The O v C Boat Race swimmer ?

I didn't say it was sensible.

Chris

I didn't suggest the way he looked or how he's perceived was perfection, in fact the opposite. I did say he was a PRATT.

But you've got admit. Getting out into the river, positioning himself between the boats and diving below the oars, took planning, athleticism, bottle and nerves of steel.

He's an attention seeking dick.

Spot on

Cheers

Don

Depends whether or not you think the limit of your political action is voting in a general election every four or five years.

Chris

............or whether you consider shooting your opponents (as in Syria or Bahrain for example) represents acceptable political action.

What he did was unacceptable in the UK, IMHO.

Cheers

Don  

I don't think it was acceptable either.

But can you put yourself in the mind of another? If, like him, you were deeply motivated by a political grievance and you didn't think voting changed anything, what would you do?

Chris

a) speak to my MP

b) set up an action group - a bit like the action group against the High-Speed Two railway

c) arrange meetings with relevant organisations - a bit like AOPA (Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association) have with EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) to get them to think more sensibly about General Aviation in Europe.

No need for me to chuck myself in front of a train, or block the runways at Heathrow or anything else to disrupt the rest of society just because I want something different for me, me, me, ME !!!

Sensible discussion and debate is usually effective

Cheers

Don

It's only a boat race. To compare it with the situation in the middle east is some what over the top. This event has very little signifcance outside the rarified enclaves of Oxford or Cambridge IMO.

Quad,

It helps to put things into context. It was a mild and rather pathetic form of protest. But, IMHO, he needs to be punished, not necessarily shot ! (athough there are some who no doubt disagree with me)

Cheers

Don

From what I can tell the average Oxford student couldn't care less about the race. My daughter attended a couple of years ago with half a dozen friends. Apparently they spent the day in a field adjacent the river, didn't even bother going to the bankside to watch the race.

Same thing happened at the rugby match.

Don.

Punished with what exactly 'swimming without a licence' . Just hope the state is not going to get heavy handed and cost the long suffering tax payer a pointless court case.

Like when - ever?

Item c) in the above

Cheers

Don

It's the most interesting thing that's ever happened in the history of a dull and tedious event.

steve

PS Well said Debs!

But what if it isn't and you still feel deeply politically aggrieved? You might think that spoiling the enjoyment of 16 top rowers and their thousands of supporters in a piece to direct action was a small price to pay to get your point across.

Again I'm not condoning the protester's actions in this case. I'm asking more generally if you can put yourself in the mind of a radical wanting change?

Chris

how radical?

Cheers

Don

 It's not 'how radical.' I asked can you put yourself in the mind of a radical (as a group of people) rather than another group of people who are small c conservatives who will forever accept the status quo.

Chris

I have no idea what c) means, thankfully.

Your both wrong, he's not called Dick, his name is Trenton!

Seems like an interesting bloke too : )

Hope they bought him a pint after his swim

Debs

Chris, you're going to have to be a bit more straightforward with your questions.

I've done my fair share of bringing about real change, so the cap of "conservative" with a small "c" (or accepting the staus quo) doesn't exactly fit. But I wouldn't stoop to the sort of trivial self-indulgence we witnessed on Saturday.

cheers

Don

Well at least he can now add "as seen on the front page of The Sun" to his CV.

What do you call some one in a river with no legs or arms ?

Bob!

The plonker has been jailed for 6 months for causing a public nuisance & ordered to pay £750 costs.

Oldfield said he was demonstrating against government cuts & related class issues because 70% of those in government & responsible for the cuts are Oxford or Cambridge graduates.  

??? err run that one by me again  

The Judge said he had acted dangerously, disproportionately, had not shown what he was actually protesting against and displayed prejudice in sabotaging the event which he regarded as elitist.

Hallelujah - proportionate justice

The only thing that the judge did not do was to hang a deportation order on him - back to Australia & a sheltered home for loonies.