Oceania What is the deal with anti-capitalists?

On May 1, and other 'Labor Days' coming up, anti-capitalists hit the streets whining about everything.

Have you seen these guys? These protestors are basically the grottiest, smelliest, dirtiest people on earth! (They really do stink too!) And they talk like complete pot-heads too 'Those MuthaF@^#ING corparayshuns wanna F@^# the world up and S@&$'

When are they going to realise that capitalism is a liberal-democratic right that we have, and one of our most important?

It goes without saying that the most propsperous countries on this planet are those who embraced capitalism a long time ago, and now enjoy a high standard of living.

 

True story: an S11 protester was interviewed, marching against Nike on this particular day. The interviewer, being the observant chap that he is, noticed that the protester was wearing Nike shoes and queried him on it? The protester's response?

"Um, I had no choice."

Gotta love 'em.

 

I''ll remember to thank the gods for our high standard of living when next I walk through the suburbs of Collingwood and see the sweatshops in action, or perhaps when I pass that same old man on the streets of Frankston willing to help carry your bags, shine your boots, or anything he can for a small donation of money to his ailing health and empty stomach.

Or perhaps when all of us smile and think what a good thing we did this year after the 40-hour famine, we may even be lucky enough to go over to a selection of third world countries with World Vision and see the kids whose parents were tricked into selling their land and working with Shell Petroleum, who subsequently polluted the water, killed off wildlife and destroyed the villagers lifestyle. Or perhaps the thousands of people who every day die of AIDS because providing a cure isn't 'cost effective'.

Yes, WE are blessed. But it is the shadows of Capitalism which cast the grim picture of reality, if only you can see it. Don't be dazzled by the bright light of those golden arches, or become preoccupied by the latest form of disposable sanitary products on TV, and actually see the true human suffering...sometimes even in our own backyard.

Hides back under 'anti-capitalist' rock with other 'smelly, uneducated, stereotyped people.'

 

/opens his next book by Ayn Rand..

 

PoT: Superman, saving the world from the Evil Empire!

Am I to assume that you go without in order to help these people? That you give donations to that guy on the streets of Frankston even if he doesn't carry your bahs or shine your shoes? And no doubt you take part in the 40 Hour Famine every year, and if you were offered the trip with World Vision, would you politely refuse it and say, "oh no, use the moneey for my ticket to spend on some kid's education"? And do you drive? 99% of cars still use petrol. It's not just Shell that causes pollution. And if you don't drive, do you stop people you know from buying from Shell?

Do you shed a tear for every AIDS sufferer that dies? For every land-mine victim that dies? For each un-educated child sold into slavery?

Do you buy disposable sanitary products? Or do you ever eat from a Fast Food resturant?

That's the thing about anti-capitalists. It's all well and good to protest the evils of the Western World, but when push comes to shove, isn't is just so comfortable?

I'm not trying to bait you for an arguement, PoT. For all I know, you live in a cardboard box and use internet cafes. I was just merely using the points of your arguement to draw my own picture.

If I offended you, then please accept my heart-felt apology.

Edit - Wow... If this doesn't get me flamed halfway into next week then I'm one damn lucky, big Mac eatin', Shell-usin', Designer label-wearin', son-of-a-capitalist. God Bless my Uncle Sam!

 

I agree Syrix. Looking at the news footage from this morning it's plane to see that protesters were out to cause trouble and disruption to people.

No doubt their angst will move onto the lunch time crowds at McDonalds soon enough.

And in Berlin there were 'Pre-May Day Protests', clearly looking for any reason to be violent against anyone in particular.

 

Poverty, AIDS, etc: Bad

Anti-capitalist protesters: Worse

Seriously, these are huge problems that we face. But the issue isn't capitalism, it's the steps being taken by these protesters. The vast majority of them are simply there to cause trouble, nothing more. They'll still indulge in their capitalist rights as much as the rest of us, regardless of the slogans they were chanting an hour before.

Oh, and Syrix: I've got nothing against capitalism, but supporting Uncle Sam is crossing the line!

 

Good post, Syrix. I agree 100%

We'll give you your soapbox back when you learn to behave, Protege

 

Syrix, i think you may have put your foot in it mate, because, knowing PoT the way I do (I see him everyday at school), I reckon you can expect one hell of a bloody reply to your brave and considered attack towards PoT. We'll have to wait and see...

I must say that I hate protesting but let's not be so unfair towards those who have been protesting. We do live in a liberal-democratic society and because of that these people have every right to voice their disagreement - your personal attack on these people:
"These protestors are basically the grottiest, smelliest, dirtiest people on earth! (They really do stink too!) And they talk like complete pot-heads too"
is a gross generalisation and hugely unfair. They are absolutely agreeable when compared with the calibre of protestors found in parts of South America, for example.

I think you should be a little less unforgiving towards our protesting 'friends' than you have been...of course, you're entitled to your opinion but is it justified?

