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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think the anti trump marches are a waste of time

345 replies

yearyeahyah · 12/07/2018 09:34

I don't like him or agree with his policies, but what good is it going to do walking around with a giant helium balloon of a baby?

Loads of horrible world leaders from the middle East that are doing far far woorse and they get a royal visit over here with no one batting an eyelid. Just smacks of double standards to me.

OP posts:
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MarshaBradyo · 12/07/2018 10:02

Surely if someone has to apply you can set the criteria higher than is it safe

KidLorneRoll · 12/07/2018 10:04

No, you don't, unless you aren't terribly fond of the right to protest or are ignorant of how vital that right is to a free and democratic country.

MarshaBradyo · 12/07/2018 10:05

The balloon only, protest fine
But yeh I am surprised you can do anything

topcat1980 · 12/07/2018 10:06

"SK is just wanting more attention on himself rather and avoiding the rising crime rate in London."

The Mayor's office approved this not the Mayor don't conflate the two, based on the regulations, to deny it is against freedom of speech and to demonstrate.

scaryteacher · 12/07/2018 10:09

The maximum term for Trump is 8 years if he gets re-elected. Erdogan, like Putin, now seems set for life. Clinton was/is a sleaze, but that seems to be forgotten.

It's a shame that people can't see the difference between the Office and the person who holds it. Macron can see the difference...he may not like Trump, but sees the value in being diplomatic towards the Office he holds.

Anniegetyourgun · 12/07/2018 10:11

It is simply untrue to say there haven't been any protests against other horrible world leaders. It's just that neither the visits nor the protests garnered quite so much attention. Trump himself is so flamboyant and self-publicizing that there should be no surprise he attracts more attention than your average, say, Middle Eastern monarch or South East Asian dictator. He's been busily insulting everyone he can remember the name of, and every country he's had dealings with, since Day 1. Now he's going to be insulted in return, by enthusiastic amateurs, whilst unfortunately our leaders are compelled through expediency to be reasonably polite. Diplomacy co-exists uneasily with democracy at times, but both are important and hopefully inalienable.

I also agree with the pp who said that we expect better from America, of all countries. They were the (self-styled!) leaders of the free world two short years ago. Now Trump is trying to dismantle pretty much everything the US previously stood for, pull out of every multilateral body they were prime movers in setting up, and potentially destabilize international trade, nay, the entire base of international co-operation - that's not my opinion, it's what he says he wants and his supporters are delighted. It makes no sense and it should be protested against.

Am I going? No. I'm a lazy keyboard warrior. I do my protesting online if at all. All respect to those who will be there, though.

makingtime · 12/07/2018 10:12

The government is being diplomatic... The balloon is being flown by members of the public. The protesters are members of the public. The point about Macron makes no sense. It's not as though Theresa May is out there holding the balloon string

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 12/07/2018 10:13

I find it really embarrassing. Really who do the British think they are? He was elected democratically by the American voters, and will be in for a maximum 8 years. Have no idea what right we have to protest.

Anniegetyourgun · 12/07/2018 10:16

Really who do the British think they are?

Citizens of a separate, sovereign nation?

Have no idea what right we have to protest

Have no idea why we wouldn't have a right to.

topcat1980 · 12/07/2018 10:19

"It's a shame that people can't see the difference between the Office and the person who holds it. "

Yeah, when the man who holds the office spent most of the previous 8 years trying to prove that the previous incumbent wasn't allowed to hold that office, and showed no respect for it, that goes out the window.

Freedom of speech, gammons only like it when they do it.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 12/07/2018 10:19

Citizens of a separate, sovereign nation? exactly! Fuck all to do with us. As if we haven’t got enough on our plate at home, just a few busybodies trying to cause trouble imo.

yearyeahyah · 12/07/2018 10:23

It's just going to be full of "right on" people wanting a selfie with a ballon.

More distractions from real issues.

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makingtime · 12/07/2018 10:24

Citizens of a separate, sovereign nation? exactly! Fuck all to do with us. As if we haven’t got enough on our plate at home, just a few busybodies trying to cause trouble imo

This is so depressing. Isolationist, island mentality. The president of the US is far more than just the leader of his own country. He represents the head of the free world and his actions send ripple effects across the world.

TemptressofWaikiki · 12/07/2018 10:26

OP, you should trundle over to the Daily Hate Mail. But yeah, marches are so pointless, I mean look at those pesky suffragettes what good did that do…? Grin

Freespeecher · 12/07/2018 10:28

Suppose it'll help people reach their 10,000 step target.

yearyeahyah · 12/07/2018 10:30

It's hugely insulting to the suffragettes to compare them to the trump protests. Biscuit

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ilovesooty · 12/07/2018 10:33

@makingtime well said.

drearydeardre · 12/07/2018 10:39

stop with the 'gammon' stereotyping. It may not be classed as racist but it is certainly offensive Hmm

Bluelady · 12/07/2018 10:40

It really isn't insulting the suffragette movement at all. The principle of right to protest is precisely the same.

OkMaybeNot · 12/07/2018 10:40

A waste of time as in they won't achieve anything significant, perhaps. Not a waste of time for those marching though.

Phosphorus · 12/07/2018 10:43

Bluelady and Temptress are right.

Why do you think the suffragette protests were different OP?

topcat1980 · 12/07/2018 10:44

But its true.

Freedom of speech is held up by the right wing all the time, Trump says all sorts of offensive things and they back him.

They don't like it when it goes against them.

But then they are always exceptionalists.

"Freedom of speech", but only when it agrees with me.

"Democracy!" But only when it agrees with me.

lostincake · 12/07/2018 10:46

I think the Trump balloon is extremely childish but at least Sadiq Khan will presumably continue to allow free expression by allowing the Sadiq Khan baby blimp to be flown over London too (and it seems to be very popular as has raised more money than the Trump blimp and in a shorter time period too).

OkMaybeNot · 12/07/2018 10:48

Has the Sadiq balloon been made?

Bit weird they've chosen raise money to make one. It's not Sadiq visiting is it?

AnnUnderTheFryingPan · 12/07/2018 10:50

I agree to some extent. But I think it’s more about people wanting to stand up and say something out loud, even if it’s into a void.

The way to hurt Trump and those like him is to ignore him. If he wasn’t entertained, if the news didn’t report, if we all quietly went about our business and nothing was said, he’d notice.

No press coverage and minimal state/government contact.

Showing up because of him feeds his narcissism.

We just need to quietly pretend he isn’t there.