A riot:
A riot:
A riot:
Not a riot:
Still not a riot:
Still not a riot:
You decide:
If someone can point me to the bit in the footage that shows “violence”, that’d be great. Also if the Opposition could advise whether they’d referred any actual “crimes” to the Police, while they’re beating it up – that’d be enormously helpful in not concluding that they are shameless liars.
Moved On 
Don’t you know Jeremy: Angry people = riot = an excuse not to do anything about what made the people angry in the first place. Unless the angry people are Coalition voters of course.
There was one piece of violence shown in the ABC news stories. A guy was getting in the face of a copper, completely non-violently but clearly quite forthright, and the copper pushes the guy, then swings back and punches him square in the face. But I suppose “Police riot injured peaceful protesters” wasn’t the headline the editor wanted.
It’s called realpolitik or political opportunism. Take your pick. The neocons are world class practitioners of it.
In any event, it was a dumb counter-productive act on the part of those protestors which did nothing to advance their cause.
“In any event, it was a dumb counter-productive act on the part of those protestors which did nothing to advance their cause.”
Can you name a single thing that will indeed “advance their cause”? Because over my lifetime I’ve seen Aborigines try everything from quiet sit-downs to community outreach to rowdy protests and even a few outright riots and nothing seems to work. Any noise made by Aborigines, no matter how polite and serene, is seen as “counter-productive”. Counter-productive to what exactly? Pretending history never happened?
The attitude seems to be that rowdy doesn’t work, and that everyone should calm down, go away, and we’ll try this again later. Always later. MLK and Malcom X had some pretty choice words about that approach to civil rights – it doesn’t work and only serves to delay things even further. The downtrodden and forgotten are only noticed when they are rowdy and up-front – not when they are quiet and unseen. Quiet is shoved under the rug and forgotten.
The optics of this situation are not good, but can you blame them? Abbott was being a dick, like usual, speaking without thinking. Even a charitable reading of his statement is offensive and stupid. Single-handedly he has set back Aboriginal rights and constitutional amendments by 10 years by giving the racists another excuse to delay and distract.
While I agree with what you are saying unique, there is a difference between not helping your cause and actually harming your cause. This has created public condemnation of a legitmate, good cause. It has also been twisted to create more political ammunition against the party not at fault (Gillard). But of course we have no media bias *sigh*
Burning the flag and parading the ‘shoe’ – that is seriously harmful to their cause. It reinforces a sense that they are glad the PM was ‘terrorised’. It makes them the bad guys. That isn’t good for their cause, it is down right harmful – because they are victims and are again victims of the media.
It reminds me of when some poor sod has the gall to be related to someone who has committed a crime. The worst thing that poor sod can do is speak to the media, because it will be twisted against them. Surely this group know the MO of the current media?
Ahhh yes of course narcoticmusing. The ANC ended appartied by always being really nice to the people that racially segregated them and never ever did anything to upset the media, That would have seriously harmed their cause. I mean if they had upset anyone appartied would still exist in S.A…..Not that we can compare S.A. to Australia in any way at all eh?
uniquerhys wrote:The downtrodden and forgotten are only noticed when they are rowdy and up-front – not when they are quiet and unseen. Quiet is shoved under the rug and forgotten.
I’m not opposed to radical action. And I agree the action was a beat up by the media. Riot? Pfft!
However, giving the tabloid media – who see themselves as news makers rather than news reporters – the fodder to beat it up was senseless. I just can’t see how shouting obscenities at our leaders; spitting on and burning the flag; using a disbarred legal practitioner as their spokesman; putting down folk who side with them, et al, advances their cause. To achieve advances they need to bring the community with them not offend it.
“To achieve advances they need to bring the community with them not offend it…..”
Serious and long lasting social justice only ever happens by offending people initially, check this thing called “history”, don’t know if you’ve ever come across it autonomy 1?
Eric wrote: Serious and long lasting social justice only ever happens by offending people initially, check this thing called “history”, don’t know if you’ve ever come across it autonomy 1
My opening comment was that I am not opposed to radical action. Perhaps I see boundaries where you don’t.
People have a right to enjoy their lunch without a bunch of loons beating on the restaurant windows and threatening people. The PM should be able to walk about without being intimidated by an angry mob. And the award recipients at the lunch should have been able to enjoy their moment of recognition without the interruption by a bunch of misinformed goons.
Shame on those savages too stupid to know they had been used as political pawns but always ready to shout and scream and bully and intimidate on cue.
They weren’t “threatening” anyone. They were protesting against the leader and the aspiring leader of our country. That’s entirely legitimate behaviour in a free country.
If the PM is “intimidated” by an angry crowd then she’s in the wrong job.
And how exactly were the protesters “misinformed”? They were responding to Abbott’s suggestion that it’s time for the embassy to go away, to “move on”.
And… “savages”? “Savages”? Really? “Savages”? FFS.
“I am not opposed to radical action”….but you don’t want to offend anyone??? Please explain how this might happen, this radical action that doesn’t offend. Explain how radical action has brought about change without offending somebody.
And Jeremy is spot on about all this, a voice of sanity in an insane beat up about…nothing.
