Politics & Stuff

[Liquidator 5,176]

Although I'm shifting towards voting Conservative my local MP (Michael Fallon) is an absolute toolbox who I can in no way support. He opposes same sex marriage, has voted against taxing bankers' bonuses and mansion tax and lied saying that he wants to fight rail fail increases above inflation (he actually voted in favour of raising them above inflation in the commons). He offers no help to anybody who contacts him concerning a local issue. Instead he will just read your letter back to you followed by 'I suggest you consult a lawyer'.

I'll probably vote Lib Dem as they are the second biggest party in my area just to get that twit Fallon out.

[Spike 12,049]

It must be said that immgrants to Australia usually come by shoddy boats. When they are turned away many die. This is the difference. Australia turning away immigrants results in deaths...

[Spike 12,049]

In other news, two Australians have been executed by the Indoenesian government against the will of the Australian government. The relations of the two nations are breaking down rapidly. Barbaric murder.

[Kieran. 6,317]

Police brutality in the United States has reached its boiling point.

[cosmicway 1,333]

Police brutality in the United States has reached its boiling point.

The police ain't brutal unless they have political instructions to be so.

It's unlikely, so it appears the problem is more complex.

[Spike 12,049]

Police brutality in the United States has reached its boiling point.

Yeah, it's pretty messed up how many people die; regardless or ethnicity, creed or religion. I don't agree with rioting however, it's a disgrace that people return terrible acts in kind. What does rioting achieve? If anything it makes the police more hostile and distrusting of the general public. If I were a cop; a good cop, not corrupt or violent in anyway I'd be very worried about my own wellbeing as well as my family because of the career I chose. Many police officers work hard and give their lives to make the world a fair and safer place to be, I think it's unjust that so many have to carry the stigma of 'corruption' and 'violence' because some ( too many) police are.

Do some of the rioters want to instigate change? Yes, I suppose but it worries that more than enough of the rioters are heartless oppurtunists that are just using someone's death as a scapegoat and justification to loot and tear up the place.

[Kieran. 6,317]

Rioting is the language of the unheard - MLK

[Spike 12,049]

Just because MLK said something doesn't mean it is true, he was only a man and his words aren't divine mandate. Great things have been achieved peacefully and I believe rioting is the wrong way to achieve what you desire.

[Spike 12,049]

98 police officers injured, 2 people shot. One fire victim in critical condition. Is this the price to pay for change?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Police brutality in the United States has reached its boiling point.

They would rather turn an entire city into a fucking war zone and attempt to turn it into a police state rather than hold a cop responsible for the murder of a man for being black. Think about that for a moment....

Yeah, it's pretty messed up how many people die; regardless or ethnicity, creed or religion. I don't agree with rioting however, it's a disgrace that people return terrible acts in kind. What does rioting achieve? If anything it makes the police more hostile and distrusting of the general public. If I were a cop; a good cop, not corrupt or violent in anyway I'd be very worried about my own wellbeing as well as my family because of the career I chose. Many police officers work hard and give their lives to make the world a fair and safer place to be, I think it's unjust that so many have to carry the stigma of 'corruption' and 'violence' because some ( too many) police are.

Do some of the rioters want to instigate change? Yes, I suppose but it worries that more than enough of the rioters are heartless oppurtunists that are just using someone's death as a scapegoat and justification to loot and tear up the place.

The looting and violence are momentary. Racism in the US and the civil rights of minorities, on the other hand, is central issue has not been addressed properly for over 4 centuries.

Rioting is the ONLY way to get civil rights and making change has been historically.

98 police officers injured, 2 people shot. One fire victim in critical condition. Is this the price to pay for change?

That's actually a VERY minimal price it it makes actual change. Which is won't, but it's an important step in the right direction. Change costs A LOT. Even attempts at change can devastating. You think the French revolution was peaceful?

Ordinary people are usually powerless in our societies. When they attempt to take some of the power back, there is almost always violence because those who monopolize the power will always fight back.

Power to the people.

[Spike 12,049]

They would rather turn an entire city into a fucking war zone and attempt to turn it into a police state rather than hold a cop responsible for the murder of a man for being black. Think about that for a moment....

