Over 1,000,000 people got up off their butts and put the actual effort in to physically marching on London to protest against the illegal war in Iraq. The left wing government took no notice what so ever. None.
Please, I am a Brit, can you tell me why the current right wing nut jobs we currently have ruining our country will take notice of people merely filling out a petition on the internet?
Im sorry, lazily filling out an e-Petition is only of any use if its what the government want to do in the first place. They use it validate their prejudice. If it differs from their policy, they will simply ignore it.
Worse still, if not may people sign the petition, they will use that too as an excuse to back up their prejudgment.
So, I say, get rid of that e-Petition now, it makes things worse.
Terrifyingly, speaking as a wet pacifist who couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag, the only way I see to oppose a sitting government is mass violence. Bigger violence that a few summers ago.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk :
> You can create an e-petition about anything that the government is responsible for and if it gets at least 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in the House of Commons.
A protest by 1m people doesn't induce any requirement on the house of commons...these petitions do.
They might not change anything, but at least sign the thing before committing to failure.
alan_cx:
> Terrifyingly, speaking as a wet pacifist who couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag, the only way I see to oppose a sitting government is mass violence. Bigger violence that a few summers ago.
OUCH. Maybe i'm should be pro GCHQ, might stop you from stabbing a squaddie.
Using (or threatening with violence) when you feel like you have too little power to change things is a contradiction...if you have so little political power, why do you think your personal physical power will be so much more effective? Terrorists and anarchists are the reasons GCHQ exists.
Please, I am a Brit, can you tell me why the current right wing nut jobs we currently have ruining our country will take notice of people merely filling out a petition on the internet?
Im sorry, lazily filling out an e-Petition is only of any use if its what the government want to do in the first place. They use it validate their prejudice. If it differs from their policy, they will simply ignore it.
Worse still, if not may people sign the petition, they will use that too as an excuse to back up their prejudgment.
So, I say, get rid of that e-Petition now, it makes things worse.
Terrifyingly, speaking as a wet pacifist who couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag, the only way I see to oppose a sitting government is mass violence. Bigger violence that a few summers ago.