"Protesting"? What's your view.

[cee-dee]

We've all seen "Protesters" at many sites of construction and civil engineering over time and the latest to hit the news is at the drilling ste in Sussex.

The "protesters" have also forced their way in to a company HQ in Staffordshire and some "protesters" have glued themselves to the company's PR HQ in London.

"Protesting" or "demonstrating" is one thing but when it comes to a mob taking what they call "Direct Action", I think it's gone beyond a simple "protest"?

It seems to me that the same old "activists" want to whip up "support" from any source they can and are hell-bent on causing trouble having gone beyond "civil disobedence"?

It's rare that such "protests" actually achieve anything other than wasting a great deal of police time costing a fortune in so doing and causing much inconvenience along the way.

A Public Order Act notice doesn't seem very effective because after being served with such a notice, the "protesters" see it as a reason to resist any attempts by the police to either move them on or shift them and think it's all jolly good fun to be arrested knowing they'll probably be either completely "let off" or get a small fine.

Mostly, these "protests" are against legitimate and legal operations which have been either authorised by local planning, by Government Licence or even an Act of Parliament.

Leaving aside the merits or otherwise of whatever the "protesters" are "protesting" about, what's your view about such things and what would you like done if such a "protest" hit your neck of the woods?

[cee-dee]

Protest and opposition is fine, no problem, what is the problem is the way the anti-everything brigade think that such "protest" means they can cause costly disruption and criminal damage and incite others to either join in or do their dirty work for them.

We saw all the protests over road schemes and people encamped up trees and down in tunnels but the schemes still went ahead and got completed. Before long, if the HS rail scheme goes ahead, no doubt we'll see the same old people at it again. If they "protested" properly before the scheme goes ahead, they might have a better chance of success.

I don't think Tony Benn advocated "direct action" but he demonstrated and protested properly.

[cee-dee]

As the thread was about protesting (not why people were protesting), here's a news item about protesters taking "direct action":-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-23861098

[upthecreekyetagain]

Ironic that on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech that anyone could claim that direct action and mass protest never achieves anything!

[confusedjohn]

I strongly agree with 'peaceful' protests just as long as it doesn't include violence of any sort.  How else are we to let the Govt know how strongly we feel about things going around us that we feel will either interupt or destroy our way of life.

[cee-dee]

Going off my original topic for a moment.....

The first UK onshore oil wells started around the time of the first world war. During the second world war, onshore oil wells provided fuel for some of the D-Day vehicles. Some onshore wells have been producing oil for 60 years.

Planning permission was granted for oil exploration (which is what they're doing in Balcombe) in West Sussex in 2008. (Who was "in power" then???).

Drilling for oil doesn't mean they're looking for oil immediately below the drill site. The old American wells were of that ilk causing the landscape to be covered in dericks. Today, they're able to drill "sideways" from the drill site following the oil-bearing strata so that a single site can extract oil (and/or gas) from a greater distance.

It seems that any mention of oil exploration these days brings up the issue of fracking, even when no fracking is being considered or likely?

[talkdawalk]

hi just want to say  that maybe you need to understand the gravity of what this company wants to do.  secondly the voice of the poeple

is what life is all about. -or we would be alike to a puppet. just think before we engage our tongue!

[talkdawalk]

then  you have no say "shut up".  its works bothways i'm affraid .

[talkdawalk]

its not important to spell  correctly but it is important to care don't be ignorant, be proud!

[cee-dee]

Well well:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-23961621

[joe_bloggs*]

A lot of people are using their own personal blogs to protest,

http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2013/sep/headteacher-reports-teen-blogger-who-criticised-school...

It would seem the message being given to the younger generation is  that it is wrong to think critically and voice opposition to those in power,which surely is the bedrock of any democracy

[cee-dee]

A full read of the content of the link will reveal that what the boy concerned was doing went way beyond critical thought and opposition to "those in power".

There are ways to express criticism which don't involve the use foul language and/or promoting anarchial views with incitement for "direct action" and what that boy was doing was typical of the current abuse of the freedoms given by current and previous members of "those in power".

As things stand at the moment, people can take to the web in one form or another and abuse others from the comfort of a keyboard and monitor screen. Had they done the same thing using the same language to promote their narrow, distorted viewpoint in a face-to-face meeting with those abused and all their peers, they would have been simply ejected and silenced at least.

[joe_bloggs*]

Some interesting readers comments after the article:

"This student has grown up with the freedom, confidence and eloquence to question and challenge the status quo. The whole school should be proud to have nurtured that and accept criticisms that may help the school develop in the future. Instead, the Headteacher's narrow-minded, reactionary attitude is really depressing. I'm a retired teacher myself and would be so ashamed to have ever done such a thing myself."

