daveberta.ca: alberta budget 2009: passing the hat [or rob renner gets tarred].

Sunday, April 12, 2009

alberta budget 2009: passing the hat [or rob renner gets tarred].

12 comments:

Anonymous said...: It will not be long until Hudema's crew owns up to the tar stunt. At some point I hope he gets the retaliation he deserves. You don't post much about rural Alberta getting short changed, I thought that was good.It is easy to get caught up in big city problems and the Edmonton/Calgary mob mentality.; Sunday, April 12, 2009 12:04:00 p.m.
Ian said...: Clearly the intelligent and proper way to voice frustration is to send a letter, get no response, and then stay home on election day.; Sunday, April 12, 2009 12:17:00 p.m.
Anonymous said...: Is anyone seriously suggesting that the ends justify the means in this case? No, they wouldn't even be suggesting that -- they'd be suggesting that the CAUSE justifies the means. You can't even make a utilitarian argument out of this one, because throwing tar at an office isn't going to do a damn thing to change government policy or get the public on your side.

It would be nice if even those who think "tar sands = genocide" would stand up and say this isn't the means through which to voice your concerns. At least the Hudemaesque stunts are followed by someone in a suit talking to reporters about the motivation behind the stunt. That kind of "earned media" is arguably justified on the basis it brings the TV cameras out to listen to the motivation behind the stunt.

But this is just petty mischief. And even those who hate Renner and his policies need to acknowledge as much. Is this what public debate in this province has come to? Throwing tar at a building?; Sunday, April 12, 2009 12:56:00 p.m.
Anonymous said...: I should add: I focus on the "tar sands = genocide" crowd only because (a) it was tar, and (b) they're the group typically identified with goofy public stunts. I would agree that it is just as likely, if not more likely, that it was the "hillbilly = awesome" crowd that actually threw the tar. And my comments and criticisms apply equally to them.; Sunday, April 12, 2009 12:59:00 p.m.
Anonymous said...: Ian,
Clearly...; Sunday, April 12, 2009 5:58:00 p.m.
Harry Marmot said...: Vandalism is not Mike Hudema's style. He might unfurl a banner or slide down a rope from the ceiling. It's far more likely this was done by some local worthy POed about the lack of funding complained of in the other clip. Speaking of which, it's hard to feel any sympathy for these clowns from rural and small town Alberta who vote Conservative for 40 years and then whinge when they don't get what they think is coming to them. Well, duh, of course the Tories take you for granted! Cry me a river!; Sunday, April 12, 2009 9:23:00 p.m.
Anonymous said...: Was it not Hudema's crew that broke through the fence at the Syncrude property last year? Or dug up the Lesilature grounds? The place is a mess...; Sunday, April 12, 2009 11:21:00 p.m.
Ryan said...: Ha! Rob Renner doesn't think that these people have respect for public property?

Clearly the environmental abomination up in Wood Buffalo shows the utmost respect for the commons.; Monday, April 13, 2009 12:31:00 a.m.
Anonymous said...: How disrespectful. Dave, you often talk about people being disenfranchised in getting involved in the political process. Why would anybody want to run for elected office when this is the type of crap they have to put up with?; Monday, April 13, 2009 2:07:00 p.m.
Anonymous said...: I sincerely hope this is not another Greenpeace stunt. Once an honourable organization, Greenpeace is slowly destroying its credibility.; Tuesday, April 14, 2009 7:58:00 a.m.
Anonymous said...: Ryan said: "Clearly the environmental abomination up in Wood Buffalo shows the utmost respect for the commons."

...and this is exactly the kind of comment I had in mind when I wrote about misguided people thinking the cause justifies the means. This may come as a shock: two wrongs don't make a right. And yes, yes, I know: you didn't ACTUALLY suggest that the tar-throwing was justified. But the implication is clear enough.

Anonymous said: "I sincerely hope this is not another Greenpeace stunt. Once an honourable organization, Greenpeace is slowly destroying its credibility."

The more I think about it, the more I think I was unfair to imply that this was the work of environmental protesters; there's really no evidence to support that at all, other than the tenuous "tar" link. We should save our criticism of Greenpeace for when there's no doubt they've done something stupid. :); Tuesday, April 14, 2009 9:14:00 a.m.
Nastyboy said...: Anonymous said:

"The more I think about it, the more I think I was unfair to imply that this was the work of environmental protesters"

Of course it's environmentalists. The movement has their followers so jacked up that PC's and oil companies are evil and the tar sands are going to destroy the planet, it's not a stretch for some of their more zelous Mujahedeen to commit acts of vandalism and violence for their cause. Who do you think firebombed Jim Carter's house?; Tuesday, April 14, 2009 7:52:00 p.m.

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