"With the entrails of the last King" (of England)

[Monsieur OUXX]

In case you wonder what the subject of this thread means, it's a small reference to a famous quote by Diderot, just for fun.
But that's not (exactly) the matter.

Ali jokingly posted this article in another discussion.

I must say I am appalled by that article.

Every single line of it makes me want to hang the last King with his own entrails. They forced the protester to apologize, accused him of criminal damage (because he damaged a flag), they whine about the "now-inappropriate Rolls-Royce", sound really shocked that your average guy "had physical contact" despite the VIP's protection. Oh my god, he must be a real psychotic. Can you imagine? PHYSICAL CONTACT!

Note that the article doesn't say anything about the legitimate anger of the students, or about their political message.

Also, I hate this form of passive aggressive language, where you never actually say what you think. Expressions like "this is a regrettable incident" and "I hope they will take full responsibility" make me want to puke (on Prince Charles).


Don't take this post too seriously, this is a new form of rage-quit: IT's the rage-post!

[Stupot]

I think the guy who did it is lucky to get away so lightly.
It wasn't even a protest, it was stupidity and made me embarrassed to be a student.  They like to think they're angry about something, but half of them don't even realize the changes don't affect them.  The whole debacle was a demonstration of how students will jump on any bandwagon going, and then go home and tune into the X-Factor at the end of the night.

[Atelier]

True, I honestly couldn't care if Camilla was poked with a stick. But if it was the Queen or any of her immediate family then I think they should be made to apologise. And defacing the flag was disrespectful, but that was probably just misguided anger. At the end of the day the protests may even have been detrimental to the cause.

Also why are students angry at the royal family anyway? People have a right to be angry, but not at them. They have nothing to do with this.

[Monsieur OUXX]

Also why are students angry at the royal family anyway? People have a right to be angry, but not at them. They have nothing to do with this.

I'd be pretty pissed if a small gang of old dinosaurs were hanging around my country, engulfing an astronomical budget, when incredible cuts have been announced in the country's budget -- and then whined because common people came too close to them.

[Calin Leafshade]

Gosh how french of you :p

I am a republican in principle but the royals make about as much through tourism as they cost the tax payer so I'm pretty apathetic about it.

With regards to the student 'bandwagon' the official student position was pretty well thought out and aptly argued.

Just because some twat chucked a fire extinguisher off a roof doesnt mean the whole thing was stupid and worthless.

[voh]

I'd be pretty pissed if a small gang of old dinosaurs were hanging around my country, engulfing an astronomical budget, when incredible cuts have been announced in the country's budget -- and then whined because common people came too close to them.

And you wouldn't complain if people attacked you in your car, throw paint on it, crack one of the windows while shouting "Off with their heads"? That's one aggressive way to show you're unhappy about something.

I read the article and I still have no idea what manages to make you angry. They were attacked by a bunch of aggressive hoodlums. Being forced to apologize for harrassing someone is a very light 'punishment'. If you do stuff like this to anyone (including but not specifically royalty) you're likely to get at least community service.

If someone would do stuff like this to the Dutch royal family, I'd be pissed off at the twats who thought it'd be a good idea to scare the living shit out of people who had no hand in the measures they're angry about.

And Calin's right. We get the 'oh, the royal family is costing so much!' here in the Netherlands as well, but they're good for tourism, foreign relations (I mean, seriously, our previous prime minister was a frickin' doofus. Had he been the only face for the country I would've been massively ashamed) and, well, let's face it, it's a static factor in a constantly changing political atmosphere. The governments change constantly, but the royal family will always be there. And it has, indeed, been calculated that they earn as much as they cost, or more.

That's comforting to me.

If you attack someone, whether it's with intent to harm or not, be ready to face some consequences. It should never be okay.

[bicilotti]

[...] the official student position was pretty well thought out and aptly argued.

With official you mean... ?

[Monsieur OUXX]

And you wouldn't complain if people attacked you in your car, throw paint on it, crack one of the windows while shouting "Off with their heads"?

Some Kings did abdicate before. Will those noble people be as brave as their glorious predecessors?

[Monsieur OUXX]

By the way the spirit of this thread is not to support people who physically attack other people.
It's to point out the incredible disdain expressed in that article - it's not normal that some people are "above" other people just because they were born so. Get the f**k out of public space, stop occupying the media, and then we'll see if you can complain for being the target of randomers.

[Ali]

The article doesn't make me angry, because I laugh out loud every time I read the phrase "poked with a stick".

However I agree that the protesters' righteous anger doesn't legitimate the violence of a few, particularly since this incident occurred after the vote in the House of Commons.

The only people left who are worth persuading are in the House of Lords, and attacking royals is not a great way to get them on your side.

[Monsieur OUXX]

The article doesn't make me angry, because I laugh out loud every time I read the phrase "poked with a stick".

I say, old sport, that's hilarious. Quite.
Pokidy poke poke!

I can so picture a kid poking some mud, or Guybrush handling a chicken on a stick.

[Calin Leafshade]

Bici, 'official position' would be the position of the representative union, the NUS

[Monsieur OUXX]

Bici, 'official position' would be the position of the representative union, the NUS

Well said. It's crazy how one guy throwing a fire extinguisher can feed the media's hunger for quick-and-dirty news, so far so much that nobody knows what is the NUS' position -- even though it should be at the center of any students-protest-related piece of news.

That's another thing I didn't like with that article.

[bicilotti]

Bici, 'official position' would be the position of the representative union, the NUS

:o touché.