Your opinion on Pirate Parties

Pirate Parties (political parties and not drinking with peg legged seamen) are springing up all over the world following the latest developments around the Pirate Bay lawsuit and the success of the Swedish PP in the European elections. In Germany, they are set to become one of the 6 leading political parties (even though that might become a tough battle against the Nazi party, given recent developments).

Personally, I am not a big fan of voting anyway, but am drawn towards the Pirates as they are still a promising bunch (who knows how long this will last), and a vote for them is a vote less for the Nazis and the other warmongers, thieves, etc.

So, I was just curious what you are thinking about them, especially as most are right in the target group (i.e. internet using males below the age of 35).

It's an utter shame that they're needed, is my view. I'm voting for 'em until someone else clues in that you really can't buy increased safety by trading away your liberties.

Generally speaking I view ALL politicians as parasitic life forms, some of which are malignant. Tell more about these Nazis.

"The price of Liberty is eternal vigilence." B. Franklin

DeafNala wrote:

Generally speaking I view ALL politicians as parasitic life forms, some of which are malignant.

This is, of course, true. And given the American Libertarian Party's record, it doesn't really work to get freedom from reformation. However, the question stands if you should at least try to protect your civil rights as good as possible (e.g. by voting for the only party which wants exactly that) and to create some more freedom which will allow for more space to create viable alternatives to useless government (as long as the party is still uncorrupted).

DeafNala wrote:

Tell more about these Nazis.

Well, the Nazis are fairly popular, especially in Eastern Germany, because everyone is so disappointed by how things go, plus poor in Eastern Germany because the reunification was kind of a failure. And when people are neither really educated nor financially well off, it's always the Polish and Turkish thieves who come here and steal the work of honest people... Funnily enough, there were not many Polish people allowed to help with the harvest one year, but this did not lead to more unemployed people working in the harvest, but to the farmers not finding workers willing to do all the strenuous work

They ACTUALLY call themselves Nazis. If so, that is truly horrifying. It is frightening what short memories most people have. As an East German you only have to take a walk around Dresden to see what sacrificing your personal liberties for the illusion of security buys you.

Third party politics over here is a form of protest that draws votes away from objectional candidates; it doesn't usually work. Most elections are a matter of voting for the least harmful person running.

Assuming any politician is going to fix the national problems is a mistake. Most folks think that once they've voted they've fulfilled their obligations as citizen...they ARE WRONG. For the last forty plus years I've been writing letters, carrying protest signs, marching, sitting in, doing anything I can to hold those elected to fulfiiling their obligations to the people who elected them. My grandparents struggled to achieve their personal freedom; I WILL NOT see their sacrifice betrayed in a "civilized manner." There are things worth living & dying for.

Well spoken

On the Nazis... they don't call themselves exactly] Nazis, as this is most probably forbidden in Germany, but national-democratic, or national and social, and so on. There are even autonomous nationalists, who steal iconography etc. from the radical left... I recently saw a sticker of them and it's really hard to tell the difference if you don't look carefully and know what you are looking for.

The funny thing about Dresden is, that Saxony, of which Dresden is the capital, is the stronghold of the National Democratic Party.

Sounds like the Saxons are remembering Soviet occupation & forgetting the circumstances that allowed that occupation.

DeafNala wrote:

Sounds like the Saxons are remembering Soviet occupation & forgetting the circumstances that allowed that occupation.

Not really... I think the other half of the Saxons vote for the Left Party, which once upon a time descended from the Socialist Unity Party of Germany, the one and only true party of good ole' GDR times. I think especially the old people are a little undecided if the ancient times or really ancient times were better

Sometimes I get the impression that my European Brethren think that democracy means getting to vote for the King of your choice.

I generally have a rather low opinion of man kind in general. You give me hope for my species, mein Freund.

Great, Nazi party MKII. Britain's got a rise in Nazi parties too, the BNP is on the rise (they're all psychos!). Won't be long and they'll have representation in Parliament, then we'll be screwed! Check out this Wikipedia quote: According to its constitution, the BNP is "committed to stemming and reversing the tide of non-white immigration and to restoring, by legal changes, negotiation and consent the overwhelmingly white makeup of the British population that existed in Britain prior to 1948".^[

Uh, even though it was my fault that the topic went over to the Nazi stuff, perhaps we can drag it back to the Pirates? Nazis on the rise are a serious issue (just look at who got elected into the European parliament!), but I am mainly interested in the topic title for the moment

LOL, first post for over amonth and I get told off for being off-topic. Anyway, Pirate Parties: I think we need some serious changes fast, especially in Britain (their's a risk that soon, the government will be allowed to forcefully install CCTV in peoples' homes, check out this scary-arse article: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/115736/sin-bins-for-worst-families). We need anarchy and fast!

Chad wrote:

We need anarchy and fast!

We're it not for the people who usually crowd around that term

The article is scary, but apparently, wrong, as one of the commentators pointed out. Let's hope he's right, or we'll have V waging his vendetta rather sooner than later

wait, you have forbidden words in Germany!? that sounds like the Nazi era... hmmm that makes for a weird paradox...

as to pirate parties... I'm not really to trusting towards parties who bring out popular public views either... usually based around popular believes but not too well founded or practical... it may get a lot of votes... but then what? they have no other real points of discussion, and will not be taken seriously...

(we have this rediculous party in holland now for the animals... sure they need to be taken into account, but this woman is just yelling about animal rights in totally unconnected debates... gets rather boring and comical in a sad way really fast.)

But I do agree on a lot of the pirate's point of views, just don't think they're the ones to discuss it (or at least go at it in the right way) as they seem too "young and inexperienced" to be taken seriously or make an actual stand...

I'd rather that some bigger parties take some of their views and get something done for real... (of course this point of view is also formed by the fact that we have such a massive amount of parties in our government that it takes a "real" party to make any impact or decent decision...)

I think it would be perfect is a Pirate-style party got say 5 seats in the British parliament, they'd be able to influence policy but not control it. Too bad we don't have one! (I should probably check that, but I'm pretty sure...)

Well, the word is not forbidden, but as parties with aims against the constitution are not allowed, and Nazi is par definition against the constitution, that's not really possible.

But we have a lot things that are prohibited when it comes to the Nazi era or Neo-Nazi stuff... there's Volksverhetzung (incitement of hate against another people), Holocaust Denial, all punishable, then the score of illegal publications, movies and music (because of above charges), an interestening lot of symbols, runes, etc... long list. It's not really free speech when it comes to Nazis in Germany. I for one would love them to wear the Swastika again, because then you know who thinks what, and now they only have their secret signs, which I might just recognise, but many won't.

On the Pirates... I think the great thing about that party is that you can influence the politics still a lot. I mean, there are of course not that many topics nowadays, but it can be improved. And the good thing is that it's not "vote for an end of atomic energy and for the wars in Kosovo and Afghanistan", as with the German green party.

And perhaps they will attract some more "serious" persons in the future. If they want it is another question, considering how ridiculous "serious" politics, political discussion, etc. is.

Well would ya look at that: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8199143.stm