To Protest or not to Protest?

[DaveC]

On Wednesday, Mr George W Bush himself is sullying the good image of my fine city of Halifax by stepping off a plane and making his way to Pier 21 downtown.

Mass protests are planned. There's a big rally in front of the Library at school and then a march down to Pier 21 to protest.

I want to go.

My qualm is if I should or not. The last time a big event was here with the G-7 Finance Ministers, there was a smaller protest. But that one got broken up with tear gas and riot police (even though the protest was pretty peaceful). The cops even tore up a downtown mall when they tried to trap all the protesters inside so they could arrest them. The protesters smashed apart stores to get to the emergency exits so they could escape.

Now, I don't know about you all but I'm not really partial to being gassed and trapped inside malls. If I went I'm sure I'd be peaceful, but I certainly wouldn't want to be trapped in a protest with riot cops and tear gas and things being thrown in case things actually got out of hand.

So should I go or should I stay home and cheer from the sidelines, and watch the highlights on the evening news?

 

[nbcrusader]

What are you protesting?

GWB's existence?

That he's going to Pier 21 and not some other important location?

Visitors to Halifax?

 

[dandy]

i imagine a lot of people are going to be protesting the president's three year late apology for our kindness to stranded passengers during 9/11, not to mention the war in iraq.

i'd be somewhat hesitant to go, just because security is going to be severely strict, seeing that it's george bush and all. i wouldn't be surprised if a relatively peaceful protest gets some rough treatment. tensions will be high on both sides.

 

[DaveC]

the protest is against the general ineptitude and ridiculously bad decision-making of the past 4 (and presumably the next 4) years.

 

[STING2]

If you want to go to the protest thats fine. If you think its going to be dangerous, watch from a distance. But how about showing some respect for the first president to be elected by a majority of the American people since 1988!

 

[U2Kitten]

Go! You might just get your face on the news!

 

[verte76]

Go. Bush is the president of a major democracy, which makes him part of the political decision making process. You're a human being with feelings, and you're inclined not to agree with the guy's agenda and ideas. It's never a good idea to squelch your emotions and feelings. There's a right way and a wrong way to express them. Like you I disagree with the guy's agenda and ideas. There's no reason for you *not* to protest. There are rules to good political protesting, like keeping it peaceful and orderly, no disruption, calling anyone names, etc, etc. There are some simple rules to follow, and then, hey, it's the right thing to do.

 

[ultrraviolette]

I'd go, it could make for a new experience and a good story no matter what your political beliefs are.

 

[najeena]

Go, Dave. Go for those of us who can't. How is going to a protest disrespectful, Sting2? Are we, as Americans, required to give him obesience?

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Be a good Canadian and get your butt down there.

 

[anitram]

I'd go if he were coming to Toronto, as if that's gonna happen.

 

[DaveC]

If you want to go to the protest thats fine. If you think its going to be dangerous, watch from a distance. But how about showing some respect for the first president to be elected by a majority of the American people since 1988!

i will begin to show some respect for him as soon as he starts showing respect for people outside his own nation.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

All I have to say is keep it peaceful.

 

[Rinn]

Go. I'd go if I wasn't on the opposite side of the planet. And tell him in the nicest possible way to stop annoying the Australian general public from me please.

Cheers from the Land Down Under

 

[verte76]

I already posted, but let me disagree with people who think that protesting is disrespectful. It's democratic. By following certain rules, like keeping it peaceful, not calling anyone names, etc, etc, you are showing respect that way. If it were throwing eggs or rocks or whatever I'd have very different feelings. Hell, after we did the demonstrations in February 2003 against the war, both the President and Condi Rice said they had no trouble with demonstrations and protests. The President also referred to disagreement in his speech at the RNC. If he doesn't have any trouble with this why should anyone else?

 

[Tania]

Dave,

I second what Rinn says.

Go, but take care.

 

[pax]

Go, and please be very very careful.

 

[tiny dancer]

Go, Dave. Go for those of us who can't. How is going to a protest disrespectful, Sting2? Are we, as Americans, required to give him obesience?

I would go if I could so please go.

 

[joyfulgirl]

i will begin to show some respect for him as soon as he starts showing respect for people outside his own nation.

 

[kobayashi]

he will be in ottawa on tuesday and im considering going.

having been involved in the rcmp preparations for his visit, however, and hearing how catastrophically messed up the city will be, ill probably sleep in and not even go to the office.

 

[ultrraviolette]

i will begin to show some respect for him as soon as he starts showing respect for people outside his own nation.

If he had respect for the people in his own nation we'd have lower taxes, better health care and no poverty. Don't make it a "Bush against anything not American argument".

 

[nbcrusader]

i will begin to show some respect for him as soon as he starts showing respect for people outside his own nation.

Is that your core message, or is there something else you think you can communicate by your presence?

 

[kobayashi]

If he had respect for the people in his own nation we'd have lower taxes, better health care and no poverty. Don't make it a "Bush against anything not American argument".

being that DaveC is one of mr. bush's informal 'international consituents', his protest intentions seem perfectly appropriate to me.

Originally post by nbcrusaderIs that your core message, or is there something else you think you can communicate by your presence?

im not sure what you are implying, if anything. i do think it is interesting and admirable that DaveC is considering protesting with a specific intent in mind. one of the fallacies of these mass protests is individual arguments and justifications are drowned out by the mass will which happens to be dominated by the 'loudest' activities which has, unfortunately, become smashing mcdonalds windows in this context.

 

[ILuvLarryMullen]

I think you should go. Those G7 protests always seem to get way more out of control than other protests, so I wouldn't worry about. Remember how big the protest in NY was for the Republican national convention? That stayed peaceful.

 

[nbcrusader]

one of the fallacies of these mass protests is individual arguments and justifications are drowned out by the mass will which happens to be dominated by the 'loudest' activities which has, unfortunately, become smashing mcdonalds windows in this context.

I would think the fallacy is that the individual's message is communicated and understood when mixed with a large group of divergent and occassionally incoherent messages.

The mass protest may be satisfying to the individual protestor's sole, but it usually does not result in a well communicated message.

 

[verte76]

Generally a protest has a particular theme, i.e, a reason why the demonstrators are there in the first place. In this case it's Bush's foreign policy and especially Iraq. When I went to the February 15 demo last year it was specifically against the invasion.

 

[STING2]

i will begin to show some respect for him as soon as he starts showing respect for people outside his own nation.

50 million people have been liberated from two of the most brutal dictatorships in history. Democracy is being built and Billions of dollars are being invested in two countries to make them successful and prosperous democracy's.

There is no other leader of a country on the planet that has done more to improve the lives of so many people outside his own country than George Bush.

Not only does this show the respect and concern Bush has for people outside the country, but it has indeed been returned by the dozens of countries who currently support the effort to make Iraq and Afghanistan prosperous democracies. Most countries in NATO have troops on the ground in Iraq.

 

[U2democrat]

go, let your voice be heard. but the second it becomes violent, book it.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Protest, dont protest - enjoy the choice of free societies and consider how valuable that is.

And u2dem I got myself AIMed.

 

[U2democrat]

*gasp* really? well my dear IM me at rfkdemocrat68