| Stelios 11.07.2015 02:12 |
QUEEN'S Brian May launched a furious attack on Government plans to change the rules on killing foxes.May is so angry he's called their backers 'a bunch of LYING BASTARDS' on live TV. article and video... link |
| thomasquinn 32989 11.07.2015 04:14 |
Let's face it, he's right. The Conservative Party is still the party of backwards aristocratic bloodlust. This is not just about fox hunting, which is bad enough, it's also about the 'right' of 'aristocrats' to violate the private property of 'commoners'. David Cameron is a piece of sh*t who should be dumped in the North Sea in a block of concrete. |
| The Real Wizard 11.07.2015 06:37 |
Modern conservatives are, unequivocally, out there and only out there to appeal to their bases, which are, in most cases, men (particularly those over the age of 65) with high school or less education. They are experts at spinning information to appease said base, because those people are ultimately the source of the campaigning money that keeps them in power. Facts and experts be damned, unless it helps further this agenda. In the UK it's the hunting lobby. In Canada it's big oil. In the US it's Wall Street, the religious right, the NRA and Israel. Big money always wins. If the aforementioned demographic of uneducated men were banned from voting, conservative parties in developed countries would never be elected again. |
| thomasquinn 32989 11.07.2015 08:17 |
@Bob: Don't forget that in the UK, there's the additional issue of class. Although the class system is formally no longer in place, there is still a 'high Tory' faction in the Conservative Party that looks out for the interests of the aristocracy and priviliged groups in an almost feudal fashion. Also, note that when the franchise was extended to all adult men, a disproportionate number of working class men voted conservative, against their own interests, and kept doing so, regardless of age. Slaves in the Northern states of the US, freed after the Revolutionary War, almost to a man voted Federalist. Reactionary movements like the nazis in Germany, fascists in Italy and falangists in Spain served the economic interests of a wealthy elite (mainly industrial in Germany, often landed elsewhere), yet they relied on the votes of the poor and ignorant. It is one of the reasons why conservatives and reactionaries so vehemently opposed to spread of literacy and education in the 19th century. The poor are easily tempted to vote for the well-being of the rich. The means to tempt them? Fear. We, the people, were, and are, scared into voting conservative to oppose 'the red menace', to 'stop immigrants taking their jobs', 'to put an end to leftist mis-government' (even when the left hasn't governed in decades, like in The Netherlands) - i.e., always for negative reasons: people are made to vote AGAINST an imaginary terror, not FOR a set of policies. There is at least one sense in which the Founding Fathers were right: when people vote for PARTIES and INTERESTS instead of PEOPLE, democracy fails. Parliamentary democracy is nearly always little more than particracy. I personally think our system of politics, in the US, Canada, Australia and Europe alike, is painfully reminiscent of the US in the 1870-1900 period. Endemic corruption, little difference between the parties, ignorant voters who refuse to inform themselves before making a choice, demagoguery and buying votes, criminal organizations/politics/big business mingling and, most of all, a complete lack of shame (from the culprits) or outrage (from the voters) over this. Nothing will change so long as the voters accept this status quo. But both the Progressive Era and the New Deal show that change can come if enough people want to do something to bring it about. Considering the economic situation the world is now in, FDR and his New Deal should be the foremost inspiration for leaders. Nothing could be further from the truth, though - we are still being led by people who want to fight the crisis in the way of Herbert Hoover. |
| ANAGRAMER 11.07.2015 13:18 |
I think this post should read: Brain can be an idiot after all The art of politics of being a statesman is expressing your point of view with eloquence and dignity Brian, you are no statesman |
| thomasquinn 32989 11.07.2015 13:55 |
ANAGRAMER wrote: I think this post should read: Brain can be an idiot after all The art of politics of being a statesman is expressing your point of view with eloquence and dignity Brian, you are no statesmanI am not aware of any statesmen in existence right now. They've been pretty rare in the past, too. |
| Marknow 11.07.2015 15:50 |
I admire Brian for his strong stance on this subject and can fully understand why he would be reduced to cursing these people. It's all for naught though really, regardless off the current law foxes are killed every day in Britain and doubtless there will be no change whatever the result of the upcoming vote. |
| Saint Jiub 11.07.2015 18:52 |
