Headlines Protesting and the Democratic Process

[Yeah...Right]

Today I saw an article in the paper that asked people to protest the war in Iraq by holding a demonstration in front of the Air Force Academy. I'm all for freedom of speech, but how stupid. Oh, it's not the message I think is stupid. It's the location. Protesting in front of a base is like talking to your neighbor's car when they're being too loud. It doesn't matter how loud you yell, it won't change a thing. The military doesn't make the decisions on where it will be sent, the government does. If you have problems with the decisions being made, talk to the ones making them. Congressman Joel Hefley represents Colorado Springs in the House of Representatives. Representatives. Root = represent. As in, they represent your voice. Please, if you were thinking of joining one of these protests, save the time you would have wasted by reading a book on the democratic process, and quit making useless gestures that waste my time in traffic and my newspaper space.

 

[screw_you_jack]

HAHA, i had a few freinds that were in that protest.... i laughed at them....
so, inaction is better your saying? Read, educate yourself, bitch about how the government sucks, and how no one person can make any difference.... Blah,blah,blah. I think protesting is dumb and a waste of time, but it's not like you have any answers

 

[WTFNation]

Protesting

Today I saw an article in the paper that asked people to protest the war in Iraq by holding a demonstration in front of the Air Force Academy. I'm all for freedom of speech, but how stupid. Oh, it's not the message I think is stupid. It's the location. Protesting in front of a base is like talking to your neighbor's car when they're being too loud. It doesn't matter how loud you yell, it won't change a thing. The military doesn't make the decisions on where it will be sent, the government does. If you have problems with the decisions being made, talk to the ones making them. Congressman Joel Hefley represents Colorado Springs in the House of Representatives. Representatives. Root = represent. As in, they represent your voice. Please, if you were thinking of joining one of these protests, save the time you would have wasted by reading a book on the democratic process, and quit making useless gestures that waste my time in traffic and my newspaper space.

Good Point. But is it really going to work anyways? I mean, the US Gov't has already made up their mind. I think the Hippies and young people that protested the war in Vietnam learned that it doesn't matter how hard you try to protest against something; once the government has made up its mind that something is right, it doesn't matter if the majority of the population thinks it's wrong. I don't know the exact stats as to what % of the population is against Iraq or was against Vietnam, but that's not the point. The point is that if protest doesn't work, how does democracy work in the States? Isn't your model of government supposed to take away power from the government and give it to the people?

 

[Yeah...Right]

I don't know the exact stats as to what % of the population is against Iraq or was against Vietnam, but that's not the point. The point is that if protest doesn't work, how does democracy work in the States? Isn't your model of government supposed to take away power from the government and give it to the people?

I think that is exactly the point. Because of the large number of people in the US or any country for that matter, a government has to be made up of a select group. It is how you select that group and how the power to make decsicons is spread that determines what type of government you have. the whole point of the US democracy is that the government is elected by the people. Protesting can work. The people who work in government know that they represent you, and they listen to the people they represent. The problem is that no one's talking. Less than fifty percent of the people in the US that can vote actually do. If they can't take the time to vote, they probably aren't taking the time to talk to their representatives in government about how they feel. And even if they do, sometimes it still doesn't work. It's not just about who shouts the loudest. It's also about who gives the most votes. The reason most protests aren't heard is because the public is either split down the middle, or the public just doesn't care enough to take action. The problem with the US isn't its government. The problem is the people who do nothing and then complain that nothing is being done.

 

[G.I. JET]

^ EXACTLY

 

[anti-movielife]

The problem with the US isn't its government. The problem is the people who do nothing and then complain that nothing is being done.

or maybe its the politicians who go into politics to serve their own interests rather than the people...people in politics aren't dumb(well not including bush)...politicians know what the problems are and if they spent ten minutes thinking about it they can solve problems like unemployment, crime, blah and blah, but they're too busy scratching each others backs and getting "fundraising" checks from special interest groups to care...people DO care about the system, now more than ever, but the ordinary person cares more about getting food on the table and a roof above their heads, and if they have those they're happy and complacent...

 

[Invalid]

This thread reminds me of that congressman in Vice city -- Alex shrub was it? One of Nebraska's representatives(where I live...) suggested and support the draft, WHAT the FUCK is that about. NO fucking way we would support that shit. I'm not voting for that mother fucker next elections, his term is fucking over.

 

[Yeah...Right]

...people DO care about the system, now more than ever, but the ordinary person cares more about getting food on the table and a roof above their heads, and if they have those they're happy and complacent...

If you don't care enough to take action, and you let yourself become complacent, then how much do you really care? Think about it, people don't care enough to take five minutes to write a letter or an e-mail. Come on. Most people spend more time surfing the internet for time wasters. Real important

 

[anti-movielife]

!

If you don't care enough to take action, and you let yourself become complacent, then how much do you really care?

how much does the average person care about issues like foreign policy, thats whats really the driving force right now in american politics..when issues dont involve people on a personal level they wont feel their vote makes a difference. an average person, i think, wont vote unless there is something personal at stake...factory closures, tax hikes etc...

the governments responsiblilty is to make the best decisions for the people they govern, and what i'm saying is a self serving government wont serve the people...and thats what the U.S. has now

 

[Yeah...Right]

But if people didn't care about foreign politics why then would there be so much news coverage on it? Why would there be protests over it?

 

[anti-movielife]

i guess that's we'll find out in november...

i remember seeing a statistic after the election in 2000...in a poll of people who DIDN"T vote that year, i dont remember exactly but something over 70% said they would of voted for gore...and the issues now are a hell of a lot different than the ones since 9/11....