Is a politicians home fair game?

Annasopra

Recently some protesters from the CAHWT water tax charges are protesting outside the homes of TDs.

I launched into a blistering attack on one of them yesterday for doing this.

In my view political protests are perfectly legitimate but it is completely morally wrong to protest outside the personal home of a politician. Other people I was speaking to agreed with me but the woman handing out the leaflets claimed the majority of people agree with her.

Regardless of what the issue is, Are the personal homes of politicians fair game for protests?

efb

No.

Lawrence1895

No, everyone deserves some privacy, and there is TD's offices

lahalane

I cannot think of any reason why it should be condoned so I'm going to say no too. There's more respectable ways to get your message across.

Peregrine

Political protests should be done outside political offices.

Not when they're shopping, not when they're in a pub, not outside their house, outside their offices.

Tramps Like Us

Yeah. They cant expect to ruin peoples lives by piling more taxes on people already on the brink and swan off home to forget about it and play happy families. We are not talking about blowing houses up but standing outside with some banners.

Femme_Fatale

Absolutely not. There are likely to be other people living in that home than the politician in question (in the case of less senior politicians, the stealth taxes would go ahead with or without them anyway). The only people who would do it are moronic, obnoxious DDI types who need an easy target.

My name is URL

Are the personal homes of citizens fair game for government?

AudreyHepburn

Of course not.

TD's are shockingly enough people too and they and their families are entitled to peace and privacy.

There are other more respectful ways to send them a message.

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

Yeah. They cant expect to ruin peoples lives by piling more taxes on people already on the brink and swan off home to forget about it and play happy families. We are not talking about blowing houses up but standing outside with some banners.

Bollox!
Everyone is entitled to privacy and a home life.
Of course since you have stood for office it is so easy to criticise everyone who has!

Annasopra

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

Yeah. They cant expect to ruin peoples lives by piling more taxes on people already on the brink and swan off home to forget about it and play happy families. We are not talking about blowing houses up but standing outside with some banners.

I honestly don't think anyone's home is fair game for a protest, even drug dealers don't get that sort of treatment. Being a politician is a job and like everyone else they should be allowed to leave their job in work. Imagine if someone was disgruntled with your actions in work and decided to protest outside your home for it.

Protesting outside their homes is complete lynchmob bullyboy tactics in my view.

bumper234

No.

No matter if you agree with political decisions they make or not they have a right to switch off and have a home life just like everyone else.

Banjoxed

I have two words here, John Prescott.

Tramps Like Us

Sir Humphrey Appleby wrote: »

Bollox!
Everyone is entitled to privacy and a home life.
Of course since you have stood for office it is so easy to criticise everyone who has!

The pricks dont mind coming to my door and telling me lies right to my face to get me to vote for them - they cant shout foul when I call them out on their lies at their house.

AudreyHepburn

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

Yeah. They cant expect to ruin peoples lives by piling more taxes on people already on the brink and swan off home to forget about it and play happy families. We are not talking about blowing houses up but standing outside with some banners.

Would you want a gang of protesters roaring and shouting at your door?

Annasopra

Banjoxed wrote: »

I have two words here, John Prescott.

Can you explain more?

AudreyHepburn

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

The pricks dont mind coming to my door and telling me lies right to my face to get me to vote for them - they cant shout foul when I call them out on their lies at their house.

If you think you're being lied to just tell them to leave and don't vote for them.

It's not for you or anyone else to interfere with and disrupt their private lives.

ScumLord

The whole point of protest is to pressure a politician into changing something. If you're going to conveniently schedule your protest in such a way as not to bother them too much it's probably not worth protesting at all.

Tramps Like Us

mango salsa wrote: »

I honestly don't think anyone's home is fair game for a protest, even drug dealers don't get that sort of treatment. Being a politician is a job and like everyone else they should be allowed to leave their job in work. Imagine if someone was disgruntled with your actions in work and decided to protest outside your home for it.

Protesting outside their homes is complete lynchmob bullyboy tactics in my view.

Some drug dealers do, in the past it was common enough in Dublin before some people installed electric gates on their semi ds and retreated behind them in celtic tiger ivory towers.

Being a politician is not just a normal "job" and you know it.

