Violent vs Peaceful protest

[jeebus]

I've got both my daughters as first years in two different uni's. One at 21 and one at 19. The elder seems to have her head screwed on so much more than the younger tlwho appears to be turning into an alcoholic (takes after her mum that one)

Should be the schoolkuds storming the gates not the students, their the lucky ones

[dramaticaditzylily]

I'll be honest here, my only real reason for going to uni would be the social life. I'd really enjoy a politics degree but it is stuff I could learn form the net or an open uni on the net but I'm not a great example since I have very little interest in actually going to uni and am involved in this stuff partly out of principle (business tax could of gone up a lot more) but mostly for my friends who are interested in uni and taking it seriously. My problem with fees is why the hell is it worth that much money? I pay that muhc money to get a couple of hours of someone talking at me while I do a lot of the research myself. That money just goes to the professors so they can try and get their nobel prize for finding out how many noodles it takes to hang an osprey.

In any case Bunny isn't it true tuition fees are relatively new? In which case why is it fair if we're paying more for a degree than you may have done?


By all means since I imagine it would get you noticed although your arguement is a common one among adults from what I hear on the bus in the morning so no real need.

[stahlcyndi]

No actually I agree, people are incredibly complacent about politics we all bitch and moan but very few people make an effort to actually get involved and politics has adapted to accept that (we have a pretty big PM personality culture for instance) and I do think violence breaks that mold enough to be effective. I only don't like it because I don't agree with smashing people up who don't deserve it. Ignoring that I pretty much completely agree with you.

.
Thats what was sad about it it wasn't some great culmination of anger by the students, then it might of meant something, it was just some random chavs wanting a scrap. The EDL much as I disagree with their political views act more in line with what you're saying I think and use violence as a way to get their message through to what they see as a deaf government

[Intrepid]

They have also (today) assaulted a Police Officer to unconciousness, broken a hand of a female officer, injured the legs of another.

Thats 1 less Police Unit patrolling the streets. Not including the Police Van they destroyed, so thats another vehicle that needs to be taken out of Police budget to buy a new one. And with the cuts, dont think itll even be replaced.

Understood its part/parcel of the job, but when that happens its not good for anyone's soul. From then on it doesnt become Protestors they become Violent members of Society and the cause/meaning of the protest is lost.

Council Tax screwed me over for £800 this year. It doesnt give me an excuse (as much as I want to) to go and smash £800 worth of Government Property.

[americanista_j_a]

Plus, don't these students have classes to go to? I mean, they're paying vast sums for tuition fees, so shouldn't they, you know, go get some tuition..?*



*A brief interlude to help ease the tension, brought to you in part by Slim Davey...

[gangstagrl456]

Actually tuition fees came in shortly before I went to uni. There were some small protests, but nothing on this scale. They also stopped most financial aid other than the student loan (at least for people with self-employed parents). They've now brought back a few grants and similar as well.

So why is it fair that you get more money, without debt, than I did? Unfairness is all around.



Whether I'm among what you could as adults or not is debatable. I went to uni myself, and I know how valuable a few extra years before I'd gone would have been.

[CHEA]

Violent protests only work when everyone is involved. All these 'students' have done is turn the population against them. I doubt anything they do will cause the tuition fees increase to be rejected, partly because the government is going to cut funding anyway. If the tuition fees don't go up, Universities go under.

I look forward to the next General Election when the Liberal Democrats are wiped off the face of the earth.

[htinhausa]

To be honest I think violent protests are a waste of time due to the negative attention they attract to a cause. Peaceful protests tend to be inneffective as they are largely ignored with a shrug.

What we really need is a new kind of protest - I'll designate it humorous protest. The idea is to carry out actions which will inconvenience people, draw attention, but not actually cause any serious damage to people or property. Hopefully people will get a good laugh out of them as well.

So, just as an example, a load of people in gorilla suits throwing bananas around outside the houses of parliament would attract more attention than the violent protests so far, and do so in a way which won't alienate people. Have a few leafletters out of costume as well, handing out to the public who will turn up to watch (and if you're doing it for a day or so, people will turn up).

[rusty778]

What you need to do to change government policy is embarrass the hell out of the government. Ensure that there are a thousand protesters at every event attended by a government minister, no matter how low profile. Flashmob offending Lib Dem MP's constituency surgeries. Make their jobs incredibly difficult and never let people forget that they broke the only real promise they ever made.

[isobelle_12]

Depends on the kind of government you got. If y'had the kind that russia had for centuries, a little violence might be what ya needed cause you had no other way since peaceful assemblies and such were not allowed.

and btw methinks thou doth protest too much. sorry a little shakespear, i couldnt resist. =]

as for university tuition, I agree with southpaw, and lol at the osprey noodle remark.