Posted February 19, 2014
monkeydelarge: The examples you've shown only prove that people will rise up if their basic needs are not met or their government becomes too tyrannical. Not because they are angry with the how prisoners are treated(how their tax money is being spent). People won't rise up if they feel like have a lot to lose. I agree with one thing you have said though. Prisoners shouldn't take up so much resources to a point it makes non prisoners, suffer like the elderly. That is just wrong.
People can and will take to the streets for lesser reasons than lack of basic needs and outright tyrannical government. Here's two examples from Switzerland (where basic needs are met and government isn't tyrannical, compared to other countries)
1) The first example is from Zurich where the authorities wanted to close down an abandoned industrial site that has been used for parties and concerts. An initially peaceful demonstration quickly turned into full out rioting with six-figure property damage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c2QpU0TzYo
2) Second example is from the capital city Bern. In the aftermath of an illegal party event, some people started wreaking havoc just for heck of it. This wasn't a protest against lack of basic needs, no protest against tyrannical government, just rampaging because they apparently didn't have anything better to do. Again, property damage in the six figures. Now try to imagine what these spoiled people will do when they encounter real problems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_nsdWvL5hU
PS: So you lived everywhere in the U.S. but have you lived anywhere -outside- the U.S.? To get the bigger picture you speak of you need to have experienced the outside perspective as well. Otherwise, you won't be able to see the forest for the trees. No matter how many trees you know.
Post edited February 19, 2014 by awalterj