Trump 'angry baby' blimp will fly over London

[hetrodoxly]

What are they hoping to achive? a petition signed by a 1000 pathetic, he who must not be named had over 500,000 in a week.

[Space Commander Travis]

They've got to market those. Surely everyone would want one. 

[Space Commander Travis]

5 hours ago, .ZZ. said:

That should go a long way to improve international relations.

 

So has Donald Trump.  

[Space Commander Travis]

2 hours ago, keithisco said:

Sadiq Khan? What a pathetic little man for approving this. President Trump leads the most important, wealthy and strongest nation in the world and, no matter what your Politics, respect is due to the Office of the President of the United States of America!! If you dont like the man, as opposed to the Office then dont go and cheer, but showing this kind of disrespect during an official visit is showing disrespect to the entire US Nation.

whoosh. What was that in that plane flying over? Oh, it seems to have been your sense of humour, gone on vacation.  

Edited July 5, 2018 by Vlad the Mighty

[bee]

9 minutes ago, hetrodoxly said:

What are they hoping to achive? a petition signed by a 1000 pathetic, he who must not be named had over 500,000 in a week.

 

yes perhaps a similar sized blimp of 'he who must not be named' with 'Political Prisoner' written on it should be floated around Westminster-

wonder if THAT protest would be allowed and given the go ahead by Khan...... ? 

no prizes for guessing the answer to that...

  

[+and-then]

28 minutes ago, Vlad the Mighty said:

They've got to market those. Surely everyone would want one. 

Only if it comes with a cape... 

[Space Commander Travis]

You could market a whole range of therm.. Trump, Putin, Little Rocket Man, Merkel*, May*... imagine the fun!

 

* these might admittedly have a limited shelf life 

[Setton]

54 minutes ago, Vlad the Mighty said:

whoosh. What was that in that plane flying over? Oh, it seems to have been your sense of humour, gone on vacation.  

Definitely borrowing that in future 

[RAyMO]

3 hours ago, keithisco said:

respect is due to the Office of the President of the United States of America!! If you dont like the man, as opposed to the Office then dont go and cheer, but showing this kind of disrespect during an official visit is showing disrespect to the entire US Nation.

Freedom of speech trumps the rank of the visitor, besides the blimp has a nappy on.

Edited July 5, 2018 by RAyMO

[bee]

2 minutes ago, RAyMO said:

Freedom of speech trumps the rank of the visitor, besides the blimp has a nappy on.

 

so do you think an insulting blimp of the King of Saudi Arabia would be allowed - free speech and all that... ?

or ----- as we are having such fun with it all........ what about one of Mohammed.... ?

or just to even things up a bit.....a funny one of the Pope or maybe one taking the p*** out of Jesus... 

 

 

[RAyMO]

13 minutes ago, bee said:

so do you think an insulting blimp of the King of Saudi Arabia would be allowed - free speech and all that... ?

Yes (should be)

 

13 minutes ago, bee said:

Mohammed...

He is likely to visit?

13 minutes ago, bee said:

or just to even things up a bit.....a funny one of the Pope or maybe one taking the p*** out of Jesus... 

They burn effigies of him every year in this part of the UK - only 7 days to wait for this year's burn the pope effigies

 

ETA they are not mocking Trump for his religion or skin colour or nationality, they are  mocking him because of his words, his actions and his policies - which are fair game imo.

Edited July 5, 2018 by RAyMO

[bee]

2 minutes ago, RAyMO said:

Yes (should be)

 

should be isn't would be...

 

2 minutes ago, RAyMO said:

 

He is likely to visit?

good answer   I was just philosophically widening the scope of the rank and free speech argument when it comes to what's allowed
and approved of...  and what isn't...
 

2 minutes ago, RAyMO said:

They burn effigies of him every year in this part of the UK - only 7 days to wait for this year's burn the pope effigies

 

blimey I had no idea..... I think though if the Pope was on an official visit to London an '''artistic''' flaming blimp of him would not be allowed
to float around Westminster...

 

[RAyMO]

6 minutes ago, bee said:

should be isn't would be.

Agreed but I can't speak for those in power - they will be as hypocritical as the next lot. But imo If you allow it for 1 it should be allowed for others.

 

ETA As a non believer I do think religious symbolism should not be attacked / mocked - whether that extends to individuals is harder to determine.