The looting and violence are momentary. Racism in the US and the civil rights of minorities, on the other hand, is central issue has not been addressed properly for over 4 centuries.

Rioting is the ONLY way to get civil rights and making change has been historically.

That's actually a VERY minimal price it it makes actual change. Which is won't, but it's an important step in the right direction. Change costs A LOT. Even attempts at change can devastating. You think the French revolution was peaceful?

Ordinary people are usually powerless in our societies. When they attempt to take some of the power back, there is almost always violence because those who monopolize the power will always fight back.

Power to the people.

The French Revolution was over 200 years ago. To bring this into discussion would be imply that humans haven't changed nor has society in that given time. What about the Indian Independance Struggle? That was peaceful, that changed more than this riot ever will.

You think that injury and violence is an okay way to force change? I do not believe so. That is an inherently sad way to view life. Of the 98 police officers injured how many actually deserved it? To say that they did in any way means you are okay with violence and for me that is not okay.

La haine attire la haine

[Spike 12,049]

People cry out agianst the death penalty yet are okay with rioting? Both are attempts to instigate change using violence. In the case of riots sometimes people do die and people do suffer.

Two Australians dead in an attempt to change and stop drug trafficking. Will it change anything? No, but no two people are dead.

A man has died in police custody. Many people injured, lively hoods ruined, property stolen and damaged. Will it change anyhting? No, now there is chaos and everything has become worse in the city of Baltimore.

Enquiries should be made into the police force by the federal government. Corruption should be stamped out, those responsible should be punished. But now justice and progression is hindered because people are burning shit.

[Kieran. 6,317]

It isn't just about Freddie Grey, it's a history of slavery, then segregation and now police brutality, there's a point where some people just burst and I can't blame them. I've never experienced what they have so how can i tell them not to riot? Everything they try, the media spins them into "thugs" and after a certain point, windows will be smashed.

I get why people are upset over that, (and this is not distracted at you Spike) but many people in my country are more concerned with broken glass than a man whose throat was smashed and his spine severed in three places while in police custody. There's just something not right about that.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

The French Revolution was over 200 years ago. To bring this into discussion would be imply that humans haven't changed nor has society in that given time. What about the Indian Independance Struggle? That was peaceful, that changed more than this riot ever will.

You think that injury and violence is an okay way to force change? I do not believe so. That is an inherently sad way to view life. Of the 98 police officers injured how many actually deserved it? To say that they did in any way means you are okay with violence and for me that is not okay.

La haine attire la haine

The methods have not changed since the French revolutions. Think of all the major uprising in recent history: Civil rights movement in the US, the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa, Women's rights movements around the world, Iran Islamic revolution...etc. Here is an article a quick google search comes up with on the important role that violent rebellion prior to 1940 played in India's independence: https://kurukshetra1.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/no-non-violence-didnt-free-india-from-the-british-empire/

The Indian independence is only the least violent, but as far as uprisings go, this one right now pretty peaceful. Violent uprisings would be like the ones in Lybia, Yemen, Syria...etc. and I mean even before the foreign interventions.

No, I don't think it's okay that people are getting hurt, but I realize that is a necessity for uprisings. I don't need to condone something to understand it. It does not make it right and the people doing it should be punished. But this sudden violence is not even comparable to regular violence that you have become accustomed to. Again, if people are given their rights there would be no violence and this violence is only momentary while rights abuses and racism have been ever present.

[Spike 12,049]

I just don't think it helps in the long run. If police are racist and this is causing brutality why would the riots make them any less racist? In fact I'd see the cops becoming more aggressive, and more violent because now they have an even larger chip on their shoulder due to retaliation. What if one day while patrolling the streets a pair of officers recognise a man from the riots, a man that was rioting an injured one of their friends. What do you think the police would do? I wouldn't be surprised if they took that young man (who only wanted change) and beat the fuck out of him and maybe even kill him.

I honestly don't think riots will make things change for the better, they can only exasperate what is already broken. I can empathise what has happened to a lot of black Americans (I don't know if that term is racist or not as I've met a lot of 'African Americans' that hate being called African because they don't associate with African culture or nations) throughout history, I can't understand what it's like to be in their shoes but I hope that as a community they can rally together and make change that doesn't rely on hitting back and causing more suffering.