controls have always been a bugger to non U.S citizens.
A country can be absolute cunts to the rest of the world as (america has at times) and still be called democratic if said people acting like cunts were elected.
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Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 9:22,
Reply)
ive been to the US a few times
pre-9/11 admittedly,but never had any bother
Cunts?yes they are....those in power anyway
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strictlyrockers hasnt been on here for ages, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 9:31,
Reply)
If by "choose your leadership" you mean pick one of a narrow selection of rich fellas who all broadly share the same ideology (neoliberalism) and are unduly influenced by corporate money
then yes, Britain and America are democracies.
That's not my definition of democracy, but hey - whatever floats your vote.
(, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 9:51, Reply)
I wouldn't lump American and British democracies in the shame boat.
In the UK you have 3 main parties plus numerous smaller ones that cover the traditional political spectrum from left to right.
But if none of those parties fits your ideology you can easily run as an independent.
www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/may/22/how-to-become-an-mp
Ok you'll have to find 10 people to support you and if you poll less than 5% you'll lose your £500 deposit but it's hardly american levels of money.
British politics is not perfect but it's a damn site better and less corrupt than american politics.
Don't lump them in together. Aside from a common language America and the UK are vastly different countries.
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Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 11:44,
Reply)
well no they aren't the same, but the point about the 3 main parties sharing one general belief system stands.
Also: liberalconspiracy.org/2010/05/13/an-illustration-of-private-school-intake-of-the-new-cabinet/
The above doesn't look particularly good, but is unsurprising for the Tories I suppose. Below is a few links about party funding now that mass membership has collapsed over the last 20 years. Theoretically you are correct about anyone being an MP but I can't see how you can compete with the media exposure the Big Three possess. Edit: just remembered that one Independent did get elected a few years ago, so well done to him.
www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/stuart-weir/uk-party-funding-bite-bullet-or-remain-biased
blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/2010/11/26/party-funding-reforms-are-overdue-in-the-uk-but-they-should-not-be-rushed/
NuLabour had 13 years and an unprecedented electoral mandate - yet during this time they kowtowed to the likes of NewsCorp and presided over a growth in inequality unseen since the Edwardian period as well as the deregulation of finance. Red, blue or yellow, big business wins.
But you are absolutely correct about us not being America.
Henceforth I promise not to talk party politics here. We come to /links for funtiemz not to be reminded of all this shit. Promise.
(, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 12:26, Reply)
I think this is basically most non-merkin's criticism of their ways isn't it
freedom and democracy for all so long as you're a white merkin and do everything you're told, beyond that you're scum and may be shot.
That and their insistance on policing the planet to their rules and 'liberating' you whether you want it or not.
As an example Visa are currently having a hissy fit over their cards being used to purchase legal highs over here which are illegal where they're based in California, and refusing to allow their UK card users and our government to choose for themselves what we can spend our own money on, Paypal have done the same and Alertpay are being forced by the card companies to withdraw too, strangely I don't feel I need their 'guidance' on these matters when it's based purely on their own moral laws over there, I think I and my government should be able to make such decisions ourselves and I certainly don't think it's up to some big dollar obsessed posturing merkin company to make that decision for me, but there you go, that's typical, its wrong for them so it's wrong for all, or else.
Twats.
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..wil, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 9:44,
Reply)
My guess is that they could be prosecuted if they break U.S laws abroad.
Being a credit card they're actually the ones making the purchase not you.
I know here if a citizen breaks the law of the U.K even if it's abroad and legal in that country they could be prosecuted. So maybe there's something similar happening here.
On a side note, be careful with the ol' ethno botanicals mate. You sound like you are but you need to do your research on them before taking. Some are great, but you get others like Salvia then can really screw you up.
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Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 11:51,
Reply)
Previously, when it's got a bit 'political' on here (a good thing) I've not agreed with your postings at all.
Here, however (for me) you've hit the nail squarely on the head.
Last week in a news report, I saw a protester in Wall St compare himself the protesters in Syria, Libya, Tehran &c. : I actually physically winced.
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Tab Hunter Make this useless process end and so, begin again, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 9:49,
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I find my politics doesn't gell well with others most times.
Some subjects I can be very left wing and some right wing.
In this regard i'ld be a supporter of the Lib Dems if they weren't a lying shower of shit.
I'm just grateful at the lack of Che Guevara t-shirts in these protests....
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Cerebus Sticky! Sticky! Stick! Stick!, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 13:07,
Reply)
Same here.... I like to think of myself as a wooly-leftie, but it often scares me how close my politics marry with the tories.
Our (liberal) MP is a lovely chap (& friend of my partner) but has been forced into massaging facts, vocally supporting stuff I know he doesn't & generally justifying Clegg & Co's behaviour. Shameful.
And regardless of how much good he's done locally, I now can't vote for him, were he to run again....
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Tab Hunter Make this useless process end and so, begin again, Mon 17 Oct 2011, 13:49,
Reply)