Should we also protest?

[anotheoldgit]

The British are constantly being criticised by some on AB, but having witnessed the scenes of violent protests outside the British Embassy in Tehran, and calling for the British to be killed, are we not as always the most tolerent nation on earth?

Since we have 15 of our force's personnal held against their will in Iran, have we not also every reason to take up violent protest against the Iranian Embassy in London?

It just would not happen, the British people are far too civilised, I do not include our politicians, I hasten to add.

[anotheoldgit]

Sorry about this it should have gone to the News Topics.

[Caladon]

Wrong forum... but I agree whole heartedly.

We may be mocked but, apart from our football hooligans of which I am ashamed, we are a very tolerant people, even in the face of our friends mocking us in times of hardship...

When September 11th occured, many British firemen and engineers fly over there to help.
When July 7th occured... the americans made fun and mocked us.
So much for friendship, but unlike the americans we did not whine about it at the time. We just got on with our lives which is what triumph and winning truely is.

[brachiopod]

I don't think it's being civilised - it's being apathetic.

We'll get worked up about something we read in the Daily mail, but we won't get off our R-ses to do anything about it.

We have a fine tradition to dismiss and demean legitimate protest - so we always label them layabouts, anarchists, communists, peace-niks, yobs, loony lefts, loony-liberals, do-gooders or animal rights nutters.

The sizes of rallies and gatherings are played down in the media or ignored altogether - (unless, of course, it all kicks off, where the resulting violence is the ideal weapon with which to discredit the whole protest)

When we British feel stongly about something, what do we do?
March in protest? Make our voices be heard? Gather together to show our strength of feeling?

No, we tut, sigh, then turn the newspaper page over, and have a good moan about it in the pub. A very few may feel so incensed that they might think about writing a letter to the Editor or their MP - and fewer still, will actually get round to writing one.

Such is our apathy that even our right to protest has been eroded. (Still, who needs that when I can sign an on-line petition, eh?)

So what would really cause the British to rise up in violence? Government corruption? Erosion of our Civil liberties? Taxation? Pollution? Anything that interferes with our right to drive our cars?

No.

A few people in different coloured shirts kicking a ball around? Yes.

[anotheoldgit]

I couldn't have put it better myself brachiopod, you have got it in one.