Protests...enough is enough

S

shesells

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Apologies, this is a mostly Dublin centric rant but I've been pushed over the edge!

I'm an average citizen, with bills that only go up and income that's gone down and down for the past 5 years or so. Austerity hurts. But I was always taught to put your head down and work through it as best you can. It isn't easy but I've kept going.

I know there are sections of society that feel hard done by, some truly are, some are perpetual moaners/protesters/troublemakers...yes Eirigi I'm looking at you!

All year it's been protest after protest. Disturbance, delay and inconvenience on at least a weekly basis. Today's protests in Dublin have pushed me over the edge to the point of almost wishing the right to protest was rescinded. The traffic chaos in Dublin all day, caused by a few hundred, must have affected hundreds of thousands. It took me 40 mins longer than normal to get home this evening, I was late back from lunch today because some of the streets had been closed off by the Gardai.

I did nothing to cause the recession, to break the banks, like most I'm in negative equity of scary proportions. Protestors, please stop making me suffer ever more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I can understand how you would be frustrated, but think how many thousands of people would love to say they were late back from lunch!....count your blessings
 
Blocking O'Connell bridge gets nobody a job, sends nobody to prison and does not stop banks being bailed out though. If anything it puts jobs at risk, ask any of the nearby businesses how they did today, or the cafes around Molesworth Street that was blocked off all day.

Protests like this achieve nothing in this country. I almost feel the need to organise an anti-protest protest!
 
I would have some sympathy if it was ordinary people protesting. But it wasn't. While there were a few genuine people their who wanted their voices heard, they were vastly outnumbered by scumbags who have never contributed anything to society and just wanted to cause trouble. I did enjoy seeing Sinn Fein getting abused though!
 
I have to say that in my heart I actually supported the protestors. If we all sit around and take it too peacefully then we will be walked all over. Throughout the year I have made savings by switching my various car and house and health insurances and playing one off against the other. I shop in all of the supermarkets to make savings on the various "specials" available. I grow my own vegetables. If I need to fly with Ryanair I wait and wait until the price comes to me. I shop around for the cheapest petrol. I use coupons et etc etc. All in all I make savings of about €700 per annum. Then comes along Property Tax and everything I have saved is wiped out in one go.
Enda Kenny and the boys have had it easy up to this. The only thing that they have done is raise taxes and cut services and slagged off Fianna Fail. Enda spends his time hiding away and only comes out with his prepared speeches. No open debates for him.
I think that protests are a good thing.
 
shesells said:
Blocking O'Connell bridge gets nobody a job, sends nobody to prison and does not stop banks being bailed out though. If anything it puts jobs at risk, ask any of the nearby businesses how they did today, or the cafes around Molesworth Street that was blocked off all day.

Protests like this achieve nothing in this country. I almost feel the need to organise an anti-protest protest!
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I totally disagree. Protesting will be the only way to make this Government sit up and take notice. Yes there were a number of anarchists in the mix but there were plenty of "enough is enough" people as well.
There are enough policemen out there to re-direct traffic as needs be. I'm sure a few of them will find being outside in the fresh air a new experience.
 
Get real! It's more likely to see anti protest laws introduced than change anything.
 
Odea said:
I totally disagree. Protesting will be the only way to make this Government sit up and take notice. Yes there were a number of anarchists in the mix but there were plenty of "enough is enough" people as well.
There are enough policemen out there to re-direct traffic as needs be. I'm sure a few of them will find being outside in the fresh air a new experience.
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Indeed. Luas trams are easy to redirect when people are sitting on tracks. What were those people protesting against? Was Enda on the Tram?
 
Odea said:
I totally disagree. Protesting will be the only way to make this Government sit up and take notice. Yes there were a number of anarchists in the mix but there were plenty of "enough is enough" people as well.
There are enough policemen out there to re-direct traffic as needs be. I'm sure a few of them will find being outside in the fresh air a new experience.
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I see a 747 bus stuck on Westmoreland St in 1 of the pics on Journal.ie heading for the airport...I'm sure the people on board that who missed their flights share your grand opinions.

Why did'nt the gardai wade into them with batons within 1 minute of them sitting down on a public road. Protest all you want outside the Dail but not on O'Connell bridge at rush hour. Publicity seeking professional protestors who probably don't get much fresh air either
 
Delboy said:
I see a 747 bus stuck on Westmoreland St in 1 of the pics on Journal.ie heading for the airport...I'm sure the people on board that who missed their flights share your grand opinions.
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Is that not the whole point of protests? To cause a bit of disruption and get people to take notice. Unfortunately you have to break a few eggs to make your point. The recent publicity about the Priory Hall apartments made the government get off their backside and make a commitment to do something about them.