Tramps Like Us

ScumLord wrote: »

The whole point of protest is to pressure a politician into changing something. If you're going to conveniently schedule your protest in such a way as not to bother them too much it's probably not worth protesting at all.

Exctly! Maybe if they send politicians kindly worded messages iced onto delicious cakes they will change their ways.

Tramps Like Us

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

If you think you're being lied to just tell them to leave and don't vote for them.

It's not for you or anyone else to interfere with and disrupt their private lives.

Obviously I did not think I was being lied to at the time - like many others I trusted labour

Annasopra

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

Some drug dealers do, in the past it was common enough in Dublin before some people installed electric gates on their semi ds and retreated behind them in celtic tiger ivory towers.

Being a politician is not just a normal "job" and you know it.

No. At the end of the day it is just a job.

Jester252

People should only protest TD at their job. Not at their private home or conducting private business. Why should their children and partners have to deal with these people?

Femme_Fatale

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

The pricks dont mind coming to my door and telling me lies right to my face to get me to vote for them

Simple solution - just close the door on them.

ScumLord wrote: »

The whole point of protest is to pressure a politician into changing something. If you're going to conveniently schedule your protest in such a way as not to bother them too much it's probably not worth protesting at all.

So you don't care about their families?

Banjoxed

mango salsa wrote: »

Can you explain more?

Yes. Prescott was egged at close range by a fuel protestor so he punched him.

AudreyHepburn

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

Obviously I did not think I was being lied to at the time - like many others I trusted labour

It wasn't that obvious no.

Again if you don't want them there just ask them to leave.

No point in getting on your high horse about it.

AudreyHepburn

Tramps Like Us wrote: »

Some drug dealers do, in the past it was common enough in Dublin before some people installed electric gates on their semi ds and retreated behind them in celtic tiger ivory towers.

Being a politician is not just a normal "job" and you know it.

Yes it is. It's just a means to an end like any other job.

dirkmeister

No, God no.

The same applies for when they are out having a meal, having a pint etc..

Femme_Fatale

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

Absolutely not. There are likely to be other people living in that home than the politician in question (in the case of less senior politicians, the stealth taxes would go ahead with or without them anyway). The only people who would do it are moronic, obnoxious DDI types who need an easy target.

Some of whom will probably inherit the seat and run the country in a few years :P

Seriously though no. i think a protest outside the TD office would be a fairer and probably more effective option

My name is URL

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

Would you want a gang of protesters roaring and shouting at your door?

No more than I'd want a gang of bailiffs and revenue collectors banging on my door for refusing to pay an unfair tax on my personal home.. upsetting the missus and the kids.

twinytwo

mango salsa wrote: »

Recently some protesters from the CAHWT water tax charges are protesting outside the homes of TDs.

I launched into a blistering attack on one of them yesterday for doing this.

In my view political protests are perfectly legitimate but it is completely morally wrong to protest outside the personal home of a politician. Other people I was speaking to agreed with me but the woman handing out the leaflets claimed the majority of people agree with her.

Regardless of what the issue is, Are the personal homes of politicians fair game for protests?

They way i see it, most of the politcians have no morals whatsoever... now while two wrongs dont make a right, if politicians acutally did what they were elected to do, rather than look after themselves/their buddies/ the golden circle etc etc there wouldnt be an protests in the first place.

ArnoldJRimmer

Banjoxed wrote: »

Yes. Prescott was egged at close range by a fuel protestor so he punched him.

Here it is in all its glory. He was dead right too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XTiI1e-wVc

Cerco

I think the OP is having a laugh here. It could not be a serious question embellished by phrases like "it's only a job" etc. etc.

ScumLord

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

Simple solution - just close the door on them.

So you don't care about their families?

I was just making a point, I'm not saying I agree with it. But a good way to put pressure on someone is to do it in front of their children. Protests outside their offices can just be ignored, the only time they have to deal with it is when coming or going. It's not really putting them out much and it's easy for them to stand their ground.

When you take it to their home they become personally affected and will find it harder to ignore the issue.

Seachmall

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

Yes it is. It's just a means to an end like any other job.

No it's not.

Annasopra

Cerco wrote: »

I think the OP is having a laugh here. It could not be a serious question embellished by phrases like "it's only a job" etc. etc.

I'm perfectly serious.

