British election donnybrook (dustup for Americans)

[Fljotsdale]

I hate to quell the euphoria... but, well, I AM an old lady!
Whilst I have a certain satisfaction in seeing anyone standing up for him/herself, I cannot help feeling, that had the PM done it, he would have been expected to resign, since a person who cannot control him/herself cannot be considered fit to control anything else - especially government.

Also, this world is a pretty violent place already, so what hope do we have of peaceful relations with one another if those who govern us are so lacking in self-control that they hit out at something as trivial as being spattered with egg? It wasn't even a rotten egg! The egg-thrower was expressing himself with a mild form of violence, yes, but it was far from sufficient to justify such an extreme reaction by Prescott. He should be ashamed of himself. Both he and Smirking Blair should be asking themselves what they have done to provoke so much anger in the general public!
IMHO, anyway!

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Smile! Life is too short for bitching!

Fljotsdale

[This message has been edited by Fljotsdale (edited 05-18-2001).]

[Sir Taliesin]

It made the newspaper here in Knoxville. If that would have happened here the press would have rode him out on a rail!

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Sir Taliesin

If they take my gun can I still use my Claymore?

[caleb]

Fljotsdale if someone pulls a pellet gun on the cop the cop is still gonna shoot him with a real bullet. Same with the protester he may have only used a mild form of violence but its WAS violence so he deserved what he got back.


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Welcome to hell.

[Fljotsdale]

Originally posted by caleb: Fljotsdale if someone pulls a pellet gun on the cop the cop is still gonna shoot him with a real bullet. Same with the protester he may have only used a mild form of violence but its WAS violence so he deserved what he got back.

Not saying he didn't deserve it, Caleb! Just that a politician didn't have the right to retaliate, due to his position.

And in England, if a cop shoots someone who has a dummy gun he is in deep s**t!


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Smile! Life is too short for bitching!

Fljotsdale

[This message has been edited by Fljotsdale (edited 05-19-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Fljotsdale (edited 05-19-2001).]

[Mouse]

Prescott got away with it BIGTIME!! Just imagine how the press/populace would have reacted if his punch had connected with (and in no particular order of preference)

a) a female
b) a disabled person
c) a member of an "ethnic minority"

Just because he hit a male with a hideous hairstyle does not make it right.



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Regards



Mouse

[Memnoch]

I disagree. If someone hits you with an egg thrown full force to the side of your head from 2 feet away, you are entitled to retaliate in self-defence. That's essentially assault. If the egg was thrown from a distance where Prescott could've seen it happening, then you could argue that he should've exercised more restraint. But people have a right to preserve their own dignity no matter what position they're in - irrespective of which political party they belong to.

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[Mouse]

Originally posted by Memnoch: But people have a right to preserve their own dignity no matter what position they're in - irrespective of which political party they belong to.

Don't quite see how punching someone's lights out equates to preserving someone's dignity........



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Regards



Mouse

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Memnoch: I disagree. If someone hits you with an egg thrown full force to the side of your head from 2 feet away, you are entitled to retaliate in self-defence. That's essentially assault. If the egg was thrown from a distance where Prescott could've seen it happening, then you could argue that he should've exercised more restraint. But people have a right to preserve their own dignity no matter what position they're in - irrespective of which political party they belong to.

I agree. His reaction was reflex. It would have felt like a rock or bullet or punch for all he knew. He felt wetness which could have been his own blood for all he knew. His instictive survival defenses took over. The protester would not have got tonked if he hadn't been such an idiot in chucking the bloody thing in the first place.

Absolutely hilarious IMO.

If the protester had thrown an egg at any other human from two feet away, you can guarantee that if it was another male with boxing training (like Prescott has) he would have been tonked. Law of the jungle - you don't do it.

Fair enough Prescott should have had self control, but at that speed, and with the North Ireland related violence lately, self control could mean death.

"Turning the other cheek" is a radical proposal and is totally outside human nature. In the "christian" west it tends to be forgotten how much of a concious choice to be vulnerable it is. He's only human.



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I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on....

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

[Memnoch]

Originally posted by Mouse: Don't quite see how punching someone's lights out equates to preserving someone's dignity........

This is the sequence of events as I saw it:

1) guy throws egg from 2 feet away, out of Prescott's line of sight
2) egg hits side of Prescott's head
3) Prescott turns and reflexively smacks protester on jaw which he is ENTITLED to do in self defense
4) protester starts grappling with Prescott and Prescott starts grappling with him

From there it's ON for both of them!!!! Both are now essentially defending themselves but it was the protester guy who threw the first...egg, so to speak.

Sorry, but I don't think you can throw an egg at someone at that close range and not expect a reaction. Politicians are not there to be physically abused, irrespective of what their political leanings are, they have a right to not have to put up with that. It would have been more responsible for him to NOT respond, but I don't fault him at all for doing so.

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[caleb]

I can see the headlines of the sequel of this coming up. "A protester that threw a egg at jesse ventura is in critical condition from being piledrived in to the pavement"

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Welcome to hell.