Cugel wrote:Tangled Metal wrote:The media does seem to show more ordinary types than the typical environment activist. Makes a change and perhaps that's a sign of a positive change to the environmental protest. Climate change has become more accepted and a higher priority issue for the wider population. That's positive IMHO, if it's left to the traditional types you see then it's not a good way to get this change.
BTW I remember the old days of road building protests in Lancashire, not too far from where I lived at the time. The infamous Swampy character seemed to be the look of such protests.
Not very wise to judge an issue and associated protests by what some of the protestors look like, especially when their "look" is portrayed by the newspap organs of fear & loathing.
Cugel
Not judging the issue by their look just commenting on how things have changed. Now there's suited and booted protesters glueing themselves to trains. Where a spokesman goes on the news wearing a suit, tie and air of middle class respectability but not so long ago got pinched for spraying a magistrates court or tory hq as a protest against Heathrow.
Back when I could have had the immature inclination that I could change the world the big protests near me were against road building and generally consisted of a lot of drop outs digging holes in the ground or living in trees. With the odd support of middle class NIMBYs supplying food parcels.
Just read a daily fail (first time for ages since someone on here linked to them) piece on the sky news interview of a ER spokesman. He got a bit of a hard time I believe. His presentation was about not standing for this, not standing for that then standing up and leaving when the interviewer said they were incompetent middle class self indulgent people.
I'm not judging the issue at all by them. The issue stands on its own merits very well and it's an issue I want action on too. I disagree with their methods though.
Also I will judge this group in any way I choose but especially for what they're doing. I think it's right to question methods to get change. Is their approach the right way. Parliament has left the building. I'm not even sure they'd be bothered by any difficulty for londoners getting around neither. It's just stunts and obstruction. Costly too I believe.
Personally I think there's probably mileage to take governments to court over climate and air pollution issues. With the Brexit / referendum issue and Gina Miller's court case there's a kind of model for confronting government through the courts but I'm no lawyer so could be wrong. For me protest like this is last resort and on some ways a sign of failure.
BTW I'm give you media of fear and loathing for the daily heil, certain leftwing publications and possibly torygraph too. Although even they can get some things right eventually.