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Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 10:15 - Mar 17 by nodge_blue
You know Ryorry what my angle on so many of these debates is that there's a huge element of grey to it all
All the state, or government is, is us ultimately. We as a society have to decide how we spend public money.
If we all retired at 62 as the French want then that places a greater burden still on the younger generation who have to pay for those state pensions. At a time when we live longer and have an aging population.
So if think it's actually more socialist to accept we have to wait longer to take a pension from the state to reduce the burden on younger people.
The state pension is not a benefit. It's already a pittance compared to other countries.
A huge number of people are simply not politically engaged, don’t see what is going on, or simply apathetic.
People in the South spend more time worrying if they should go for a Discovery 5 or a Range Rover, and where the neighbours are going on holiday this year.
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Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 10:48 - Mar 17 with 693 views
Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 10:48 - Mar 17 by Swansea_Blue
Innit. We just give them a different name.
Yep. I find it staggering that someone can look at the words and deeds of our government and say that we don't do extremism here. They've sought to put in legislation to limit protest, they attempt to bypass and undermine the judiciary, they illegally prorogued parliament, they talk often about about leaving the EHRC and rail against human rights lawyers, and that's before even scratching the surface of the rhetoric about and action (or inaction) towards refugees.
Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 08:14 - Mar 17 by bluelagos
Because we don't value protest/protesters.
I recall some posters arguing against XR protesters!
The suffragettes were not widely supported, even amongst many women ffs. It is in our DNA not to challenge the status quo as we don't like change and find it uncomfortable.
How many times have people told me I am anti-police on here?
These people are enablers for the status quo and do the job of those in power for them. They are the majority and they vote (our main power) accordingly.
When we get a Labour govt and they are little better.
Cap doffers innit.
"They break our legs and tell us to be grateful when they offer us crutches."
Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 08:40 - Mar 17 by GlasgowBlue
Also worth noting that the French have voted to put an actual fascist in the top two run off at the last two presidential elections.
The equivalent here would be the Labour and Conservative parties collapsing to a share of one or two one percent of the vote, with Nick Griffin and the BNP getting 41% at the next general election.
We may be seen as less passionate about the issues that affect us but we don’t do extremism here.
"Stop the Boats!" etc.....they're already in power here.
"They break our legs and tell us to be grateful when they offer us crutches."
Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 02:03 - Mar 17 by SE1blue
Have family that live in France and I’d say it’s because they know protesting works and gets results.
They are able to see that mass protesting needs everyone on board to make a change. They do it for the betterment of everyone, not just themselves. I think, we English, can sometimes back off when we see things will be ok for oneself. We also make jokes about how crap things are and often accept misery as part of being English. French people don’t, they demand change.
And I think England needs more young people (teens and twenties) to be politically motivated. Get that age group on board and stirred up like France, and it has more impact.
French protests genuinely scare their leaders. The Tories just laugh it off, stick a middle finger up at the crowd like Andrea Jenkyns (you’d get lynched for that in France) and they get away with everything time and time again.
its because fundamentally we are a divided society, brexit bears this out
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Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 11:21 - Mar 17 with 614 views
Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 10:22 - Mar 17 by Herbivore
It's more socialist to cover the cost of an ageing population by not allowing massive multinational corporations and wealthy individuals leech money from working people and the state. We need to fundamentally shift away from thinking it is all down to working people to be the ones shouldering the burden when we are seeing sickening levels of wealth trickling upwards. Reverse that, take care of working people, retirees, children, and vulnerable people, and you might end up with something close to a functioning society. Our current socio-economic model is broken and not remotely fit for purpose.
I totally agree with your sentiment in the last two paragraphs. As I've said on here before, with a son who is an autistic young adult, I'm fully invested in a caring society that cares for the vulnerable. Especially after I'm dead and he's left alone in this mess of a world.
I just don't think that the answers are ever as simple as wealthy companies paying for it all and that we are stuck in some capitalist stitch up.
Maybe it is.
But fundamentally on the pension issue I don't agree that we should be looking (or the French I mean) for the state to fund pensions from 62 when there's so many other things I'd rather see the state spend money on.
Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 12:16 - Mar 17 by nodge_blue
I totally agree with your sentiment in the last two paragraphs. As I've said on here before, with a son who is an autistic young adult, I'm fully invested in a caring society that cares for the vulnerable. Especially after I'm dead and he's left alone in this mess of a world.
I just don't think that the answers are ever as simple as wealthy companies paying for it all and that we are stuck in some capitalist stitch up.
Maybe it is.
But fundamentally on the pension issue I don't agree that we should be looking (or the French I mean) for the state to fund pensions from 62 when there's so many other things I'd rather see the state spend money on.
Hard to see how anyone of my generation (or below) will be retiring before 65 with, or without, a state pension as we will be still paying off our huge mortgages.
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Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 13:15 - Mar 17 with 483 views
Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 10:22 - Mar 17 by Herbivore
It's more socialist to cover the cost of an ageing population by not allowing massive multinational corporations and wealthy individuals leech money from working people and the state. We need to fundamentally shift away from thinking it is all down to working people to be the ones shouldering the burden when we are seeing sickening levels of wealth trickling upwards. Reverse that, take care of working people, retirees, children, and vulnerable people, and you might end up with something close to a functioning society. Our current socio-economic model is broken and not remotely fit for purpose.
Why can't/don't we protest like the French do? 🤔 on 08:43 - Mar 17 by Swansea_Blue
The French seem to protest more, but that could just be skewed by reporting and the stereotype that’s pushed here. If you look at strikes as a form of formal protest, they’re normally way out ahead of the UK.
PPS. Our media buries some protests. There was a massive one in London on Tuesday involving the university unions; I wouldn’t have known if not for being in a uni.
[Post edited 17 Mar 2023 8:48]
Social media is increasingly the outlet for "the voice of the people" in the UK -
Firstly, Ryorry, what a great poll with well-chosen options and great observations in the comments from many posters. Comments by J2Blue, Pandejo and yourself in particular stand out. It's also encouraging to see that the leading response is a "combination of the above".
For now though, I'll leave you with the words of our respective national anthems (which justifies your inclusion of your second option "Brainwashed to be serf by the Royal Family).
"God save our gracious King, Long live our noble King, God save the King! Send him victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God save the King!"
And the French anthem "La Marseillaise" which during the reigns of Napoleon Bonaparte, Louis XVIII and Charles X from 1804 to 1830 was banned outright because of its Revolutionary associations — and it wasn’t officially reinstated as the national anthem of France until 1879:
"Arise, children of the Fatherland Our day of glory has arrived Against us the bloody flag of tyranny is raised; the bloody flag is raised. Do you hear, in the countryside The roar of those ferocious soldiers? They’re coming right into your arms To cut the throats of your sons, your comrades!
To arms, citizens! Form your battalions Let’s march, let’s march That their impure blood Should water our fields."
EDIT: Let the forum unite today in our support of the Pride of Anglia. COYB
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