Anti-War "Activists" vs Sick Children.

[oedo]

Oerdin: the article says that 2.300 people got arrested. do you mean that 2.300 protestors threw bottles at the Police and broke windows? if so I wouldn´t call this a demonstration but a riot. I don´t believe it was a riot. I reread the article and I didn´t find such things. what I found was this:

"What price democracy?" Bobbie Stein from the National Lawyers Guild said Tuesday. "It's the cost of living in a free society."

he´s absolutely right on this.

The biggest bite out of city coffers came from the Police Department, which reported spending $2 million to police the civil unrest, with most of the money paying for officer overtime.

so the largest part - if not everything - were the usual demonstration cost.

do you live in SF? I´d like to know how many people demonstrated there.

[Giancarlo]

Well oedo, if they are disturbing the peace or blocking off traffic and blocking off peoples lives, they deserve to get arrested.

Don't be deluded by your own biases... stupid people have the right to demonstrate their own arrogance. But that doesn't mean they can block off roads and cause problems.

[Lonestar]

Originally posted by Agathon
How much did the war cost, O?

Enough to provide health care to everyone in the United States three times over, I'll bet.

Altogather now...

"It ain't the Federal Guv'ment's job to pay for Healthcare!"

It's a state and city function.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Fez
stupid people have the right to demonstrate their own arrogance.

Cheers for the sig material.

[oedo]

Originally posted by Fez
Well oedo, if they are disturbing the peace or blocking off traffic and blocking off peoples lives, they deserve to get arrested.

it´s in the nature of (larger) demonstrations that they block roads. it´s oftenly even the intend. demonstrators want to tell their opinions - also to those, who don´t participate and who don´t want to have anything to do with it. that´s why they don´t go into the dark wood or any other empty place but into the inner city.
I know that many people - especially conservatives - don´t like this kind of making politics, but it´s just our constitutional right.

[Giancarlo]

Oedo: If they mess with my life or that of any other civilian in the area.. the police should get over there with water guns.. and then tear gas and finally rubber bullets if it so required. If that is not enough call the national guard. Of course I don't have this power so if I saw demonstraters of your kind I would just give them the middle finger and a few swear words for causing me to be late to where ever I am going.

You don't have a right to interrupt to life of another individual trying to get to work.

[Dinner]

Oedo: I live about 1.3 hours away from San Fransisco and the number of protesters was to many.

Plus, we're not just talking about the regular protest which organizers filled for a permit. We're talking about "activists" just randomly picking a busy street, chaining themselves in the street, while their friends unroll huge bangers with political slogons. Why do they do this? To get on TV because they are selfish people who don't care about anyone else.

If you want to be heard write an article for the paper or a letter to the editor, call in to a talk show or the local TV station, hold a lecture at the local college, but if you block emergency vehicle access then you are breaking the law and you should go to jail. It's that simple.

[oedo]

Fez: of course it makes a huge difference whether they block a fire escape, or a hospital or something like that, or whether they´re just hanging around the street preventing that people get home in time so they don´t miss the beginning of Oprah Winfrey.
we´re talking about an important element of any democracy here.

[Kuciwalker]

They don't have the right to effectively shut down major portions of the city. People need to get to work.

[oedo]

Oerdin, sorry I need some sleep now. we recently had a long thread here, which was also about the freedom to assemble. I´m still not sure, if you really need a permit for a demonstration (since we don´t need one in Germany). but since the freedom to assemble is written in the first ammendment of your constitution you can figure, that it is something important. and for a good reason as I think.

good night

[Kuciwalker]

They don't have to assemble IN THE STREETS.

[Giancarlo]

Originally posted by oedo
Fez: of course it makes a huge difference whether they block a fire escape, or a hospital or something like that, or whether they´re just hanging around the street preventing that people get home in time so they don´t miss the beginning of Oprah Winfrey.
we´re talking about an important element of any democracy here.

We are talking about peoples lives. And I am not talking about Oprah Winfrey, I am talking about something that is called a job. *typical teenager voice* Now get real.

They DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO SHUT DOWN THE LIVES OF OTHERS. That is what was happening in Peru.. well... lets just say the army has sent itself out to clear everything.

It is called the well being of the people. And you peaceniks are just hurting this.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by oedo
Fez: of course it makes a huge difference whether they block a fire escape, or a hospital or something like that, or whether they´re just hanging around the street preventing that people get home in time so they don´t miss the beginning of Oprah Winfrey.
we´re talking about an important element of any democracy here.

Let's talk about this a little shall we? Whiny-leftist protester Bob really doesn't like the war in Iraq/the IMF/Bio-Engineered crops/the Capitalist system/Multinational Corporations (take your pick) so he decides to get a bunch of his other whiny little protester friends out in the street to "help democracy"; they plan on doing this by chaining themselves in the middle of a free way thus blocking traffic.

It works. Whiny Bob and his whiny friends have totally snarled traffic and they now feel proud that they have "helped democracy", however, across town a thoughtless tenant accidently catches his apartment on fire. The thoughtless tenant decides to call the fire department so they can help him put out the fire only the fire department can't get there because whiny bob and his friends have blocked traffic. What's more Thoughtless Tenant's neighbor Grandma Jill has a heart attack after seeing her home in flames. Now, the fire department and the paramedics can't get to the scene because whiny bob's group is still "helping democracy".

Do you see now why we need orderly means of public demonstaration? Emergency services need to still be able to get where they need to go and it would be nice if everyone who doesn't care about your pet issue can still go about their day without being held hostage by whiny bob and his friends.

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by Oerdin


Let's talk about this a little shall we? Whiny-leftist protester Bob really doesn't like the war in Iraq/the IMF/Bio-Engineered crops/the Capitalist system/Multinational Corporations (take your pick) so he decides to get a bunch of his other whiny little protester friends out in the street to "help democracy"; they plan on doing this by chaining themselves in the middle of a free way thus blocking traffic.

It works. Whiny Bob and his whiny friends have totally snarled traffic and they now feel proud that they have "helped democracy", however, across town a thoughtless tenant accidently catches his apartment on fire. The thoughtless tenant decides to call the fire department so they can help him put out the fire only the fire department can't get there because whiny bob and his friends have blocked traffic. What's more Thoughtless Tenant's neighbor Grandma Jill has a heart attack after seeing her home in flames. Now, the fire department and the paramedics can't get to the scene because whiny bob's group is still "helping democracy".

Do you see now why we need orderly means of public demonstaration? Emergency services need to still be able to get where they need to go and it would be nice if everyone who doesn't care about your pet issue can still go about their day without being held hostage by whiny bob and his friends.

Then bob and his friends should be arrested.

Oerdin making sweeping generalizations....This is new....

[Kuciwalker]

It isn't a sweeping generalization.