"Surely Anarchism, as a political ideology, is as valid an opinion to have as any other political ideology?

Who are they to try and stifle free thought?

Censorship and oppression of opinion... this head teacher should be heavily sanctioned for his attempt to ruin this young man's future on the basis of not agreeing with his politics."

"No matter what the beliefs of someone are, they constitute no grounds to expell them from any educational institution; even if you are utterly ignorant as this headteacher seems to be about what anarchism and extremism mean. Second, what this blog exposed should be taken seriously by the school as an indication of what is going wrong, rather that trying to censor it in such a clumsy and heavy-handed way."

"you can be expelled for "mad ideas and ranting" ? Seriously? This headteacher clearly finds pupils who can think for themselves and have their own opinions a threat.
It seems the pupils may be more mature than the headteacher who clearly can't take criticism. Scary stuff."

If we want to live in a democracy we need to nuture and encourage these young people to question more,these people are making the time and effort  to engage the institutions which affect their lives,only for the authority figures to try and silence them,report them to the police or threaten their future prospects,sound very fascist like and dictitorial to me

We really should feel hopeful for the future that more young people are becoming active in protest and in direct action to hold power to account because lets face it,they won't listen to anything else

[cee-dee]

I read all the comments and it seems pretty clear the underachievers are blaming everyone but themselves.

Those promoting anarchy don't seem to understand what it means and if you gathered them all together to "discuss" what anarchy meant, it wouldn't be long before the abuse and insults started flying after which the fists would be next!

The ideological anarchist state could not possibly exist because it would depend on everyone agreeing to live by an agreed set of rules. That's about as likely as finding a snowball on the Sun.

As to what anarchy means, it depends on "who you are". If you're of the ilk that seeks the complete breakdown of the existing rule of Law enforced by the existing State, there's never any explanation of what comes after or what would be done with those who don't agree.

I wonder if the writer was one of those who was constantly disrupting classes, was always the fool who was just messing about, refusing to do as he was told and sulkily mooching around instead of concentrating on what he was supposed to be doing = learning properly?

At school, we were taught how to debate. We learned how to put forward alternative thinking and not to be afraid of arguing a point during such discussions. We also learned what was meant by "There's a time and place" and "There's ways to, and ways not".

Some of those people would do well to follow those principles.

[joe_bloggs*]

Would be good to see some investigation of the  lad's claims about school administration as well,certainly looks like he hit a nerve

Mr Szemalikowski added: “I must do something. In the last year he has become more and more enchanted by anti-establishment ways of thinking and has even said that there is an inherent risk that every government is corrupt.

"I phoned Glasgow to warn them what sort of person they were dealing with, to advise them that this person thinks thoughts like these, and they could then make an informed decision. I am duty bound to do that."

He 'thinks thoughts like these! He's clearly not right in the head this bloke. Should be sacked for trying to sabotage the lads future like that, he should never have been given the job if he's so completely unhinged and so ill-equipped to deal with perfectly normal and hamrless teenager behaviour. Probably worthwhile this lad sticking a claim in,human rights or something like that

All well in saying "There's a time and place" and "There's ways to, and ways not".in other words do nothing,unless its in their time and in their place,Times are changing people are now starting to set the agenda,thats true democracy and long may it flourish

[cee-dee]

"There's a time and place" and "There's ways to, and ways not" is all about good manners, being polite and respectful.

It's clear that many have no manners, are most impolite and show respect to no-one.

[joe_bloggs*]

"I read all the comments and it seems pretty clear the underachievers are blaming everyone but themselves"

By "underachievers" what you really mean is people with opposed views to your own,i,m not sure how you work out that they're underachievers is it bad spelling or grammar?

[cee-dee]

Some were complaining about their achievements or rather, the lack of them.

The poor spelling and grammar are just another part of it and may have contributed to their poor grades?

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

The head seems pretty blinkered to me.  Has he looked at the issues, however raised, and sought to resolve these?  Nope. 

Anyone who has worked in a school will know just how difficult it can be to get management teams to act on issues.

If that teen sees anarchy as the most effective way forward, what brought him to that point? 

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

The head was horrified by the expression of the thought that every government may be inherently corrupt. 

Hmm, he probably missed the news coverage of the MP expenses' scandal, the honours for donations row, etc, etc.  Corruption exists on many levels.  It doesn't have to involve Russian oligarchys and the like.

Thanks for the link to the article, Joe.

[cee-dee]

For us to comment fully on both points you raised we'd have to know a lot more than the one-sided report and blogs have put out?

The writer (of the blog) is at a crossroads in life, halfway between a schoolboy and an adult and may well be one of those who wants his own way, resents any "authority" or being told what to do.

The Head? He may well be frustrated by the school being full of similar types. It might be a good time for him to move on before he goes over the top somehow?