Boycott F1

[LDN Blue 7,903]

This weekend the motorsport spectacle of the formula one will take place in civilian unrest state of Bahrain.

The civil uprising is another feature of the media proclaimed ‘Arab Spring’ that began in 2010 with civilians protesting against their oppressive regimes.

The bloodshed in Bahrain goes somewhat unreported because there has been a mass media blackout in the war-torn country.

Last season the decision was made to cancel this race because of the high quantity of violence that gripped the country.

We’ve already witnessed evidence that Bahrain is not all sunshine daisies with one of the Force India cars blown up.

The going ahead of this race shows, and emphasises, a point that many of us know to be true. The corporate world, designed to appeal to your wants, does not care a single bit about your species.

Humanity is intertwined. Though not blood related we can all relate enough to call our fellow civilians brother or sister. It’s our brothers and sisters who continue to be massacred by the heavy artillery of that government.

The drivers, manufacturers, sponsors and anyone else indirectly involved have shown their alliance to money over justice. A rather fitting tribute to the state of society today anyway.

I sincerely hope that people will take notice of the facade being upheld by Bernie Eccelstone and see through that mirage.

Join this writer in not giving this sport anymore attention by not tuning in again. The more viewers this sport loses, the less these corporations make in monetary gains.

http://articulateramblings.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/f1-bahrain-a-travesty-of-justice/

It's simply disgraceful this decision is going ahead. The latest news coming out is a protester, against the race, was killed! Killed for protesting a simple race. This should give you all a glimpse of how bad the situation is in Bahrain.

I will not be watching F1 again till it's acknowledged this was a mistake and Bahrain is taken off the F1 calendar until things are sorted. I would also call for the proceeds from this race to go the hospitals and rebuilding of infrastructure once the violence is done.

[incometax 116]

i think you should start by boycotting the real root of the problem in Bahrain which is religion, rather than attack coorporations who are doing somehting within their legal right(and I fail to see the moral malice of this situation); legal rights as in laws set by states and states men who are democraticaly elected by a vote from the people.

I don't know much about this situation; but im confussed how is an f1 event harmful to the ppl of Bahrain. Wouldn't such an event be a shinning light in a dark place. Further wouldn't it by default raise awareness about Bahrain(such as here on this forum for example). I just don't see how this 'emphasises a point that the cooporate world dosen't care about your species'. Like wtf language is that? Your making coorporations sound like an evil robot control machine whos sole purpose is to 'harm' people. Lets not forget coorporations stay alive by us(the people) buying there products, and if we are unsatifised(ie its bad or harmfull) we have the freedom to not buy it. And if the product is really bad many people won't buy it; thus forcing the company/cooperation to change it or somelese comes in with something better. It is in there interest to serve us better..

I don't know much about situation though so I won't conclude anything... but it sounds like a bunch of bleeding heart liberal hypocritcal rubbish blown way out of proportion.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

^^

This is the Middle East my friend not Europe or Canada. "Civil uprising" here means that thousands of innocent unarmed protesters were and still are being brutally murdered and bombarded by the government’s army. And when that proved not enough to stop them, the US sent the Saudi army into Bahrain as reinforcement.

The writing on the wall in that picture in Arabic says: "Do you race on the blood of martyrs! “ To the people of Bahrain, this race is like having a Halloween parade in New York the day after the twin towers fell, or like turning that island in Norway where Anders Breivik murdered 84 people into a tourist site.

If this does not spell out evil robot control machine, I don't know what does.

[BluesChick 1,260]

i think the bigger problem is that the news only reports the uprising in relation to the F1 race and not to the fact that this problem will exist long after the race is over! I don't think they should have run the race when so much is going on and so many people being hurt!

** I have to ask "How can the US send the Saudi Army into another country"??? Our government does not have that kind of power and with Obama in power they aren't going to try... now if Bush was still in office then I could see them try but not Obama.

[Kez 2,727]

The race should be taken off the calendar for the safety of everyone involved. But there's no way I'll boycott F1 because of their decision to run the race. Bernie Eccleston is an idiot, that's not the drivers fault.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

** I have to ask "How can the US send the Saudi Army into another country"??? Our government does not have that kind of power and with Obama in power they aren't going to try... now if Bush was still in office then I could see them try but not Obama.

I really don't want to bicker over this, but I live in the middle east and expirience those events firsthand. ALL armies, and political parties for that matter, in the middle east are part of either the American or Iranian "project" in the area and take direct orders from them. It is well known that the US has unlimited power in the KSA through the oil companies that practically run the country. Who is living in the whitehouse has little to do with the US's external policies as was proved by Obama's failure to withdaraw the army from Iraq, stop the US's financial and militiral support for Isreal despite the financial crisis, or even close Guantanamo prison as he said he would do.