We have tried the peaceful stuff. I think that we need to turn the screw a bit more to get the boys away from the Dail bar.
 
Laramie said:
Is that not the whole point of protests? To cause a bit of disruption and get people to take notice. Unfortunately you have to break a few eggs to make your point. The recent publicity about the Priory Hall apartments made the government get off their backside and make a commitment to do something about them.

We have tried the peaceful stuff. I think that we need to turn the screw a bit more to get the boys away from the Dail bar.
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Make your point to whom? What politician gave a damn about a protests on O'Connell Street while they sitting in the Dail?

The only people that noticed yesterday were tourists and people trying to go about their business or get home to their families. The right to protest is an important civil liberty but it was abused last night by a bunch of scum bags. They could have organised a protest march properly and gave notice instead of closing down streets during rush hour.

The recent publicity about priory hall was brought about by the suicide of a young man and the bravery of his wife. Had nothing in common with last nights display.
 
Garda were absolutely useless yesterday, couldn't keep Kildare Street open to traffic when there were only 50 protesters there.

It was all Éirigí and other assorted mongrel "republicans" causing chaos on O'Connell Street. No solutions proposed just the usual rubbish, how many of those Eirigi supporters (who deny the State's right to exist) are claiming social welfare and only getting up in the afternoon which was when the numbers protesting increased?
 
the problem with protest in this country is that we just don't do it properly, small protests are for the most part usless. you need massive protests across the whole country that leaves the government in constant fear of what the people will next!
instead the people live in fear of what the government will do next...
 
Protests are useless. The only protest that matters is the ballot box if you want politicians to listen. Instead of taking to the streets, there should be lines of people outside every single TD's office looking to meet them. They should be inundated with letters explaining how angry people are and demanding change. Why close down Dublin City Centre and cause more hardship on businesses trying to survive and people trying to get home ? That achieved nothing but negative stories about the march. Very little about what they were protesting about. The ordinary people there last night allowed themselves to be hijacked by nut jobs looking for publicity.
 
Laramie said:
Is that not the whole point of protests? To cause a bit of disruption and get people to take notice. Unfortunately you have to break a few eggs to make your point. The recent publicity about the Priory Hall apartments made the government get off their backside and make a commitment to do something about them.

We have tried the peaceful stuff. I think that we need to turn the screw a bit more to get the boys away from the Dail bar.
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I trust you'll be so understanding in future whether at home or abroad if you miss a flight due to protests.
My OH was caught on a bus in town yesterday eve night as a result of this with our 2 kids. For nearly 2 hours, 4 times longer than normal. Kids were wrecked when they got home.

Dropouts and dossers most of them, that have added as much benefit to this country as any of the crooked politicians or inept bankers and PS's that they protest about
 
Sunny said:
Protests are useless. The only protest that matters is the ballot box if you want politicians to listen.
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Are you serious? We voted in Fine Gael and Labour on their promises made but not kept as soon as they got in to power. Then they get away with all their perks/pensions and high salaries for 5 years. I see that they are already scrambling for their bigger jobs in Europe.
Targeted protests with maximum publicity will work.
 
blueband said:
the problem with protest in this country is that we just don't do it properly, small protests are for the most part usless. you need massive protests across the whole country that leaves the government in constant fear of what the people will next!
instead the people live in fear of what the government will do next...
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Very good post. Unless we stand up and protest no change will take place. Local communities can protest outside their hospitals, roads, schools etc if that is where their problem lies, and also target their local politicians.
On a national scale we need to get out in our thousands with the Gardai redirecting traffic as needs be.
Instead of sitting on the Luas maybe get off and join the protest instead of leaving others to do it.
 
ParkLane said:
Are you serious? We voted in Fine Gael and Labour on their promises made but not kept as soon as they got in to power. Then they get away with all their perks/pensions and high salaries for 5 years. I see that they are already scrambling for their bigger jobs in Europe.
Targeted protests with maximum publicity will work.
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Politicians didn't keep per election promises?? Don't know about anyone else but I am shocked. We should set up an inquiry.

Targeted protests at what? Commuters? Sinn Fein book shops? That's really going to work alright.
 
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