The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #133440 Message #3034301
Posted By: Jim Carroll
17-Nov-10 - 09:06 AM
Thread Name: BS: Students march against tuition fees UK
Subject: RE: BS: Students march against tuition fees UK
I don't believe they 'excuse' the yobbery in any way, nor have I said so. I just believe it disingenuous to make that your main (only) target of attack and ignore those who have deeply damaged our society with their greed and mis-government.
Such tunnel vision has been a diversionary tactic as long as I have been interested in politics - "the great unwashed of Aldermaston" made sure we 'layabouts' were in the limelight rather than the cause we were espousing. Similarly with Viet-Nam, the miners, the Poll Tax..... name any cause that has brought people out on the street exercising their democratic right to protest.
Re my use of the word 'criminal'. It seems a little pedantic to dismiss the use of a term which is in general use in a wider (albeit less-accurate) sense. Crimes against society; humanity.... real enough although, in many cases, out of the reach of the law.
Thatcher used her influence successfully to prevent Augusto Pinochet from standing trial for torture and mass murder, which, in my book, implicated her in his crimes against humanity - not technically a criminal but......
The greed that brought about the present crisis will almost inevitably lead to reduced life style, increasing bad health, even death for some of the more vunerable members of our society, yet, far from being punished, those responsible will be bailed out with our taxes and will almost certainly continue to receive large bonuses for their work. Not criminal, of course, but I can't think of a better word to describe it.
It is now recognised without doubt that a significant number of politicians have been making false claims for expenses over a long period of time. Had I made similar false claims when filling in a tax form or an accident report, I would have faced a hefty fine and maybe even imprisonment. I would be a criminal, they are not. Buggered if I can see why, can you?
Jim Carroll