Comments on: One-armed man arrested in Belarus for clapping

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:54:00 +0000

If it were in Wales.

By: Hilary O'brien

Hilary O'brien — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:04:00 +0000

Or would it be LiveLeek?

By: DreamboatSkanky

DreamboatSkanky — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:56:00 +0000

That’s just being properly cautious. You don’t want any clap damage if you’re gonna be towing with those things.

By: DreamboatSkanky

DreamboatSkanky — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:53:00 +0000

In a suit that’s a little too small?

By: Nathan Hornby

Nathan Hornby — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:07:00 +0000

If I were awaiting an applause, and people started beating their chests, I’d be freaked out. Is this a regional thing maybe?

It makes sense, I just never see it.

By: Nathan Hornby

Nathan Hornby — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:05:00 +0000

When at gigs I normally have a drink in my hand – banging my hand against my thigh is the only way I can show gratitude!

By: Brad Bell

Brad Bell — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:02:00 +0000

I believe we are looking at this upside down. This is a great story of clever people re-inventing what protest means. They seem to have turned the old phrase, “the best revenge is living well” into a form of political protest. Applause is just one tactic. The young Belarusians also have flash mobs where everyone will suddenly be strolling around the square eating ice cream. Or they will quietly walk around smiling at each other. It’s genius!

Digital communications allows them to redefine for each other, the meaning of applause, or eating an ice cream. These redefinitions constitute a kind of shared culture – the social glue that binds people together – which is necessary before there can be any kind of coordinated political action. The same dynamics exist for global citizens, who would see huge gains in power both locally and globally if we used the internet to redefine what things mean and synchronise ourselves to say, “no” at the same time.

By: Carlos Cardoso

Carlos Cardoso — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 10:09:00 +0000

If TV teached me one thing is that one does not trust one-armed men.

By: Florian Bösch

Florian Bösch — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 07:52:00 +0000

In Belarus, The Onion is the real news.

By: planettom

planettom — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 23:46:00 +0000

But a one-armed man can still get the clap.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 23:04:00 +0000

Strictly speaking, Jerry Lewis precedes Ish Kabbible since he started performing at age five.

By: B A

B A — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 22:03:00 +0000

Bill Hicks’ one hand clapping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5grIESGObM8

By: James Penrose

James Penrose — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 19:52:00 +0000

Because very few dictators have the parsnips to not pretend they run a “nation of laws” and that the rule of law is what is really making them do these terrible things.

“I am just enforcing the will of the people as passed by the People’s Assembly” gives them a theoretical leg to stand on along with the “We must have order or the terrorists have won” and my favorite, sadly from the U.S. “It is unpatriotic to protest the new security laws as they are intended to fight terrorism and a free people must have limits on their freedom to be truly free.” (Paraphrase of multiple Presidential speeches from one Bush or another.)

By: Preston Sturges

Preston Sturges — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 19:40:00 +0000

Like theOnion? That would be LiveLeak

By: Robert

Robert — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 17:54:00 +0000

If I’m holding something, I use my chest. I find it’s better to make a fist out of my hand and then thump my chest. If it’s an extended applause, though, I feel the need to start attacking audience members.

By: Preston Sturges

Preston Sturges — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 17:53:00 +0000

Evolution of the character of the gawky idiot in a suit that’s a little too small.

Ish Kabibble >> Young Jerry Lewis >> Pee Wee Herman

By: mysterymoil

mysterymoil — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 16:40:00 +0000

This must mean that in Belarus high-fiving is considered a conspiracy offense.

By: oasisob1

oasisob1 — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 14:48:00 +0000

Apologize for what? Best joke ever.

By: Jack Feerick

Jack Feerick — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 14:25:00 +0000

That may be the only time the word “liberal” will ever be used in relation to this legislation…

By: Marc Botte

Marc Botte — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 10:19:00 +0000

This news is one and a half year old http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2011/0708/In-Belarus-one-armed-man-arrested-for-clapping

By: Rindan

Rindan — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 09:37:00 +0000

Good old Belarus. I feel like they are doing a service to Europe. They are there as a constant reminder that living under an authoritarian dictator sucks, and that you shouldn’t do it. At least China has the decency to spread the authoritarian power around a little and makes a fair attempt at improving the lives of their people, if for no other reason than because they are afraid of 1.5 billion pissed off peasants. That piece of shit Lukashenko doesn’t even pretend to give a shit about the people who is brutally suppressing while robbing the nation of what little resources it has left.

By: Lemoutan

Lemoutan — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 09:35:00 +0000

Yes, but trickery aside – one person may clap. But doesn’t applause, a communal activity, need more than one person? Are we sure of the translation of the law? The intention seems to be more anti-applause than anti-clap. The distinction is important for whereas it would seem impossible that a one-armed man could break an anti-clapping law, he might break an anti-applauding one.

By: ocker3

ocker3 — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 07:42:00 +0000

If I’m holding something and want to applaud, I either slap my leg or my chest

By: retepslluerb

retepslluerb — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 07:25:00 +0000

This. I – despite having tow arms and hands – almost never clap hand to hand. I usually use hand-to-leg or hand-to-table (common at university, I guess).

Standing up it’s simple to clap hand-to-breast.

By: smut clyde

smut clyde — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 06:53:00 +0000

The poor guy had intended to fund his legal battle using his venison farm as collateral, but that was confiscated, leaving him without a stag to lend on.

By: humanresource

humanresource — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 06:29:00 +0000

That goes without saying.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 05:25:00 +0000

A tutorial

By: miasm

miasm — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 05:17:00 +0000

One may also clap one’s fingers against the same hand’s palm.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 05:11:00 +0000

I apologize in advance.

By: Jim Dillon

Jim Dillon — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 05:09:00 +0000

Reminds one of the Georges Brassens lyric that might be roughly translated “every man’s hand is raised against me, except, of course, for the amputees’”.