VaughanJB
Scrappy VIP
SOURCE: Protests descending into mob rule, Rishi Sunak warns police
"Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has warned police chiefs of a "growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democratic rule".
He wants more robust police responses that he says are needed to protect politicians and democratic processes.
This includes an "immediate response" from police to intimidatory protest at MPs' homes.
But human rights group Amnesty International says the PM "wildly exaggerates the issue"."
I read this story yesterday, and my initial reaction was, "finally, someone is saying it like it is". Which is quite something coming from Sunak. But looking beyond specific political parties or politicians, it does encompass an overall feeling that mirrors my own. Things are getting bad, really bad, and the dive to the bottom isn't over yet, imo.
Politics is simply about different ideas and philosophies, and policies that bring those ideas to fruition. There is a perceived national impact, and then there is the personal. For the vast majority of us, the general direction a country is taking doesn't have a whole lot of impact on us individually. I mean, my own country is currently spending billions to support wars, and yet my every day life hasn't changed a bit. And yes, I know it has to be paid for, but the fact is, governmental finances are so convoluted and abstract, again, it doesn't have a real impact on your every day life.
Saying that, there has always been a extremist factor. Extreme in policy and ambition, but also in the way we treat others with opposing views. Fueled by the internet and our new-found ability to speak out in an anonymous fashion, to find like minded folk with a simple search, and to feed from whatever trough of hatred we choose, we have become increasingly divided. Those political disagreements have become wedges.
Now, more than ever, we should be discussing our differences, learning more about the opposition from an intellectual point of view. Yet that doesn't seem to happen.
Sunak, in this comment, is saying what I've noticed in abundance. I truly believe that democracy is in danger. I truly believe we're moving to a point where a dictatorship would be a preferred outcome, as long as people believe the dictator is their dictator. But allowing those with the most to gain to undermine our diplomacy, our institutions, we're sleepwalking into a world where the only control is control. Where the law gives way to mob rule. We're on that path today. IMO.
Still, fascinating to hear Sunak voice concerns. In the not too distant past, fairly local to me, an MP was murdered at an open house when he was meeting his constituents. Vile abuse for elected officials has become the norm. From threats to physical attacks. Nothing good will come of it.
People worry about a future where the state controls everything, yet time and again I see their actions pushing us closer to it. I'm glad I won't be around when this comes to a head.
"Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has warned police chiefs of a "growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democratic rule".
He wants more robust police responses that he says are needed to protect politicians and democratic processes.
This includes an "immediate response" from police to intimidatory protest at MPs' homes.
But human rights group Amnesty International says the PM "wildly exaggerates the issue"."
I read this story yesterday, and my initial reaction was, "finally, someone is saying it like it is". Which is quite something coming from Sunak. But looking beyond specific political parties or politicians, it does encompass an overall feeling that mirrors my own. Things are getting bad, really bad, and the dive to the bottom isn't over yet, imo.
Politics is simply about different ideas and philosophies, and policies that bring those ideas to fruition. There is a perceived national impact, and then there is the personal. For the vast majority of us, the general direction a country is taking doesn't have a whole lot of impact on us individually. I mean, my own country is currently spending billions to support wars, and yet my every day life hasn't changed a bit. And yes, I know it has to be paid for, but the fact is, governmental finances are so convoluted and abstract, again, it doesn't have a real impact on your every day life.
Saying that, there has always been a extremist factor. Extreme in policy and ambition, but also in the way we treat others with opposing views. Fueled by the internet and our new-found ability to speak out in an anonymous fashion, to find like minded folk with a simple search, and to feed from whatever trough of hatred we choose, we have become increasingly divided. Those political disagreements have become wedges.
Now, more than ever, we should be discussing our differences, learning more about the opposition from an intellectual point of view. Yet that doesn't seem to happen.
Sunak, in this comment, is saying what I've noticed in abundance. I truly believe that democracy is in danger. I truly believe we're moving to a point where a dictatorship would be a preferred outcome, as long as people believe the dictator is their dictator. But allowing those with the most to gain to undermine our diplomacy, our institutions, we're sleepwalking into a world where the only control is control. Where the law gives way to mob rule. We're on that path today. IMO.
Still, fascinating to hear Sunak voice concerns. In the not too distant past, fairly local to me, an MP was murdered at an open house when he was meeting his constituents. Vile abuse for elected officials has become the norm. From threats to physical attacks. Nothing good will come of it.
People worry about a future where the state controls everything, yet time and again I see their actions pushing us closer to it. I'm glad I won't be around when this comes to a head.
