So the Pope is coming to Sydney, and the New South Wales Government is scrambling to protect him. What better way to shield an absolute monarch than with despotic legislation?
We can bitch and whine about it. We can blatantly flout these laws and hand out free condoms, as some are planning.
Or we could stop and think about it. If only we could identify the opportunity here.
Here’s my suggestion: make badges/buttons — lots of them. Print on them, in big bold letters, “ANNOYING”. Nothing more. The aim isn’t to offend, it’s to passively protest stupid laws and celebrate our freedoms.
Now, get people to sell the badges. Have volunteers spread all over the city selling them. Also make deals with shops to have them available next to the till.
Recognise this idea? It’s no different from what’s done on Daffodil Day or Red Nose Day. Have the proceeds go towards assisting AIDS victims. I would suggest AIDS orphans. Make sure the group it goes to is credible and secular. It’s heartbreaking how many so-called ‘charities’ are just cynical missionary Inquisitions in drag.
I consider this to be a win for all. Citizens get to peacefully protest, World Youth Day isn’t disrupted, and the children get some help. Would the government dare to stop this? Would they halt a funds-raising operation for disadvantaged children? I don’t know, but it’s worth a shot.
I’d actually be surprised if this is an original idea. I haven’t had time to pay much attention to the matter, so I’d expect that someone is already working on something similar.
(fully expecting the obligatory “why is this on Planet xxx???” whinging from people who don’t understand the point of a Planet and who like to oppress those whom they disagree with)
LotD: Happy, Healthy Harold — Behind The Puppet
July 10th, 2008 at 1:45 am
If it was some other group who organised such a big event, I’m sure you would be happy. But no, it’s the evil Catholic Church, whose charity organizations “are just cynical missionary Inquisitions in drag”. You are full of prejudice against a community of people who does much more good than evil. Once I was like you but, hey, I’m a convert now. I beg to God that He helps you so you can look beyond the money quantities and lithurgical vests, and see a large amount of people living and celebrating peace, love, justice, and freedom…the true ones, not the one that are sold nowadays.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:56 am
Interesting.
For those who disagree with your posting to certain planet they are whinging and oppressing those they disagree with.
Aren’t they simply expressing their own opinions and you are wanting to oppress their right to disagree?
July 10th, 2008 at 4:26 am
Sir, you are a veritable genius. We’d need the likes of you here in Italy, where we have to deal with the likes of those who organized the protection measures every day. Without mentioning the constant intrusion of clergy into civil matters … quite as severe as it is in US, sadly.
To Señor de la Morena: here there is no prejudice stated, only annoyance at the over-the-top security measures adopted for the event. And suggestions to protest against those in a civil, but still firm and effective way.
July 10th, 2008 at 5:41 am
Maybe they’re being a bit extreme on security measures, yes, but I guess that is because they don’t want what happened to John Paul II happening again. Clergy has their right to “intrude” into civil matters, because they are citizens too. I agree that there is right to protest, and that Sridhar has suggested a civil way, but I had to defend my point of view, because I’m very sensible to prejudices
Oh, and you can call me Aitor!
Peace.
July 10th, 2008 at 5:44 am
@Aitor de la Morena:
It’s not that the Catholic Church is evil per se, but that telling people that condoms are useless and won’t protect them from AIDS is a blatant lie, something which last I checked violated the 10 Commandments, a tenant of the Catholic Church. The people are fine. The problem is the leadership. It’s the same as the US. As a people, I think we’re just fine, but our president is an idiot.
July 10th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Wow. Who pissed in your cereal, mate?
Honestly I don’t know where to start to poke holes in your argument. First the Pope is not an absolute monarch. You don’t have to listen to him, if you don’t want to. Second, as for security… nobody wants to deal with the fallout of a possible assassination attempt of head of state, and their enough crazy people out there that would try. And last time I checked condoms were to stop sperm, not viruses that are a thousandth the size of a human sperm cell. So dear sir, do us the favour and stop spreading FUD.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:30 am
Aitor de la Morena,
When I said “cynical missionary Inquisitions in drag”, I never singled out any single religion/sect. This is a problem across many religions.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Dorian,
Yes, the Pope is an absolute monarch. I suggest that you take a look at the political systems of the Vatican. To quote Wikipedia:
“The papacy is a non-hereditary, elective monarchy, chosen by the College of Cardinals. The Pope is also technically an absolute monarch, meaning he has total legislative, executive and judicial power over Vatican City. He is the only absolute monarch in Europe. The Pope is elected for a life term in conclave by cardinals under the age of 80.”
Go back and re-read, and you should see that my ‘absolute monarch’ comment was much more a jab at the NSW Government than at the Vatican.
As for security, have you actually seen the laws passed here? Speaking generically about ‘security’ doesn’t help this discussion. Nobody is saying that a major world leader doesn’t deserve security.
And for condoms… where did I ever defend/condemn condoms in the article? I’m not going to debate your pointless argument, as it has nothing to do with what I wrote about.
So please have some clue about what you’re talking about before you scream ‘FUD’.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Chuck,
It depends on how they make their protest. If they can reasonably state why they believe so, I have no problem with that. The last thing I want to hinder is freedom of speech.
It’s the people who just yell “why is this on planet xxx???”, and nothing more, whom I object to. It’s happened to me, and I’ve seen it in a load of other places too.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:02 am
linkage
http://notopope.com/
http://sydney.indymedia.org.au/event/notopope-coalition-protests-pope-and-world-youth-day
July 10th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Luca,
You’ve hit the nail on the head. That’s exactly what I was trying to say
July 10th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
“The NSW NoToPope Coalition will peacefully protest on (…) at (…).”
LMAO. A peaceful hate protest to defend the condom and extramarital homosexual sex from an absolute monarch grounded on his statements from 1990s.
How more stupid leftists can get? What’s strange nobody ever protests to let Jews eat pork, or to let Muslims drink alcohol. Maybe it’s because Catholics are nowhere as prone to kick back as the other two. If Muslim youth was meeting would they give away free vodka, because their unnecessary strict religion forbids it?
An oppressive govt will always find “legitimate reasons” to cut citizen rights. No WYD held in Europe required any of these drastic measures. You really should blame your govt. I would.