Michael Anderson: ‘’Someone set us up. They set the prime minister up. They set Abbott up,’’
Abbott’s statement was perfectly reasonable:
And why couldn’t these people enjoy the public recognition they deserved:
Mr Danny Armstrong, Volunteer, State Emergency Services, Queensland
· Mr Rocky Barca, Chief Ranger, Parks Victoria
· Mr David Brettell, Volunteer, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service – Rural Fire Service
· Mr Joe Buffone, Deputy Emergency Services Commissioner, Victorian Emergency Services Commission
· Ms Valerie Callister, Regional Director for Gippsland, Department of Health and Human Services, Emergency Management
· Mr Tony Cullen, Volunteer, Australian Red Cross, Queensland
· Senior Constable Todd Deary, Victorian Police
· Mr Desmond Deas, Volunteer, State Emergency Services, Victoria
· Major Bruce Dobbie, Salvation Army Officer, Queensland
· Mr Des Dowie, Team Leader, Australian Red Cross, Victoria
· Major Arthur Ford, Emergency Services Chaplain, The Salvation Army, Victoria
· Mr Robert Gill, Advanced Life Support Paramedic, Ambulance Victoria
· Mr John Goodwin, State Manager, St Vincent de Paul Society, Queensland
· Ms Tracy Grigg, Volunteer Logistics Manager, St John Ambulance, Victoria
· Mrs Gwen Hammerton, Volunteer, The Salvation Army, Queensland
· Mr Philip Hoy, Volunteer, St Vincent de Paul Society, Queensland
· Mr Jeffrey Hubbard, Volunteer, Australian Red Cross, Queensland
· Ms Lauren Hughes, Emergency Role Fire Fighter, Department of Sustainability and Environment
· Ms Dianne Jeans, General Manager, Smart Service, Department of Public Works, Queensland
· Captain Helen Kenney, St Andrew’s Fire Brigade (Churchill Fire Brigade during the fires)
· Mrs Anne Leadbeater, Community Facilitator, Murrindindi Shire Council
· Mr Gabriel Mauerhofer, Leading Fire Fighter, Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Victoria
· Mr Peter Moore, Assistant Storage Coordinator, St Vincent de Paul Society, Queensland
· Mr Wayne Preedy, Acting Regional Director, Emergency Management, Queensland
· Deputy Commissioner Ian Stewart, Queensland Police
· Ms Brooke Winters, Regional Executive Director, South West Region, Department of Communities, Queensland
Obviously their rights count for nothing when the mob starts yelping. They are just victims of an ALP publicity stunt that got out of hand.
Spare me the condescension Eric.
If you can’t see that the behaviour of some of the protestors was counter productive to their cause that’s your problem. You don’t have to read too widely to see there are countless indigenous elders who can see it and who have distanced themselves from the behaviour yesterday.
I was not being condescending I was asking you a question. How can radical action bring about chnage without offending somebody?
You have chosen not to answer it.
As for some black leaders not wishing to offend white folks suggest you try this for starters:
“You don’t have to read too widely to see there are countless indigenous elders who can see it and who have distanced themselves from the behaviour yesterday.”
Indeed there was. There colloquially called Jackie Jackie’s here or uncle Toms in other parts of the world. The repuglycan party like the Queensland National Party is full of them.
They represent the Aborigines like Tony Abbott represents workers. Not!
“And… “savages”? “Savages”? Really? “Savages”? FFS.”
As if there was any doubt.
Above they’re insted of there before colloquially..
lynot wrote: Indeed there was. There colloquially called Jackie Jackie’s here or uncle Toms in other parts of the world.
It’s very easy for those of us sitting in our armchairs well distanced from the coal face to, in the most sweeping manner, speak pejoratively of folk who are at the coal face doing their best to improve the lot of our indigenous people.
Regarding the disturbance, Amber Jamieson for Crikey noted that the “ the majority of the Tent Embassy attendees remained at the Embassy site to continue their celebrations.” A majority of activists who perhaps could see how verbally abusing the countries leadership would do nothing to advance their short or long term interests.
“It’s very easy for those of us sitting in our armchairs well distanced from the coal face to, in the most sweeping manner, speak pejoratively of folk who are at the coal face doing their best to improve the lot of our indigenous people.”
You are taking an awful lot for granted there. It has come to the realisation of a lot of Aborigines that their so called leaders are doing nothing for them in any tangible manner, except blowing a lot of smoke up the arses of other Aborigines. The penny is starting to drop as they say. The followers who joined Malcolm X came to the same conclusion. As they say, the rest is history.
The whole episode is the usual media beat up. I have seen more violence at a school organised fête.,with kids arguing over a box of Freddo Frogs.
When the violence reaches the proportion of a Kent State massacre or a nice all in punch up on the wharves I’ll give the debate a bit of seriousness.
“our indigenous people”
now…who’s being being condescending?
above…that’s one being… 😉
So, Eric, who likes to take what everyone says out of context and make it more menacing just like our fabulous media – how has this advanced their cause huh? Or has it just been used as a tool to thump Gillard more, despite that the protesters were actually offended at Abbott.
Reality is where I live. It is not soft and cushy and filled with idealistic utopian teddy bears. I’m not talking about not offending people – offend away – I am talking about understanding the context and demons your a playing with. This is not an objective world; evidenced by the response and reporting of the incident. I am talking about knowing how to get a result rather than burning bridges even to your supporters.
That being said, I can’t help but agree at least in part with what SB said – at what point should we say the right of recognition of the people at that event should be ignored and even superceded by another group? Are you suggesting they are less worthy of being heard?
This was a complete media beat up, yes. But a predictable one.
As someone that was there the morning of the Cronulla ‘race riots’* (ie, when people were just strolling around commenting about how their daughters could go to the beach in the morning without being targeted by racist thugs…and when guys in boardies started calling their mates saying ‘come down to the beach…yeah bring a case of beer down’…(at like 10am…)) will you now refer to this as a drunken melee?
*For the record, I left before any violence, and was appalled by what I saw when I watched the 6pm news that evening.