(no subject)
Sep. 16th, 2005 11:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hellisonYour daily update from Riotland! Apparently they're all about to go batshit again, we're sending people home already as there is a mass march coming down to the city centre from the Shankill, to protest about... something or other, god knows I've lost track.
One of the papers has pointed out the irony of protesters demonstrating about not being able to walk the 'queen's highway' when and where they please by blocking just about everyone else from using it. Not to mention taking their cars and burning them.
They've also decided the PSNI are not a legitimate police force and they no longer have their 'consent' to police loyalist areas, which raised 2 questions for me
a. since when did the police need your CONSENT do to their duty? And who are you going to call next time you get burgled/mugged/neighbours have a noisy riot when you're trying to get the kids to sleep?
b. When did you all turn into Sinn Fein? Seriously, you're practically quoting chapter and verse from 80's Adams & co.
It's farcical really. Apart of course for those who get their cars/buses hijacked, can't get to or from work, can't catch a bus cos they're all suspended or can't get to or from the hospitals.
What they don't seem to get is that NO-ONE cares. Really. The vast majority of people here are just trying to get on with things. I went to my usual Pilates class last night; it was as full as ever, as was the rest of the leisure centre. There was even a fun fair going on outside. No-one was hugely traumatised about injustice or the violence inherent in the system or being OMG OPPRESSED by the security forces.
The longer these road protests and riots go on, the more any sympathy people have for them and their grievances (the actual ones of poverty and hopelessness, not the parading/mean cops crap) just drains away.
Anyone I've talked to, from whatever 'side' is just hugely pissed off with the whole thing. There are better ways to protest. So many better ways.
Gnah. I could go on, but I have to get out of here so I have some hope of getting home.
Still, half day friday. Shame I can't actually go anywhere to enjoy it.
One of the papers has pointed out the irony of protesters demonstrating about not being able to walk the 'queen's highway' when and where they please by blocking just about everyone else from using it. Not to mention taking their cars and burning them.
They've also decided the PSNI are not a legitimate police force and they no longer have their 'consent' to police loyalist areas, which raised 2 questions for me
a. since when did the police need your CONSENT do to their duty? And who are you going to call next time you get burgled/mugged/neighbours have a noisy riot when you're trying to get the kids to sleep?
b. When did you all turn into Sinn Fein? Seriously, you're practically quoting chapter and verse from 80's Adams & co.
It's farcical really. Apart of course for those who get their cars/buses hijacked, can't get to or from work, can't catch a bus cos they're all suspended or can't get to or from the hospitals.
What they don't seem to get is that NO-ONE cares. Really. The vast majority of people here are just trying to get on with things. I went to my usual Pilates class last night; it was as full as ever, as was the rest of the leisure centre. There was even a fun fair going on outside. No-one was hugely traumatised about injustice or the violence inherent in the system or being OMG OPPRESSED by the security forces.
The longer these road protests and riots go on, the more any sympathy people have for them and their grievances (the actual ones of poverty and hopelessness, not the parading/mean cops crap) just drains away.
Anyone I've talked to, from whatever 'side' is just hugely pissed off with the whole thing. There are better ways to protest. So many better ways.
Gnah. I could go on, but I have to get out of here so I have some hope of getting home.
Still, half day friday. Shame I can't actually go anywhere to enjoy it.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-09-16 05:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-16 05:38 am (UTC)I've been away the last 3 weekends in a row and I REALLY need to spend some time here ;)