EDIT: By the way, who supports:
Liberal party
Labour
Other
Myself, i'm a labor man and live in Melbourne, where our protestors have been reported as being 'less active' as those in Sydney. Bloody Sydney-siders!

 

You guys had your September 11th disaster there.



Seriously, what does throwing marbles under a horse prove about the poverty of third world nations or sweat shop workers or AIDs? Nothing. It's just a place for these idiots to show themselves for the fools they are.

 

PoT - maybe your neighbourhood sux. If you go to any city in South America for example, not only do whole cities look like that, but they look even worse, and have a much much lower standard of living altogether. Your argument is hardly substantial.

Look at the USSR - their planned economy (or poorly planned rather ) brought down their status as one of two superpowers.

The reason so many countries around the world exist in such poverty is their refusal to embrace liberal democratic ideals - the same ideals that have rocketed countries liek the US and Australia to such prosperous levels.

 

Anyway, some of them, especially the trots and the Labor-Far-Left do smell, I am very serious when I say that.

And I am a Liberal by the way.

 

Jet-Eye: Only posting my opinion, same as PoT does....

Anyway, how about that guy who's harbouring those refugees that fled Womera? He'd rather go to jail for 10 years than turn 'em over to the police! And one of them (the refugees) has been denied a visa! What an idiot... he'll probably end up as someone's b**ch...

 

Most of them are Uni students, members of Resistance and other protest groups - they devote themselves to civil disruption. It doesn't matter what the cause is. If the latest issue of Socialist Green Left doesn't endorse it, BRING IT DOWN! WIPE THEM OUT! ALL OF THEM!!

Then they return to Uni and continue studying so they can get a job with the Evil Capitalist Empire and make a lot of money.

I've been to the meetings. They're rebels without a cause looking for a reason to protest. I'm sure there are genuine peaceful protesters in there - somewhere - but you don't get to see them for the crew-cut brigade.

As for the beauty of capitalism: "If you think the system is working, ask someone who ain't."

The glorious heights of capitalism in the U.S? People working for $3 an hour? People PAYING the employer to work?


To misquote Churchill: "It's a terrible system. But it's the best one we've got."

 

Who knows? I am an anarchist

 

I think someone needs to sit down with these people over a nice cup of herbal tea and explain to them that this is not Cuba, and they are not Che Guevara.

They are political homeboys.


And those marbles. Well, I won't make any jokes about them losing them, but when you see Australians rolling marbles and fireworks under other Australians on horses and cheering when the horse topples and the rider gets crushed under it ... in the name of peace no less ... well, a few words come to my mind...

Childish.

Puerile.

Deranged.

Sociopaths.

 

Yeah for the Childish
Yeah for the Puerile
Yeah for the Deranged
Yeah for the Sociopath
Yeah for everyone

 

A few other words come to mind, Ozhaggis, that would probably get me banned.

 

Well that's why I didn't say them.

 

Oh...yeah.

 

I watched this 15 year old high school student discuss on The Today Show how it was more educational for her to be at the M1 march than be at school. Yeah ... right. She also explained her t-shirt (which read "Free Palestine") saying that their intent yesterday was to let Palestinians know that they supported them in their struggle against the "illegal state of Israel". I think she needs to be in school more and maybe learn about the UN mandate which legalised the state of Israel some 55 odd years ago.

More educational to be at an M1 rally my a**. Learn about the issues dear before you go spreading untruths about them and jumping on bandwagons about which you know nothing other than what the biased world media wants you to believe is the truth, when it isn't.

I too have been at the meetings and been involved in protests in the past myself, but it was through having children of my own and enduring a horrendous marriage which left me a single parent that forced me to "grow up" and reprioritise. Now all I want for myself and my children is a "normal" life where they can have the things they ask for (including Nike shoes if they want) and have an opportunity at the best future possible, which includes a good education so that they may one day be able to attend university and in time get a decent well-paying job. Embrace capitalism I say - reap its rewards, but be humane and considerate at the same time and without the hateful rhetoric and disrespect for authority that these ignorant and moronic leftists show.

I wanted to shake those protesters yesterday and scream at them "ONE DAY YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY MOST PEOPLE THINK YOU ARE COMPLETE MORONS". They are not going to change the world with their leftist rhetoric. They need to understand this. The only thing they did achieve was to make people like me hate them even more, and be even more determined to steer my own children away from their path.

Yeah, they sure achieved a lot yesterday. Not.

 

They hurt a horse.

 

They charged the guy though. About time they went through with some charges on some of these troublemakers.

 

Yeah, but that 15 year old girl is doing the whole lefty thing because it's chic...or some equally inane notion. Oh, and I don't care about hurt protestors...but a horse? How dare they!

 

Marvin - I agree with you.

All my short voting life, I have always voted Labour... more and more I am leaning now towards the conservative side...