Comments on: Student Riots in Italy: a dispatch from Jasmina Tesanovic http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:32:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Brad Bell http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1586192 Brad Bell Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1586192 The IMF reversed it's position and admitted it made a mistake advising governments to implement austerity policies. Experience with the policies in the UK certainly bears this out. Nonetheless, governments continue to use the policies as both a justification and a blunt instrument to beat citizens with. Why?  The IMF reversed it’s position and admitted it made a mistake advising governments to implement austerity policies. Experience with the policies in the UK certainly bears this out. Nonetheless, governments continue to use the policies as both a justification and a blunt instrument to beat citizens with. Why? 

]]> By: Luca Lucakiss Calabrese http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1585634 Luca Lucakiss Calabrese Sat, 17 Nov 2012 22:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1585634  no actually what i meant was...nobody cares what was going on there...i think the cops had other things to look at :))  no actually what i meant was…nobody cares what was going on there…i think the cops had other things to look at :))

]]> By: niktemadur http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1585190 niktemadur Sat, 17 Nov 2012 01:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1585190 Entertained cop is entertained.  Amid all the fun and games, it's easy to overlook that one of the girls is giving the cops the finger. Entertained cop is entertained.  Amid all the fun and games, it’s easy to overlook that one of the girls is giving the cops the finger.

]]> By: Ito Kagehisa http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1584789 Ito Kagehisa Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1584789 <blockquote>Isn't taxation forcible confiscation of our stuff?</blockquote> Personally, I voluntarily pay taxes to pay for the social goods I receive.  However, if you are one hundred percent abstaining from the use of all publicly funded goods and infrastructure, including roads, police, fire departments, education, social security, etc. etc. ad nausem, then for you maybe it's forcible confiscation.  If you in fact have ever used any of these things, it's not forcible confiscation, it's debt collection by force, which is slightly different. <blockquote>can I shoot them?</blockquote> Sure, absolutely, as long as you are willing to die for that privilege.

Isn’t taxation forcible confiscation of our stuff?

Personally, I voluntarily pay taxes to pay for the social goods I receive.  However, if you are one hundred percent abstaining from the use of all publicly funded goods and infrastructure, including roads, police, fire departments, education, social security, etc. etc. ad nausem, then for you maybe it’s forcible confiscation.  If you in fact have ever used any of these things, it’s not forcible confiscation, it’s debt collection by force, which is slightly different.

can I shoot them?

Sure, absolutely, as long as you are willing to die for that privilege.

]]> By: ZikZak http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1584156 ZikZak Fri, 16 Nov 2012 06:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1584156 <blockquote>but in a stable democracy</blockquote>And how can one tell if one lives in a stable democracy?  Ah yes, the absence of riots and civil disorder.  I sense a circular argument here.  At least consider that if people are rioting, it may be because they have realized they do not live in a democracy after all, and that the lives they thought they had earned are shockingly unstable.

but in a stable democracy

And how can one tell if one lives in a stable democracy?  Ah yes, the absence of riots and civil disorder.  I sense a circular argument here.  At least consider that if people are rioting, it may be because they have realized they do not live in a democracy after all, and that the lives they thought they had earned are shockingly unstable.

]]> By: Aloisius http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1584066 Aloisius Fri, 16 Nov 2012 04:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1584066 It might be an effective strategy in a country which is already unstable to provoke law enforcement and destroy property, but in a stable democracy, the black bloc simply makes a group look like uncivilized children who can't even control their own baser instincts. If you aren't willing to "sit calmly and sing songs", stay home. It might be an effective strategy in a country which is already unstable to provoke law enforcement and destroy property, but in a stable democracy, the black bloc simply makes a group look like uncivilized children who can’t even control their own baser instincts.

If you aren’t willing to “sit calmly and sing songs”, stay home.

]]> By: Frank Diekman http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583866 Frank Diekman Fri, 16 Nov 2012 01:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583866 Nice creep stares on the riot cops Nice creep stares on the riot cops

]]> By: Forced2Register http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583818 Forced2Register Fri, 16 Nov 2012 00:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583818 Isn't taxation forcible confiscation of our stuff? can I shoot them? Isn’t taxation forcible confiscation of our stuff? can I shoot them?

