113 replies to this topic

[jjcale]

So is Bernie now thinking that maybe the Bahrain GP is not such a good thing?
....

Probably just wants more money...

[ANF]

Wow, this is Wikiquote material.

"Human rights are that the people that live in a country abide by the laws of that country."
http://www.bbc.co.uk...rmula1/22231448

[Longtimefan]

I have a bad feeling the race might be cancelled.

Which would be terrible considering how interesting the grid line up is. :/

[Shambolic]

I have a bad feeling the race might be cancelled.

Which would be terrible considering how interesting the grid line up is. :/

It would be a shame from a sporting spectacle point of view, but it might prove very, very good from a human rights perspective. For all the claims (mostly last year) that F1 at least lets the world know there's protests, nobody seems to ever care outside of one weekend a year. And even then most seem to only give a damn that their entertainment might be interrupted by pesky matters such as humanity. If the race was cancelled due to the political issues in that country, it would be very, very hard for the media to continue to ignore what's going on there.

[Ross Stonefeld]

I have a bad feeling the race might be cancelled.

Which would be terrible considering how interesting the grid line up is. :/

Why on earth would it be cancelled at this point?

[eff1fan]

Wow, this is Wikiquote material.

"Human rights are that the people that live in a country abide by the laws of that country."
http://www.bbc.co.uk...rmula1/22231448

Here is more of his quote

"Human rights are that the people that live in a country abide by the laws of that country. I might be in Africa doing 200km/h with no problem.
If I come to England and do the same thing, I'm in trouble.

"So it's a case of whatever the laws are in a country. People need to respect them, all of us [visiting], and the people that live here."

What a hypocrite... We're talking about incarceration, abduction, torture, and he goes off about driving infractions...

Bernie and his associates (MacLaren, Ferrari, et al) like to hide behind the "this is just a sport" misdirection, but what they're truly doing if collaborating with an oppressive regime and giving them a global platform.

It would be sensible to have a global boycott against everything F1.

[BullHead]

Here is more of his quote

"Human rights are that the people that live in a country abide by the laws of that country. I might be in Africa doing 200km/h with no problem.
If I come to England and do the same thing, I'm in trouble.

"So it's a case of whatever the laws are in a country. People need to respect them, all of us [visiting], and the people that live here."

What a hypocrite... We're talking about incarceration, abduction, torture, and he goes off about driving infractions...

Bernie and his associates (MacLaren, Ferrari, et al) like to hide behind the "this is just a sport" misdirection, but what they're truly doing if collaborating with an oppressive regime and giving them a global platform.

It would be sensible to have a global boycott against everything F1.

Well exactly. If people don't like the way the world works with money and corporations, following international motorsport isn't sensible. Take it as it is, or leave it.

[eff1fan]

Well exactly. If people don't like the way the world works with money and corporations, following international motorsport isn't sensible. Take it as it is, or leave it.

There's always that choice, but the underlying issue with Bahrain is much more important that simply money and corporations.

[Shambolic]

Well exactly. If people don't like the way the world works with money and corporations, following international motorsport isn't sensible. Take it as it is, or leave it.

Until fairly recently, historically speaking, women in Britain didn't have the vote. They should have taken it as it was, or left it.

Before someone noticed cowpox appeared to prevent smallpox, countless millions died of the disease. That's life, take it as it is, or leave it.

The fact we don't still live on the savannah, rummaging for the most basic of nourishment, is due to not taking things as they are. The story of humanity, good and bad, is a story of change. People who try to change things for the better of others, or themselves. From monumental changes to our standard of living, our political and economic constructs, to minor changes in the direction our part time interests take.

Why is it some people cannot grasp the concept others can both follow and enjoy something, yet not be happy with a direction it has taken, or prefer stagnation to alteration? There was a time before the corporatism rife in F1, change had to happen for it now to be the plaything of tyrants, conglomerates and billionaires.

