Idiots protesting outside Easons...

cactus86

im all for free speech, but what were they playin at blocking off the entrance to the shop??

What are they protesting against?

cactus86

a Tony Blair book signing in Dublin.....didnt make sense to me either

hyperbaby

make more sense to protest outside the Dublin branch no.... ??

Crossection

Hippies

jenno86

No doubt a load of crustys with nothing better to do.

Hah. Such lazy bastards. They want to protest, but can't be arsed travelling to the actual event.

Why are they protesting Tony Blair?

ronnie3585

Galway Alliance Against War assholes yet again.

galwayfellaBETA

I didn't see the protest and hope they didn't try to block people going about their business.... but fair play to them! The Blair/Bush war was a crime!

Now if they could just protest the criminal behavior of our government

galwayfellaBETA

galwayfellaBETA wrote: »

I didn't see the protest and hope they didn't try to block people going about their business.... but fair play to them! The Blair/Bush war was a crime!

Now if they could just protest the criminal behavior of our government

But why protest Eason? They're a business - selling books. Stocking his autobiography has nothing to do with the war as far as they're concerned. They're not going to say no to a book that will likely sell loads.

Are they protesting Dubrays too?

PopeBuckfastXVI

An enforced boycott is not very democratic.

cactus86

Deleted User wrote: »

Are they protesting Dubrays too?

you took the words outta my mouth. i was thinking the same thing, that they will have to go to every book shop going if thats their way of thinking.

People protesting is something im used to, but they had their banner going across the entrance of the shop so that I had to walk around them to get in, as I went round the side they tried to shove leaflets in my face.

WesternNight

Deleted User wrote: »

But why protest Eason? They're a business - selling books. Stocking his autobiography has nothing to do with the war as far as they're concerned. They're not going to say no to a book that will likely sell loads.

Are they protesting Dubrays too?

To think of it like that would take sanity, logic and reason. It's possible they're all out of those

Qualitymark

They're protesting outside Eason's because the book is being launched there. Letter in the Irish Times from those opposed:

Madam, – We the undersigned, creative artists in various disciplines, ask Easons and RTÉ’s Late Late Shownot to facilitate Tony Blair’s promotion of his autobiographical book and the blood-money of his royalties that he proposes to pass on to military charity. Taoiseach Brian Cowen has stated that creative people have a duty to uphold “Brand Ireland”. We feel the best way to fulfil the duty would be to ensure the cancellation of this notorious war-criminal’s visit, so that Ireland cannot be turned into a launch-pad to reinvent Brand Blair as good-guy and peacemaker. (Easons book-signing, O’Connell Street, Dublin, 11am, September 4th) – Yours, etc,
JOHN ARDEN, DEREK BALL,
AIDEEN BARRY,
RONAN BENNETT,
JOCELYN BRADDELL,
RORY BRADDELL,
MARGARETTA D’ARCY,
RAYMOND DEANE, LELIA
DOOLAN, FELIM EGAN,
ANNE FITZGERALD,
MAUREEN GALLAGHER,
FRED JOHNSTONE, LUCY
JULES, JIMMY MURPHY,
ONDINE O’GORMAN, DONAL
O’KELLY, RÉ Ó LAIGHLÉIS,
BOB QUINN,
STEPHEN ROTHSCHILD,
JOHN WAKEMAN,
HILARY WAKEMAN
JOSEPH WOOD,
C/o St Bridget’s Place Lower,
Galway.

Incidentally, the use of the term 'idiot' in this way won't be kindly received by anyone who loves someone with an intellectual disability.

cactus86

Qualitymark wrote: »

Incidentally, the use of the term 'idiot' in this way won't be kindly received by anyone who loves someone with an intellectual disability.

I AM one of those people. my comment has nothing to do with anybody with intellectual disability, that is obvious.

GalwayKiefer

Qualitymark wrote: »

Incidentally, the use of the term 'idiot' in this way won't be kindly received by anyone who loves someone with an intellectual disability.

Surely the term "idiot" is used these days to describe a foolish or stupid person? Personally I find the word "retard" offensive in the context you describe but honestly can't see a problem with "idiot." Maybe that's just me...