]]> By: Ito Kagehisa http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583784 Ito Kagehisa Fri, 16 Nov 2012 00:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583784 How would you propose to change this?  Keep in mind that if you say "I'm going to take your stuff" or anything of that sort, I'm going to say "be sure to bring a lot of friends when you visit, because ammo is cheap".  But if you've got something better than forcible confiscation of my stuff, I'm all ears. How would you propose to change this?  Keep in mind that if you say “I’m going to take your stuff” or anything of that sort, I’m going to say “be sure to bring a lot of friends when you visit, because ammo is cheap”.  But if you’ve got something better than forcible confiscation of my stuff, I’m all ears.

]]> By: dethbird http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583654 dethbird Thu, 15 Nov 2012 22:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583654 This will continue as long as the culture of resource hoarding persists. People with deep coffers only in the world to make them deeper then what, rot in the ground with no discernable contribution to humanity. This will continue as long as the culture of resource hoarding persists. People with deep coffers only in the world to make them deeper then what, rot in the ground with no discernable contribution to humanity.

]]> By: Mister44 http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583597 Mister44 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583597 That guy on the left is enjoying the show. "Heh heh. All right!" That guy on the left is enjoying the show. “Heh heh. All right!”

]]> By: SomeGuyNamedMark http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583577 SomeGuyNamedMark Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583577 "You sure showed us!  Don't stop..." “You sure showed us!  Don’t stop…”

]]> By: Navin_Johnson http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583551 Navin_Johnson Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583551  I was gonna say, he's looking all: "Mama Mia!!!"  I was gonna say, he’s looking all: “Mama Mia!!!”

]]> By: tyger11 http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583546 tyger11 Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583546 More people who "want stuff", obviously. You know, things like health care, and a functioning society. More and more, the world governments seem to be  resembling the Umbrella Corp, in that they'll let the world go to hell in order to maintain control. More people who “want stuff”, obviously. You know, things like health care, and a functioning society.

More and more, the world governments seem to be  resembling the Umbrella Corp, in that they’ll let the world go to hell in order to maintain control.

]]> By: ChicagoD http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583521 ChicagoD Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583521 I really am not entirely sure what Ms. Tesanovic's perspective is supposed to be here, but I do know that the cop all the way on the left looks ready to spend all day watching these protesters. I really am not entirely sure what Ms. Tesanovic’s perspective is supposed to be here, but I do know that the cop all the way on the left looks ready to spend all day watching these protesters.

]]> By: ZikZak http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583515 ZikZak Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583515 It's dangerous to call anyone who fights to defend themselves and others a "provocateur".  Because you never know when you yourself will find yourself demonized according to your own definition. "Peaceful legal manifestations" are nice, but when they start seriously challenging the powerful, they won't stay legal.  Politicians make sure of that. And when the people insist on their rights in spite of the law, it won't be peaceful.  The police make sure of that. Not everyone is willing to sit calmly and sing songs while they take their beating, and I think that's perfectly understandable. It’s dangerous to call anyone who fights to defend themselves and others a “provocateur”.  Because you never know when you yourself will find yourself demonized according to your own definition.

“Peaceful legal manifestations” are nice, but when they start seriously challenging the powerful, they won’t stay legal.  Politicians make sure of that. And when the people insist on their rights in spite of the law, it won’t be peaceful.  The police make sure of that.

Not everyone is willing to sit calmly and sing songs while they take their beating, and I think that’s perfectly understandable.

]]> By: Hunter Hubbell http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583496 Hunter Hubbell Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583496  Thanks for speaking for all of us! Keep contributing bro.  Thanks for speaking for all of us! Keep contributing bro.

]]> By: Luca Lucakiss Calabrese http://boingboing.net/2012/11/15/student-riots-in-italy-a-disp.html#comment-1583487 Luca Lucakiss Calabrese Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=194408#comment-1583487 nobody cares.... nobody cares….

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