Thursday, February 28, 2013

Protesting With A Beat

This is much more fun than working!
The 2013 protest season kicked off today with a beat along Ave. Septima. 

Students, handicapped people and users of the state health system all marched thru downtown today in what looks like the beginning a another protest season. Today was a bit different, tho, thanks to this group which performed a costumed dance routine on Jimenez Ave. Their costumes reminded me of the Village People, altho they didn't sing. 
Employees of the National University have been on strike for more than a week demanding raises. Students are supporting them, shutting down the university. In the past, these strikes lasted months. 
Swing those bodies!

We are not the Village People.


Handicapped marchers demand more government services. 



Riot police at the ready. 







By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

9 comments:

Stuart Oswald said...

"Students, handicapped people and users of the state health system.." - Another bunch claiming a right to something that is not theirs. Society owes them simply because they had the misfortune of being born. Oh, but one day I might have the same misfortune so I better shut-up and hand over everything (just a little bit) of what I have. ;)

mauricio forero l said...

Hey Mike, what do you mean by " USERS OF THE STATE HEALTH SYSTEM"
Be careful how you use your words. sorry but this sounds very right-wing B. S. like a Tea Party comment.

Miguel said...

HI Mauricio,

I'm not sure what's right-wing or insulting about the term 'user.' It seems pretty non-judgemental to me. They use the health system. That's a fact.

Mike

Stuart Oswald said...

The far right meets the far left. Funny how you are so biased when the two are pretty much the same players. Hitler was as Socialist/Communist as they get. Live with it and accept that fact. Che was a user of guns just as much as Hitler's own SS.

mauricio forero l said...

Com on Stuart, you put it like you are in the middle or in between the far right and the far left. The fact is that you are a right-wing dude and you know it.
I love your blog Mike, it takes me back to the city that I love, and the neighborhoods that have so much character, I love your shots and commentary, but you have to admit, that some times you let your political views be too open. I think as a journalist and as a blogger, you should do your best to be more neutral. The other day, by referring to the major of Bogota, you put it like this: "Major Petro, who is a leftist," ...why do you have to clarify that he is a leftist? That is totally unnecessary. I haven't even seen that among Fox News journalists.

Miguel said...

HI Mauricio,

Many respected publications (of which this blog is not one) label politicians by their ideological position to give readers context.

In any case, I think you're reading something negative into the label. I support Petro and hope that he can at least finish out his term.

Mike

Miguel said...

Stuart, for all the crimes that Che Guevara and Co. committed, there's no real comparison between censorship, political executions and dictatorship to genocide and invading your neighbors.

And Hitler was no communist. I don't remember him quoting Marx or Trotsky, and the Nazis did not nationalize the economy, altho they did control it.

Mike

mauricio forero l said...

Hey Miguel, sorry if I offended you, in any case I really enjoy your blog.

Stuart Oswald said...

Hitler was as much a communist as Che and Stalin (to name only two) were fascist. In all cases the Communists/Socialists/Marxists were far worse/horrendous murderers than Hitler himself. To pretend (even slightly) that this was not the case is a outright insult to anyone's intelligence.