It seems to me some people put even their weekend viewing on a far higher standing than the welfare of their fellow ex savannahians. How dare others possibly deny them 180 minutes of sporting spectacle (in one specific location, when there's several others with lesser moral concerns, but also less money to pay for the appearance of global acceptability) by having a conscience, the world is what it is, and can't be changed. Which by extrapolation means it's always been what it is today, and we need to just shut up and put up.

Edited by Shambolic, 21 April 2013 - 04:48.

[jjcale]

Well exactly. If people don't like the way the world works with money and corporations, following international motorsport isn't sensible. Take it as it is, or leave it.

This sort of thinking seems to me to be an increasingly popular form of learned helplessness (as I assume there must be some things in the world you would wish to see changed ... as even the most successful and richest people are constantly working for changes to the environment that got them their success and wealth, so why not lowly you).

I remember a year or two ago students in Quebec seemed ready to disrupt the build up to the GP there because there had been an increase in their tuition fees. I remember quite a few on this board said their protests would be futile (because protests never budge govts, they said) and the students should simply accept that this is the way things work in the world these days... well the kids continued their protests a few months after the international spotlight moved away and, eventually, the decision to increase their fees was reversed (and I think the local govt that did it was thrown out - or maybe they just resigned).

People of all kinds all around the world are constantly working and agitating for changes in their favour in the social environment and they are taking steps to achieve these such as protesting and lobbying and other things best left unsaid ... this is how the world actually works. Dont let anybody fool you into thinking you are a powerless cog in a big machine. I dont understand where you could have picked up this false concept that people must simply "take is or leave it" as they have never done this in all of recorded history ... but it seems to be a meme that is spreading as, unfortunately, I am hearing it from more and more people.

Edited by jjcale, 21 April 2013 - 10:24.

[BullHead]

Maybe a slight misunderstanding of what I meant, sorry. I'm not saying that people shouldn't bother pushing for change, and have solidarity etc. Far from it. I admire struggles for a better world. What I mean is if anyone is wanting to do this, and wanting to make a mark or point about regimes like Bahrain, then following F1 is not really compatible.
You could I suppose wish F1 was different, and campaign for a different 'way' of motorsport, but IMO that's a pointless exercise. Campaign for a better world, and denounce wasteful, careless capitalist follys like F1. If you like.

[Ze Bum]

TWO Bahraini girls have been arrested for allegedly having plotted to carry out an attack on Sakhir circuit during the weekend's Formula One Grand Prix race, police say.

http://www.theaustra...6-1226628260969


Better luck next year, eh.

[rmpugh]

Wow, this is Wikiquote material.

"Human rights are that the people that live in a country abide by the laws of that country."
http://www.bbc.co.uk...rmula1/22231448

Too right. People seem to forget that Bahrain was one of the bastions of democracy in the middle east. The middle eastern revolts that allowed Egypt etc to fall just gave the terrorists in Bahrain to riot. People seem too easy to forget that Bahrain is fighting people chucking molotov cocktails!! Whilst they may have reacted too far, what would you do to people chucking these at policemen?? Remember, London sent people to jail not too long ago for nicking bottles of water. What I see is **** using the F1 race for political reasons. Shia don't like Sunni ruling them. That is basically it. So, poor Shia. Lets cancel the race to allow Shia Muslims to chuck petrol bombs at the government??

[mcdaddy]

I was there with my family and watched the race. Many fans did not make it to the start of the race due to intense security check-points.. which for me is good for the event & security of everybody. A friend of mine in the other grandstand told me that many people were not able to reach to their respective grandstand until the last few laps of the race.. SAD!!! We were able to catch the start because we left Manama 3 hours before the start of the race & we reach our grandstand @ 2:15pm which is ample time. It was a great experience specially to my family who experienced to watch F1 live for the first time. I even walked around at night at different clubs and everything was okay. Most violence that has been published by media happens probably in some villages but the way they portray it as if there was riot in the whole Kingdom of Bahrain. My officemates asked me how's my trip to Bahrain because the news on tele shows riots everywhere.. I said what??? really!!! most of the video shows where from last year or two years old. Here's hoping Bahrain for Peace!!