The Real Wizard wrote: Modern conservatives are, unequivocally, out there and only out there to appeal to their bases, which are, in most cases, men (particularly those over the age of 65) with high school or less education. They are experts at spinning information to appease said base, because those people are ultimately the source of the campaigning money that keeps them in power. Facts and experts be damned, unless it helps further this agenda. In the UK it's the hunting lobby. In Canada it's big oil. In the US it's Wall Street, the religious right, the NRA and Israel. Big money always wins. If the aforementioned demographic of uneducated men were banned from voting, conservative parties in developed countries would never be elected again. ... Source??? If you mean social conservatives are dumber than liberals, then I agree. However, despite the lower intelligence of social conservatives, Rebublicans have a higher IQ than Democrats. link |
| Saint Jiub 11.07.2015 18:59 |
dbl post |
| thomasquinn 32989 12.07.2015 04:30 |
Panchgani wrote:"Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative."The Real Wizard wrote: Modern conservatives are, unequivocally, out there and only out there to appeal to their bases, which are, in most cases, men (particularly those over the age of 65) with high school or less education. They are experts at spinning information to appease said base, because those people are ultimately the source of the campaigning money that keeps them in power. Facts and experts be damned, unless it helps further this agenda. In the UK it's the hunting lobby. In Canada it's big oil. In the US it's Wall Street, the religious right, the NRA and Israel. Big money always wins. If the aforementioned demographic of uneducated men were banned from voting, conservative parties in developed countries would never be elected again.... Source??? If you mean social conservatives are dumber than liberals, then I agree. However, despite the lower intelligence of social conservatives, Rebublicans have a higher IQ than Democrats. link John Stuart Mill |
| Martin Packer 12.07.2015 05:09 |
In other news Prince Philip just legitimised "fucking". :-) As if it needed doing. :-) |
| thomasquinn 32989 12.07.2015 05:30 |
Martin Packer wrote: In other news Prince Philip just legitimised "fucking". :-) As if it needed doing. :-)The man's always been as daft as a doorknob. He's been making stupid comments on-camera since the '50s! |
| YourValentine 12.07.2015 12:45 |
I think calling other people lying bastards is known as "common decency" in Brian May land :-) |
| pittrek 12.07.2015 13:29 |
And sultankhan spams again :-( |
| Doga 12.07.2015 19:56 |
A political leader once told me "You can't blame THE PEOPLE, you can blame induviduals but never the people as a bunch". It wasn't even a public conversation but he stated that. Right after the people as a buch made a few really bad moves, but he continued to defend them, he though people can be worth it. Well, i think the opposite right now, individuals can shine but the people as a bunch are stupid and bad, so i can fully understand Brian losing his patience after fighting so many morons, Maybe is not "decent" but who cares what that informed mass of stupidity called people will think anyway? |
| Adam Baboolal 21.07.2015 06:48 |
ANAGRAMER wrote: I think this post should read: Brain can be an idiot after all The art of politics of being a statesman is expressing your point of view with eloquence and dignity Brian, you are no statesmanConsidering it's the first time I've seen him lash out in this way (on tv no less), after many years of his very public campaigning, all power to him. If you'd seen the interview you'd see the other guy dismissing Brian's views quite readily, but without any true discussion of the law. It must have been damned frustrating. |
| YourValentine 21.07.2015 07:28 |
That is a very kind view of Brian's public behaviour, Adam :-) I have to admit that I am always amused about his outbursts and his moral lectures to other people at the same time but you cannot seriously claim that Brian May lives up to the standards he himself establishes as "common decency". My favourite was when Brian called a Leicester city council member ”a pathetic, arrogant, jumped-up, snivelling little dweeb”. I thought this was a very creative insult, much better than just "lying bastards" but then it was not on TV and therefore not so public. When you meet Brian in person he is always the kindest, most gentle, friendly and patient guy and I think he is one of those people who are patient 20 times but the 21st time they explode and he obviously cannot control this. Luckily, he is a man with convictions and principles and not a corrupt politician, so he can name-call them as much as he wants as far as I am concerned. |
| Adam Baboolal 21.07.2015 17:29 |
As I said, it's the first time that I had seen him lash out like that. So, to me, it was surprising. But in the context of the moment, I found it quite hilarious and, dare I say, well deserved! lol |
| Sebastian 23.07.2015 06:51 |
I'm actually glad it happened. He's obviously very passionate about this and he obviously feels those powerful people are indeed 'lying bastards,' which I think they totally are. It might seem like he was sinking to their level and failing his own common decency standards, etc., but at the end of the day, it's serving his purposes a bit: more people heard about the issue, more people can take a stance now. Call me a dreamer but I really think a change is possible. It's not gonna happen overnight and maybe Brian, Brian's grandchildren or Brian's great-great-grandchildren won't see it ... but every little bit he's contributing counts, so fair play to him. |