Edited July 5, 2018 by RAyMO

[bee]

14 minutes ago, RAyMO said:

ETA they are not mocking Trump for his religion or skin colour or nationality, they are  mocking him because of his words, his actions and his policies - which are fair game imo.

 

just seen this edit..... and while I get what you are saying I am still saying that different standards of who and what is allowed to be mocked
are in operation....  some things are off limits of course... like race - because race is something that someone can't do anything about -
but when it comes to insulting and mocking individuals, even politicians-  judgements and decisions are made..... 

double standards exist....

oh and the small group of friends who have got the Trump Blimp (link OP post) together think they're helping to save us all from fascists
(ie saying Trump is a fascist) and I think it's unhealthy to be flinging that label around - especially when it's used incorrectly...

 

   

[shehar39]

Seeing the London is now the acid attack leader of the world, you'd think they'd be more worried about solving their own problems before worrying  about our President

[RAyMO]

1 minute ago, bee said:

I am still saying that different standards of who and what is allowed to be mocked
are in operation.

I agree with you on that. If applications to do the same for Putin or Merkel or Macron or Juncker  or Varadakar come to the fore it is hard to argue against them being permitted imo anyway.

[bee]

16 minutes ago, RAyMO said:

ETA As a non believer I do think religious symbolism should not be attacked / mocked - whether that extends to individuals is harder to determine.

 

I know that religion is given special status and treatment when it comes to  ''''mocking''''' 

And at the end of the day that's because religious people's beliefs are held as somehow more important than the beliefs of
non religious people.....and a lot ... many millions of people in America and all over the world think highly of Trump .... love him
and believe in him...... I am questioning why those people's feelings are less important than other's......why it's ok to disrespect
them - 

anyway it's getting a bit late now and I'm loosing my thread of thought...  

 

 

[bee]

15 minutes ago, shehar39 said:

Seeing the London is now the acid attack leader of the world, you'd think they'd be more worried about solving their own problems before worrying  about our President

 

good point - and welcome to the forums .... 

 

[hetrodoxly]

I'd like to see one of Sadiq Khan, probably take about an hour to get a 1000  signatures, how should we dress him  i'd certainly make a contribution.

[Astra.]

2 hours ago, RAyMO said:

Freedom of speech trumps the rank of the visitor, besides the blimp has a nappy on.

No, to Americans it's referred to as a diaper ..

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

The moment you put someone above criticism and ridicule is the moment that person deserves it the most.

[+and-then]

2 hours ago, bee said:

blimey I had no idea..... I think though if the Pope was on an official visit to London an '''artistic''' flaming blimp of him would not be allowed
to float around Westminster...

Of course it wouldn't be.  Neither would it be allowed for any other head of state, well, maybe Netanyahu.  People are entitled to freedom of speech.  They're even free to be as rude as they'd like.  Just don't use one to deny you're engaging in the other.  That blimp is going to get more coverage than anything he says while he's there.  Guaranteed.  I bet they get invited to be part of the Macy's Parade in November.

[+and-then]

28 minutes ago, Sir Wearer of Hats said:

The moment you put someone above criticism and ridicule is the moment that person deserves it the most.

If it's done in some officially sanctioned manner, I'd agree.  No one is saying that these people should be sanctioned in any way for their project.  However, I think it's perfectly okay to state clearly that it is very rude to publicly attempt to humiliate a visiting head of state though, no?  It's just another example of the coarsening of our political discourse.  

[Kittens Are Jerks]

Had a riot reading this.

This is how some countries punish you for insulting their heads of state:

Azerbaijan: Up to two years' corrective labor
Lebanon: Up to $66,400 in fines
Venezuela: Up to 40 months in prison
Poland: Up to three years in prison
Turkey: Up to four years in prison
The Netherlands: Up to five years in prison
Cameroon: Up to $42,260 in fines
Bahrain: Up to seven years in prison
Kuwait: Permanent exile
Thailand: Up to 15 years in prison
Iran: 74 lashes
Indonesia: Up to five years in prison?

The stats are about four years old, but probably still hold up.
https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-03-12/how-these-12-countries-will-punish-you-insulting-their-heads-state

[+and-then]

39 minutes ago, Kittens Are Jerks said:

The Netherlands: Up to five years in prison

This is the one that disturbs me the most.