Rioting/Rebellion

a reply to: TheJourney

I am of the opinion, that a great number of protests which become riots, only become riots as a reaction to police behaviour, or as a result of a small number of either agent provocateurs, or another small group, the true radicals.

Now, before anyone who considers themselves to be radical in some way gets on their high horse, and starts swinging at me from it, I am not saying that all radical elements in society are the sort who cause or instigate riots and chaos. What I am saying is that the people who cause riots and chaos, and are not actually employees of the system itself, are radicals of one kind or another.

The reality is that it is impossible to protest peacefully without interference from the police, if the people who stand to loose power by the application of that protest, deem that the protest endangers their position. If it is thought necessary, things will happen to make sure the police have every excuse to break up a protest, people will join that protest whose entire reason for being there is to launch the first firebomb, or throw the first brick, and that will lead to the police taking the cue, and baton bludgeoning all resistance until it either goes home, or gets even angrier, which once again takes power away from the protest, and places it in the hands of the very authorities against which the protest was raised.

Now, that does not necessarily mean that all protest is doomed to failure. But what it does mean, is that it is no longer an effective or practical tool for levering the powerful out of their positions, it is no longer an effective strategy for a population to use, when the behaviour of their government renders it unfit for purpose. What the answer is, I haven't the foggiest, but just in case I have to come up with an answer on the fly one day, I keep my blades sharp, and my eyes open.

originally posted by: TheJourney

originally posted by: TheJourney
I'm just tired of the incomparably greater levels of anger demonstrated towards people who react to the system as opposed to the system itself.

Police kill man, clearly being completely I the wrong, gets off 100% free
Response: well, you know, it's a tricky situation. Yes there may be some problems, but what can you do.

People group together and demonstrate their frustration with the situation. A window gets broken.
Response: THOSE SUB-HUMAN PIECES OF #! WASTE OF LIFE!

The window likely belonged to the guy standing next to window breaker who was also demonstrating his frustration. How does breaking his window get any point across to the ones both are actually frustrated with or make any difference to the system?

It doesn't.

So, yes, the response is the response. You achieved nothing except meaningless destruction.

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: TheJourney

originally posted by: TheJourney
I'm just tired of the incomparably greater levels of anger demonstrated towards people who react to the system as opposed to the system itself.

Police kill man, clearly being completely I the wrong, gets off 100% free
Response: well, you know, it's a tricky situation. Yes there may be some problems, but what can you do.

People group together and demonstrate their frustration with the situation. A window gets broken.
Response: THOSE SUB-HUMAN PIECES OF #! WASTE OF LIFE!

The window likely belonged to the guy standing next to window breaker who was also demonstrating his frustration. How does breaking his window get any point across to the ones both are actually frustrated with or make any difference to the system?

It doesn't.

So, yes, the response is the response. You achieved nothing except meaningless destruction.

That people get more angry about a broken window than a police officer murdering someone and not getting in any trouble, is a problem, and is clearly the point of my post. You seem to have somehow interpreted it as my being pro window breaking.