[Billy. 2,742]

i dont like F1 anyway lol

[TacticalBlues 2,817]

I really don't want to bicker over this, but I live in the middle east and expirience those events firsthand. ALL armies, and political parties for that matter, in the middle east are part of either the American or Iranian "project" in the area and take direct orders from them. It is well known that the US has unlimited power in the KSA through the oil companies that practically run the country. Who is living in the whitehouse has little to do with the US's external policies as was proved by Obama's failure to withdaraw the army from Iraq, stop the US's financial and militiral support for Isreal despite the financial crisis, or even close Guantanamo prison as he said he would do.

Touche, not to mention the extension of the Patriot Act and Obama promising £30 billion to Israel over the next decade with enhanced access to NATO weapons. Obama also forced the Libya war against the will of people (by ignoring Congress.) Jerimiah Wright has talked of him selling out. Their foreign policy has always been criminal. Mossadegh wanted to nationalise petroleum and gets assassinated, Allenda removed in a coup by the CIA apparently committed suicide with many believing it was an assassination. Lumumba's equal vision of a united Congo led to his assassination. The Taliban and Al Qaeda (CIA inventions) were working arm in arm with the US against the Soviets and Osama was a CIA agent not long ago. Obama's just a puppet with AIPAC being a big puppeteer.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

but im confussed how is an f1 event harmful to the ppl of Bahrain. Wouldn't such an event be a shinning light in a dark place. Further wouldn't it by default raise awareness about Bahrain(such as here on this forum for example). I just don't see how this 'emphasises a point that the cooporate world dosen't care about your species'. Like wtf language is that? Your making coorporations sound like an evil robot control machine whos sole purpose is to 'harm' people.

Well has it? No.

People died protesting against the F1. They're not happy about it, why? Because the fact the F1 can be held there, without any hesitation shows that no-one cares about the struggle the civilians are going through in Bahrain. What the F1 cameras didn't show you was a mass protest outside the track, they don't care about a stupid motorsport event, they're fighting for their lives against the government who kills them for asking for a basic election.

The companies who sponsor the F1 teams are guilty of turning a blind eye to the atrociousness in that country and show support of putting up a façade despite all the negatives. The King or whatever coming out with Eccelstone was a horrible image to witness because that shows the FIA is actually sideing with an oppressor.

To put this in context. It's like the FIA allowing a race in South Africa if apartheid was still active and Mandela in prison. And if you don't understand why that's wrong then I can't stress the point any more.

[BluesChick 1,260]

I really don't want to bicker over this, but I live in the middle east and expirience those events firsthand. ALL armies, and political parties for that matter, in the middle east are part of either the American or Iranian "project" in the area and take direct orders from them. It is well known that the US has unlimited power in the KSA through the oil companies that practically run the country. Who is living in the whitehouse has little to do with the US's external policies as was proved by Obama's failure to withdaraw the army from Iraq, stop the US's financial and militiral support for Isreal despite the financial crisis, or even close Guantanamo prison as he said he would do.

You don't offend me, I just wanted clarification on why you said what you said. Our president can only do so much without congress and Obama made promises he couldn't possibly keep and got elected on them. Since our choices are 4 more years of Obama or the clowns the republicans have picked I don't think anything is going to change or get better.

You won't offend me by stating facts or can back up your opinion. What bugs me is when people assume something about all Americans... you can not judge any country's populace by it's government or even the idiotic snippets of a population in the clips that go viral.

BTW, I agree that the race shouldn't have been run and that the US needs to keep it's nose out of the politics of other nations. The US foreign policy has always astounded me and baffled me.

[capriccioso 2,545]

The US foreign policy has always astounded me and baffled me.

Why? As I understand it US foreign policy is pretty simple. They didn't care about the rest of the world outside their direct sphere of influence (being North and to a lesser extent Central and South America) up until Zimmermann's bizarre plan to encourage Mexico to invade the USA in 1917. After that, there was the Red 'threat' in the USSR with US involvement within the Soviet Civil War; World War II which the US again kept their noses out of until Pearl Harbour. By the end of that war the US had a responsibility to lead the capitalist world against the next most powerful country, the USSR.

Post Cold War the US simply don't know how to stop. You can't expect the most powerful country in the world for around 50 years, one which acted unilaterally and spread its influence and military power worldwide during that period, to give up just because there's no one left to fight.

If you accept the premise that as the biggest gun in the world they have the right to do what they want, when they want, to whom they want, then US foreign policy makes complete sense. One could also argue that as 2 generations grew up with the US doing precisely what they wanted; they still expect and want the same to happen, and as they form the bulk of the voters the governments have no choice. That and the incredible fear of 'evil comman-ism' and even the slightest inclination that a country may be left-of-center has said voters up in arms.