Annasopra

ScumLord wrote: »

I was just making a point, I'm not saying I agree with it. But a good way to put pressure on someone is to do it in front of their children. Protests outside their offices can just be ignored, the only time they have to deal with it is when coming or going. It's not really putting them out much and it's easy for them to stand their ground.

When you take it to their home they become personally affected and will find it harder to ignore the issue.

So it's a case of really resorting to lynchmob bullyboy tactics

Phoebas

ScumLord wrote: »

I was just making a point, I'm not saying I agree with it. But a good way to put pressure on someone is to do it in front of their children. Protests outside their offices can just be ignored, the only time they have to deal with it is when coming or going. It's not really putting them out much and it's easy for them to stand their ground.

When you take it to their home they become personally affected and will find it harder to ignore the issue.

So implicit threats on the children of politicians is good way to apply political pressure?

Aineoil

ScumLord wrote: »

When you take it to their home they become personally affected and will find it harder to ignore the issue.

That maybe true, but it's still wrong. It's wrong on so many levels.

Annasopra

Phoebas wrote: »

So implicit threats on the children of politicians is good way to apply political pressure?

No. It's just bullyboy tactics plain and simple.

ted1

Absolutely not.

Politics is a open game. If you don't think that they are doing a good job don't vote them in. For those who think its ok to protest outside their houses, if you could do a better job then why didn't you run in the last election or even the next. All it takes is 30 nominations from people living in the area.

Banjoxed

Ultimately, no amount of direct protest will change the way all the mammies, daddies, grannies and grandas vote and may even reinforce their support. Middle Ireland is famously conservative and protests outside homes would be seen as blackguarding.

AudreyHepburn

ScumLord wrote: »

I was just making a point, I'm not saying I agree with it. But a good way to put pressure on someone is to do it in front of their children. Protests outside their offices can just be ignored, the only time they have to deal with it is when coming or going. It's not really putting them out much and it's easy for them to stand their ground.

When you take it to their home they become personally affected and will find it harder to ignore the issue.

What a horrible attitude to have.

Aineoil

mango salsa wrote: »

No. It's just bullyboy tactics plain and simple.

And a politician's children are fair game? I have no words to describe this behaviour.

ScumLord

mango salsa wrote: »

So it's a case of really resorting to lynchmob bullyboy tactics

I was listening to a thing on the radio about how soft the Irish people are and how it allows our politicians to walk all over us. We accept every law change quite easily these days. What do you want to do? Do you honestly believe politicians will give in to asking nicely?

Phoebas wrote: »

So implicit threats on the children of politicians is good way to apply political pressure?

Depends on your definition of good. If you mean "good" as is morally right then no, but if you mean "good" as in more effective at accomplishing their goal of making the politicians uncomfortable then, yes.

Hootanany

Yup they made their bed lye in it.

Doff

Should do what IT Carlow done when protesting the fee's. Go protest outside the office at lunch time when no one is in there, get loads of pictures and other propaganda then disband the march before 2 o clock.

Banjoxed

ted1 wrote: »

Absolutely not.

Politics is a open game. If you don't think that they are doing a good job don't vote them in. For those who think its ok to protest outside their houses, if you could do a better job then why didn't you run in the last election or even the next. All it takes is 30 nominations from people living in the area.

They won't run for election, that would mean knocking on doors, promising stuff and then actually doing stuff in the Oireachtas. They might not be too keen on protests themselves when they would be in the hot seat. Best be an Internet warrior instead.

wexie

mango salsa wrote: »

In my view political protests are perfectly legitimate but it is completely morally wrong to protest outside the personal home of a politician. Other people I was speaking to agreed with me but the woman handing out the leaflets claimed the majority of people agree with her.

To be honest I'd generally agree with you.

However with the bunch of leeches running this country what's morally or ethically right or acceptable seems to have become somewhat irrelevant.
Keeping that in mind I think everybody should feel free to make their lives as uncomfortable as possible within the bounds of the law.

Femme_Fatale

Hootanany wrote: »

Yup they made their bed lye in it.

Another staggeringly insightful post from Hootanany. So an individual TD makes the decision yeh?

Annasopra

Aineoil wrote: »

And a politician's children are fair game? I have no words to describe this behaviour.

No. They're absolutely not.