There is some kind of arms exhibition in Melbourne this week. Ok, I looked here. We were not told of this in advance, though the planning would have begun at least two years ago, which is the timeline of booking the Exhibition Centre. Weapons of war, including tanks, were brought in with the cover of darkness.
The kiddies against war and the killings were somewhat upset and protested as the event opened yesterday. Hey, even old gay men can be against war and killings. I thoroughly approve of their protests, trying to block entrances for attendees, making lots of noise, moving around the large venue, splitting up into groups and reassembling. Screaming the words 'child killers' at visitors to the exhibition is fine with me. That's what weapons do.
Things became tense between the protestors and the police. Tram routes were shut down, a major road or two was closed down as the crowd of protestors grew. The kiddies got a bit antsy as the police pushed them back and began throwing things. Among the rotten tomatoes, some quite more heavy things were thrown. That is bad form, kiddies. The cops are doing their job as ordered.
The police responded with force. Tear gas, rubber bullets and what I had to Google, flashbangs. What on earth are they? It is a classic case of naming something quite serious into something sounding more mild. You may have heard of them as stun grenades, with a big flash of light that upsets your vision and a loud bang that upsets the fluid in your ears and, consequently your hearing and balance. The effect is temporary in theory. I wonder. But the protestors went well beyond the pale too.
I am sure our very respected Bushmasters, of which we have sent many to Ukraine, were featured. They are fighting off Putin's invasion. While I hate war and killings, countries need weapons to defend themselves. But if there were fewer arms and less war technology, might we not be a bit better off? I dunno. I think a phrase has already been invented, the arms race.
Protests will continue tomorrow and probably the next day.
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The kiddies did behave badly in some cases. I am uncomfortable with the level of force used against them though. Naive? Probably. And yes I am against war and killings. My father (who had seen war first hand) told me that there are no winners. There are losers and bigger losers. The term collateral damage strikes me as an obscenity.
ReplyDeleteEC, I think the police response was too extreme but nor do I like the level the protestors went to. For average citizens, I agree with your wise father. The latest outrage by Israel in response to Hamas was outrageous, and just so sad. Collateral damage was the first phrase where I noticed manipulation of language and it was quite a few conflicts ago now.
DeleteIt all looks very ugly.
ReplyDeleteViolence in any form is not the way to go.
JayCee, it isn't, and isn't war about violence, yet protestors became violent and the state response was violent.
DeleteIt was rather nasty. The protestors are still saying they are for peaceful demonstration
ReplyDeleteRoentare, most would have been peaceful protestors but I think the rent a crowd lot became involved and that is where it all went wrong.
DeleteYeah, what a dilemma. Ukraine is trying to defend itself against an agressor with millions of people to throw at them as fodder, which Russia is famous for doing in wars. I suppose eventually there will be no Ukrainians left to defend Ukraine. And a lot of dead Russians too.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, I hope that isn't the end result. With Western support, the Ukraine is doing well enough and inside Russia, in spite of propaganda, people are understanding, especially as their sons, husbands and brothers are conscripted to fight.
DeleteProtests are a fact of life in this country. I'm all for the peaceful sort but we have too much violence here.
ReplyDeleteDeb, too much violence everywhere. Australia is not immune.
DeleteI believe in peaceful protest, and have involved myself in some during the horrible tRUMP years. But they lose their point when they become disruptive and violent.
ReplyDeleteThat's a simplistic view Debby, and I totally agree with you.
DeleteJust the way wars tend to escalate, so too can protests--even protests against war.
ReplyDeleteYes Kirk, quite true. That's a good analogy.
DeleteImagine if all the money and man power that was put into war, was instead put into building homes and providing health care. What a world it would be.
ReplyDeletePixie, most certainly, along with addressing environmental issues. The money would make the world a much better place.
DeleteI wonder about the need to have such an exhibition for the general public We all know there are wars and weapons must be used, but what is the purpose of exhibiting in a city? A better place would be an Army/Navy/Airforce base, but even there I don't see the need.
ReplyDeleteRiver, it is not for the general public, but invited guests of interested parties. Australia makes quite a lot of war hardware. It would have been far less disruptive if held in a regional area. But of course the rich attendees want to stay in city hotels and go out for upmarket dining in the evening.
DeleteOh goodness, I watched it on TV - here we have peaceful protesters being violent, doesn't make sense to me at all.
ReplyDeleteSome of that stuff in the ballons the protesters were throwing had acid and other stuff in them - not good.
Margaret, while I am not here to defend the protestors, the acid was highly diluted and I don't think it hurt anyone, but the headline 'throwing acid' was dominant.
DeleteYou are correct about the acid, had something else with it.
DeleteJustifying anything is fraught. Protest of course should be peaceful but there are always youngsters willing to take the violence further. And yes I agree that why invite the public to the show, trying to get rich on selling warfare is not a good business!
ReplyDeleteThelma, I did not make it clear that was invite only to those who have a commercial interest in the war machine. Never let 'the people' get in the way of profits. I recently watched a YouTube clip about the death of however many people from typhoid in Aberdeen by tinned corn beef imported from South America where the water used was straight from a local river, where sewerage flowed past. I can't remember the name of the very profitable company, especially as it supplied the army in WWII, but I am sure it would be familiar to you. Money can be made by conflict and war.
DeleteWell written, Andrew!
ReplyDeleteIt could do with a polish Cloudia, but I am happy with what I wrote. Thanks.
DeleteMuch as we would all like it, there will never be an end to war and it's necessary for nations to be prepared, abhorrent as that may be, particularly in terms of deterrence.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do wonder at the thinking behind an exhibition open to the public. These things are usually by invitation only. In order to be invited, you have to apply for a pass.
JB, I didn't say it was open to the public, but maybe the way I put it, it seemed like it was. As you suggest, it was invitation and pass controlled.
DeleteNice to know that young Australians still have some fight left in them. Protesting about weaponry is a healthy pursuit. Why can't those who intend to buy weaponry simply visit the suppliers at source?
ReplyDeleteYP, yes there is still fight in young people here, in spite of everyone staring at their phone screens. While I am of a conservative nature, I remember a quote, perhaps in reference to French protests, 'To make change you need to break things'. I thought about the statement and applied it to world changes and there was some truth in the it.
DeleteOf course there is no need to attend such events. Just look at their respective websites.
I bet at least one of my neighbors is there. Goods to buy and sell.
ReplyDeleteTP, it is simple commerce I guess, but it is what is being exhibited that is scary.
DeleteThis is literally 'news to me ' so thank you.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Alison, these exhibitions need to widely exposed. Thanks.
DeleteI don't think I could attend a convention like that (or for that matter, work in an industry like that). I'd be worried about my karma!
ReplyDeleteSteve, you suggest karma. I might suggest conscience.
DeleteI'm amazed that there would be such a gathering of weapon suppliers. I suppose it makes it easier for purchasers to compare items but there must be a better way to do it, Andrew.
ReplyDeletePat, I suppose it is perhaps more about building relationships by personal interaction. It could all be done online, except for the personal touch.
Delete