Why are the Irish so uninterested in protesting, and would it do any good?

[gnasher]

Im not even going to argue with you.

Ive simply reported your post. Im sick of your constant trolling. Im actually concerned you have some sexual desire for me as you seem to be stalking my threads and posts. Your either very sick or simply very sad, I can decide which.

If you can't distinguish a person's complete contempt for you from sexual desire, I'd say you've had a disappointing life.

[Bi ciuin]

If you can't distinguish a person's complete contempt for you from sexual desire, I'd say you've had a disappointing life.

Gnasher I couldn't give 2 shi ts about you, I think your just one sad fuk with a strange fantasy about me. Do us all a favour and go jerk off to something else.

Clearly you want me, otherwise why else would 80% of your posts appear to be harassing me or the person you think I am? Now that is either sad of some sort of sexual fantasy. Which is it?

[shiel]

Just watching the 9 o'clock news here. A couple of seconds airtime was given to people protesting outside the Dail about the budget. "a small but colourful protest" was how they described it. This budget is brutal. Fair play to those who went out. Now a few questions, id really like to hear everybodies view.

Why don't more of us do it? Dublin too far, weather too cold?? Something ingrained in our psyches?
Would it do any good? Violent v non violent

Thanks

nothing wrong with protesting. its just 10 years or so too late. the damage is done.

[Nemesiscorporation]

I think this is the reason most people don't protest. It is rarely admitted, either by the establishment or the so called rebels of the ULA, SF etc. but let's face it, many of the interests of people are in conflict. Public sector vs. private, wealthy vs. poor, rural vs. urban etc. Protestors are generally led by the Unions and associated which alienates the private sector, rural and those who want to pay less tax.

Something that could bring people together could be opposition to the general mismanagement of the country under nearly a century of FF/FG. Such a protest would have to stay unbranded and free of ideological fragments. In fact, such a strategy has been used to devastating effect by the Occupy Wall Street movement. An Irish version would have to steer clear of single issues like Palestine and turf cutting to focus on the real problem; our useless system of governance.

Someone with genuine leadership qualities and PR firepower and who was willing to put their pet causes on a back burner could potentially mobilise support across Irish society to send the message that the civil war clubs have failed the people again and again and that radical change is needed to bring Ireland into the 21st century.

A very sensible comment with sensible observations.

[Braka Light]

A very sensible comment with sensible observations.

I agree, however most protest leaders cannot see beyond their own bloated egos. I feel that it would be extremely difficult to stay dedicated to the one cause with so many other groups comprising yours competing for your favor as it were.

[LouBystander]

I think this is the reason most people don't protest. It is rarely admitted, either by the establishment or the so called rebels of the ULA, SF etc. but let's face it, many of the interests of people are in conflict. Public sector vs. private, wealthy vs. poor, rural vs. urban etc. Protestors are generally led by the Unions and associated which alienates the private sector, rural and those who want to pay less tax.

Something that could bring people together could be opposition to the general mismanagement of the country under nearly a century of FF/FG. Such a protest would have to stay unbranded and free of ideological fragments. In fact, such a strategy has been used to devastating effect by the Occupy Wall Street movement. An Irish version would have to steer clear of single issues like Palestine and turf cutting to focus on the real problem; our useless system of governance.

Someone with genuine leadership qualities and PR firepower and who was willing to put their pet causes on a back burner could potentially mobilise support across Irish society to send the message that the civil war clubs have failed the people again and again and that radical change is needed to bring Ireland into the 21st century.

Raketemensch

I agree with a lot of what you say but one of the most difficult problems, in effect, is that anyone with ideas will find it very dificult to get their voice heard. Firstly, as you say, everyone is looking after their own interests, and the political parties are very aware of this and use it to their advantage. Secondly, the media outlets like the status quo.

In essence, despite the appearance of democracy, everything is controlled and any real change would have to be a revolution, and this won't be allowed. I have tried to promote a new web site, about a serious investigation of democracy, and have found it impossible, absolutely impossible, to get the link mentioned anywhere. (in passing the web site is for each and every IrishCitizen to read on this Irish (ie) web site - I am not allowed put a link here! In this democracy there are many outlets where one can complain about small matters, but there is no real method of speaking out against the big problems - the political system itself.

As regards the Occupy Wall Street movement, I would consider that it has failed miserably exactly because it has no defined aims, other than 'we want change' (that's what the majority of US citizens wanted, and thought they were going to get, when they voted for Obama - what a great disappointment).

[Crazy horse 6]

People won't protest as they don't care about anyone but themself. "I'm alright Jack" society. Zero community spirit. There would be a huge protest if RTE did'nt have the rights to show this years soccer tournament or X Factor was banned from TV here but yet the elites can ass rape the nation and it's most needy and people just sit by and do squat. Shameful.

[shiel]

A very sensible comment with sensible observations.

It is not sensible. It is utopian.

Politics is about the clash of different interests.

Democracy tries to solve these clashes by peaceful means.

You can get rid of everyone in the Dail in the morning and elect a totally different Dail. The issues will remain the same. The new crowd will get as corrupt as the old crowd if they are left there long enough.

We are bankrupt.

The reason we are bankrupt is that we left one group of people in power too long. Most of the media were licking their boots. Being human they became arrogant, reckless and corrupt.

If you left another group in power for that long it would not be much different.

The time for having a go was ten or more years ago when the decisions were being made which bankrupt the country.

Now the holes in the wall are being kept open by the effing ECB.

[SilverLining]

People won't protest as they don't care about anyone but themself. "I'm alright Jack" society. Zero community spirit. There would be a huge protest if RTE did'nt have the rights to show this years soccer tournament or X Factor was banned from TV here but yet the elites can ass rape the nation and it's most needy and people just sit by and do squat. Shameful.

What do you expect given how things are in this corrupt pillaged little island ? The right wing establishment elites are aided and abetted by right wing parties who most seem to be fooled into voting for together with a heavily biased media. If there was any meaningful large protest it would be met with much heavy handed police violence and the participants would be branded as criminals somehow. The establishment uses our fears to rule us and are succeeding as nobody wants to change anything about this charade of a democracy.

[shiel]

What do you expect given how things are in this corrupt pillaged little island ? The right wing establishment elites are aided and abetted by right wing parties who most seem to be fooled into voting for together with a heavily biased media. If there was any meaningful large protest it would be met with much heavy handed police violence and the participants would be branded as criminals somehow. The establishment uses our fears to rule us and are succeeding as nobody wants to change anything about this charade of a democracy.

This society is no more corrupt as any other. The support for conservative politics goes back to the land acts which made a large section of the population small property owners.

The land acts did not apply in Gt. Britain.

I blame the media more than the politicians.

The media did not hold the most powerful citizens at the head of the most influential institutions of government, finance and ecclesiastic to account.