To anyone who was down there today - were they actually physically blocking the front door of the shop as opposed to protesting outside?

Qualitymark

Qualitymark wrote: »

They're protesting outside Eason's because the book is being launched there. Letter in the Irish Times from those opposed:



Incidentally, the use of the term 'idiot' in this way won't be kindly received by anyone who loves someone with an intellectual disability.

No. It's being launched in the one in Dublin. Not Galway. If they cared that much about it, they would have protested there and not here. It is just stupid and idiotic plus is it not illegal to block any entrance or exit of a building?

Wompa1

Are they protesting again any other day? Might have to go in and buy a copy of the autobiography and sit across from the entrance reading it.

"Hey Guys, it says here Tony thinks the war was just"...interesting..

Can we protest the GAAW? Get our own banners printed up stating, "Go Home" and "Stop Annoying Us".

cactus86

Wompa1 wrote: »

Are they protesting again any other day? Might have to go in and buy a copy of the autobiography and sit across from the entrance reading it.

"Hey Guys, it says here Tony thinks the war was just"...interesting..

i was thinking it would be fun to do that as well

Lupine

Deleted User wrote: »

Hah. Such lazy bastards. They want to protest, but can't be arsed travelling to the actual event.

jkforde

Is it just me or is anyone else getting tired of some users lamely using 'idiot', 'crusty', 'hippie' to label anyone who dares speak or protest against the status quo. It's intellectually lazy and gets us nowhere. I don't agree with these peoples' methods but is it any wonder that we get the politicians that we do and are currently being hoodwinked into the biggest transfer of public monies to private 'investors' if the reaction to any form of protest is 'hippies'. Jesus, grow up.

cactus86

jkforde wrote: »

Is it just me or is anyone else getting tired of some users lamely using 'idiot', 'crusty', 'hippie' to label anyone who dares speak or protest against the status quo. It's intellectually lazy and gets us nowhere. I don't agree with these peoples' methods but is it any wonder that we get the politicians that we do and are currently being hoodwinked into the biggest transfer of public monies to private 'investors' if the reaction to any form of protest is 'hippies'. Jesus, grow up.

i said it from the start, i have no problem with people protesting, but going out of the way to make it difficult for people to go into a shop that they have every right to shop in is idiotic!

galwayrush

They are really the Galway Alliance Against Selected Wars. All the wars/ disputes/Air Shows in the world and they only have issues against the ones the British, U.S. and Israel are involved in. As well as being idiots they are also racist in their bias.

sgthighway

Good Idea. Lets go down and protest at the protesters.

Passer By: Excuse me. Are you the Galway Alliance Against War?
Boardsie: **** off! We're the Real Galway Alliance Against the Galway Alliance Against War

Diabhal Beag

I wouldn't mind but I'm sure Easons has books that are anti Blair and Bush anyway.

Fuctifino

I love how they werent protesting at the Iranian foreign minister when he was here.

Blair did more for Ireland with the agreement in easter '98; without which WE would still be "at war". Its funny how they've such a short memory.

I like Tony Blair.

I'm sure there will be far more in the book about Tony's part in the peace process up north (ie somewhere he actually had influence and used it to make the place better)

I might watch him if he is on the late late.

Also I think the origin of the word idiot is interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot_(Athenian_democracy)

An idiot in Athenian democracy was someone who was characterized by self-centeredness and concerned almost exclusively with private--as opposed to public--affairs. Idiocy was the natural state of ignorance into which all persons were born and its opposite, citizenship, was effected through formalized education. In Athenian democracy, idiots were born and citizens were made through education (although citizenship was also largely hereditary).

Fuctifino beat me to it.

Bosco boy

Usual rent a crowd, it's a wonder our senater niall o brollochan who is normally with them and anti everything was missing, I suppose when you get a handy seat in the senate and a fat pay cheque you quickly tow the party line and lose you old ties!!!

furiousox

Why don't they do something useful and protest against that gob****e Joe Coleman's book while they're at it??

inisboffin

Sorry if I missed it, but does it say somewhere that it IS the GAAW? A good few of the names I recognise, and while some likely are involved in GAAW, I am not so sure about others..

Or is the protest organised by GAAW and the letter to the Times a separate thing?