\

** I have to ask "How can the US send the Saudi Army into another country"??? Our government does not have that kind of power and with Obama in power they aren't going to try... now if Bush was still in office then I could see them try but not Obama.

I would imagine that some of this is because basically the USA can crush Saudi Arabia like a bug whenever it wants, and/or lasting good relations from extensive trade between the nations. Also, despite the rise of China, the US government is still the most powerful institution in the world. If the Chinese keep growing economically and militarily the title of "The World's unwanted but unstoppable peace keeper" will be up for grabs.

[Fulham Broadway 16,858]

The government dont intervene in Bahrain because they buy loads of weapons from the UK, and some torture equipment from other companies.

One employee from the F1 Williams team boycotted the Bahrain race in the UK before they went and she was promptly sacked on the spot.

She should be nomuinated as Sports Person of the Year

[chelsea blue 615]

Dont think the Americans had anything to do with this, the reason Saudia Arabia sent in troops is because they are Sunni and they were backing the Bahrain governing Royal Family also Sunni while in Bahrain 80% of the people are the Shiite majority and are being ruled by the Sunni government. In other words its religious or friends helping friends which ever way you want to look at it

[BluesChick 1,260]

Why? As I understand it US foreign policy is pretty simple. They didn't care about the rest of the world outside their direct sphere of influence (being North and to a lesser extent Central and South America) up until Zimmermann's bizarre plan to encourage Mexico to invade the USA in 1917. After that, there was the Red 'threat' in the USSR with US involvement within the Soviet Civil War; World War II which the US again kept their noses out of until Pearl Harbour. By the end of that war the US had a responsibility to lead the capitalist world against the next most powerful country, the USSR.

Post Cold War the US simply don't know how to stop. You can't expect the most powerful country in the world for around 50 years, one which acted unilaterally and spread its influence and military power worldwide during that period, to give up just because there's no one left to fight.

If you accept the premise that as the biggest gun in the world they have the right to do what they want, when they want, to whom they want, then US foreign policy makes complete sense. One could also argue that as 2 generations grew up with the US doing precisely what they wanted; they still expect and want the same to happen, and as they form the bulk of the voters the governments have no choice. That and the incredible fear of 'evil comman-ism' and even the slightest inclination that a country may be left-of-center has said voters up in arms.

I would imagine that some of this is because basically the USA can crush Saudi Arabia like a bug whenever it wants, and/or lasting good relations from extensive trade between the nations. Also, despite the rise of China, the US government is still the most powerful institution in the world. If the Chinese keep growing economically and militarily the title of "The World's unwanted but unstoppable peace keeper" will be up for grabs.

Thank you for a history lesson that I didn't need especially from someone who isn't even 1/2 my age. I studied it the entire time I grew up and lived thru the "Cold War" years which you did not. You completely misinterpreted what I meant when I said it baffles me. What baffles me is that they have taken on the roles of "peacekeeper", "bringer of democracy", and "capitalism" whether the help is wanted or not. It alienates the US from other countries and makes the US the "bad guy" in every conflict on the planet whether the involvement is real or perceived. It doesn't matter what the US does, it will offend someone somewhere. To be honest, it gets boring listen to everyone pass the blame on to the US and call the US evil, meddling, etc. and it gets downright offensive frequently.

[Fulham Broadway 16,858]

Thank you for a history lesson that I didn't need especially from someone who isn't even 1/2 my age. I studied it the entire time I grew up and lived thru the "Cold War" years which you did not. You completely misinterpreted what I meant when I said it baffles me. What baffles me is that they have taken on the roles of "peacekeeper", "bringer of democracy", and "capitalism" whether the help is wanted or not. It alienates the US from other countries and makes the US the "bad guy" in every conflict on the planet whether the involvement is real or perceived. It doesn't matter what the US does, it will offend someone somewhere. To be honest, it gets boring listen to everyone pass the blame on to the US and call the US evil, meddling, etc. and it gets downright offensive frequently.

I've been to the US several times and what struck me was the general friendliness of the people there, the openness and tendency to just talk, but there was also the naevity towards the rest of the World -{I remember one girl in LA asking if I knew Mike in Manchester' i kid you not} -which wasnt surprising watching the US corporate medias 'explanation' of global affairs.

Its invariably governments that are puppets of the rich and in the US the Oil, Weapons and Chemical lobby is all powerful, driving imperialism throughout the globe with a huge dollop of influence from AIPAC with greedy shareholders to satisfy.

Anyway I am sure Blues Chick is sick of the perceived US bashing - but its not personal its aimed at governments primarily...