Jun 16, 2011 / Topic Ideas

What would cause you to protest or riot for something?

Topic #160:

What would cause you to protest or riot for something?

Background: Last night riots broke out in Vancouver, after their hockey team lost in the NHL finals. Many people have criticized the people and the city for being so destructive over a sport. But people are very passionate about sports. What are you passionate enough to participate in a protest? Or a riot? Or is there nothing at all?

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  1. I protested no nukes back in the 80s. Nowadays, I think the closest thing is I wrote my congressman an angry letter when they tried to change the name of French Fries in the cafeteria to Freedom Fries. I’m more likely to show up at vigils for support than a protest. I can’t even imagine rioting because of a sports game when there are so many more important things to care about.

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  3. I’d certainly protest if the government decided to dump the Great British Pound and take on the Euro. I’ve been on strike before when I was a civil servant, although I was a fresh faced chap and used it as a day off!

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  5. Wish I knew. I can’t think of a thing that would make me go somewhere and protest/riot. I’ve never done it before and just don’t see it happening for any reason.

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  7. Those who claim the riots in Vancouver were a ‘protest’ clearly don’t get it. This wasn’t about a hockey game. This was caused by alcohol abuse, male aggression and an over-riding sense of entitlement, fuelled by a mob mentality.

    How to be ‘Un-Canadian’

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  8. People rioting over sport is irresponsible in the extreme, in my view. I have something worthwhile to protest about: government interference in one’s private life. The treatment of asylum seekers by Australia is worth protesting about.

    Rioting is not responsible and never achieves anything.

    http://teamoyeniyi.com

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    1. Despite what some media reports might say, this was NOT a ‘protest’ and they were NOT rioting over ‘sport’. That is a convenient scapegoat to avoid the real source of this kind of anti-social and lawless behaviour. I do agree with you, in the Canadian context as well as the Australian, there are many other issues worth protesting about.

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  9. Tumultos, protestos, Greves não se consegue nada da prejuizo para o estado,
    nossos representantes tem trabalhos e projetos grandiosos para se envolverem
    e ter resultados reais sobre os mesmos! e não se preocupar por movimentos que
    não trás nenhum resultado prático para um estado ou uma nação.

    Eu jamais participarei de qualquer tipo de movimento isto é protesto e outros
    que prejudique meu estado ou meu país, este caminho não é aconselhavel .

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  10. What ever protest, there are those who cause trouble, throw things, and that ends in death and the very essence of the fight has been diminished by the people who caused trouble. I think writing to the media papers, is a better way
    especially when many people read the paper.

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  11. I have no idea why they went crazy in Vancouver. Lack of human dignity,lack of education, lack of empathy, they did not think of anything other than causing trouble. Why do what they did? What reason is as important as human dignity,
    They were all retarded animals I would love to keep them on an island and let them survive for a month with nothing.just to think about what they had done to others property. Nut cases.

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  14. I have attended several protests in the past. Most recently I attended a protest rally in downtown Chicago in solidarity with the workers in Wisconsin who were threatened with losing their collective bargaining rights as union members (which has since become a reality, unfortunately). I protest about things I feel strongly about and I think that right wing conservatives are taking advantage of hard economic times to further their agenda. I have a feeling I will be attending more protests in the near future as the assault on the rights and economic well-being of the working and middle classes continue.

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  16. In the west we preach the right to freedom of speech and the right to PEACEFUL demonstration. There is NOTHING that invoke such rage for me to join any demonstration that condones rioting or any act of violence. It is simply non-constructive.

    I would however, demonstrate PEACEFULLY if I thought my rights to freedom of speech where being restricted.

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  17. I agree, if you present peace, goverment officials, congress, and people in high places would listen to your demonstrations and request and give it some thought ,good point!

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  18. I try to settle things in a peaceful matter with certain situations and in life I’m never comfortable with rage! Tomorrow is a new day its not worth getting in trouble or causing danger to others if you have a protest to be made something! Cause in nothing will be solved or accomplished!

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  20. If the powers at be decided to ban complaining in public places I feel that I would have no option but to complain.
    I would form my action group CCTRC
    Complainers Complainan for The Right to Complain I would campain drunk, walking naked through the streets of Glasgow In the knowlage that no one could complain about my drunken antics or my nakedness and if they did complain surely they would have a drink and rip of their clothes and join me in my protest

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  23. A vida me ensinou, que não adianta querer consertar o Mundo, então aprendi a calar.
    Vejam eu me considero uma defensora de bons costumes, mas a duras penas hoje me calo.
    Abraços a todos!
    Mina!

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  24. Nothing would provoke me to “Riot” – absolutely NOTHING – let alone a sporting event! Protest, maybe – if it was peaceful, (non-violent, boisterous is OK but non-violent) and a cause I truly believed in and felt worth fighting for.

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  25. It wasn’t about the sporting event. People took advantage of the large crowd. Suspected that the G20 Rioters are behind all of it.

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    1. No, it wasn’t about sport…but officials are using the G20 protestors (‘anarchists’) as a convenient scapegoat…of course no one is willing to consider the possibility that it was your ‘average Joe’ with too much alcohol, aggression, disregard for authority and community and a sense of entitlement….that would be a way too scary place to lay blame!

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  27. The riots were not about the sport. The rioters came prepared to riot win or lose. It was just an excuse for thugs to be thugs, and unfortunately the game was just a scapegoat for that behavior. Lets focus on the love and pride in our city that followed with the clean up, where it showed how the majority of our city behaves, not the minority. Shame on everyone that participated in the riots…what were you thinking? Hopefully there is justice and all of those that were photographed doing such horrible things will be held responsible for their actions…

    An unacceptable week of violence and bullying…

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  28. I dont feel what happen over the weekend over a game of sports was correct or proper. My thoughts of protesting wld be in a non violent way for standing up 4 the ppls rights as we are now fighting for unions our programs for the Middle Class against the GOP/TeaP to me this is very important an should be highlighted in the media always & our news yes protest it is an outrage to me I will stand & protest for the ppl our consitution rights

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  29. Large groups of people put the wind up me, I was in Trafalagar London England New years Eve I nearly passed out squashed, far to say I would not protest in a group but I have written to the papers.

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