Reference List

Being drunk in public should be an offence …again: Sir Geoffrey. (2009, August 18). The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved on August 20, 2009 from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10591837

Beresford, P. (2009, July 24). The government's taxing position on social care. Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved on August 23, 2009 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/joepublic/2009/jul/24/social-care-taxation-green-paper

China officials in smelter probe. (2009, August 22). BBC News. Retrieved on August 24, 2009 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8216559.stm

Councils claim they're being bullied. (2009, August 23). Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved on August 23, 2009 from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/councils-claim-theyre-being-bullied/story-e6frf7jx-1225765313868

Dearnaley, M. (2009, August 21). Council's challenge on cash for trains. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved on August 25, 2009 from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10592155

Doward, J. (2009, August 23). Children's care crisis as criminal vetting fees approach £600m. Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved on August 25, 2009 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/aug/23/criminal-record-bureau-checks-children

Gibbs, S. (2009, August 21). Mexico eases drug possession law. BBC News. Retrieved on August 23, 2009 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8215472.stm

Hindu overhauls Jinnah's legacy. (2009, August 20). The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved on August 25, 2009 from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10591892&pnum=0

Mali protest against women's law. (2009, August 23). BBC News. Retrieved on August 24, 2009 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8216568.stm

Right to Protest. (2007). Retrieved September 23, 2009 from http://www.need2know.co.uk/law/know_your_rights/article.html/id=1092

Salusinszky, I. (2009, August 22). Young Liberals' factional divides grow into obscene texts. The Australian. Retrieved on August 23, 2009 from http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25963578-5013945,00.html

The Historic Right to peacefully protest.(2008, August 18). Retrieved on September 22, 2009 from http://www.yourrights.org.uk/yourrights/the-right-of-peaceful-protest/the-historic-right-to-peaceful-protest.html

Right to Protest

The right to protest is one of the recognized human rights. In 1988 the government passed the Human Rights Act, which included the right to peacefully protest, or a protest which is not violent. This means that you can take part in public protest as long as it does not involve violence against property or people.

protesting relates to the right of freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, which are the rights to gather together and express, promote, pursue and defend common beliefs and interests. Protesting is a way of publically making their opinions heard, in order to influence the public opinions or to influence the government policy. Protest take place sometimes in favor but mostly is opposed. Mali protest against women's law, shows an opposed protests, where people are protesting against a new law. Protesting enables people with the freedom of speech through which they are free to express their opinions about a certain law or a government decision.

Protests can focus on many purposes, mostly arise due to the problems which society has to face and no actions are taken by the government, unless a serious action has been taken by the public or even the members of the government. Being drunk should be an offence, this article has a clear indication that this law has been prepared for the safety of the public. Similarly, children’s care crisis as criminal vetting fees this article points out that all though government is taking care of the children but is not paying enough to fulfill the needs, which shows that even after making the laws the government doesn’t fulfill the needs due to which people have to protest for it. Some people would think that protesting is not important or there is no point of it, but in reality it can be very powerful, as we see many of the rights and freedoms we enjoy today are only due to the people who were determined to go out on the streets and say there word or express their opinions.

There are many reasons which would strongly support the right to protest, it is governments responsibility to supply the public with comfort and security. .Protests are mostly taken place when the public feels unsecure in their living environment, china officials in smelter probe, states that due to the spread of poison 1300 children were affected in china, it also gives the reason why the government officials are being checked and that is because the public considers the government to be responsible for this damage. After all, health comes first and should be taken in consideration. Similarly, the government’s taxing position on social care, people think that there social care is met through taxation but the government is dismissing this approach, this type of matters which concern people should be risen and heard by government, in a way it is also useful for the government, as they would know what the public’s wants and needs are. However, it is then the government’s responsibility to look upon the opinions and decide whether the voice of protest should be heard or not.

Mostly government tends to ignore the opinions of the public due to which the actions like protesting are preformed. In the article council claims they are being bullied, it shows that when the council takes the matters in consideration and plans to discuss these issues with the government and the government treats them poorly, here an assumption can be made that if government treats council poorly how would the needs of public be heard and acted upon, this is another reason why at the end, it leads to protesting.

Then, Council’s Challenge on cash for trains, in this article once again council is trying to get the message across to the government to pay for the public need (electric trains), here we clearly see the reason for the challenge. Why does the government require so much time to think about the reasonable need of the public and to fulfill its requirement. By looking at these issues why doesn’t government think that, a voice is a positive duty of the government and maintaining the freedom to express remains a powerful indicator of the political health of a nation.

I think whatever public requires or thinks is reasonable, however to get the message across people do have to make their voices heard through protesting. Drug possession law, a new law made by the Mexican government, before making this law, police could decide whether to arrest the drug user or not, which then lead to bribery, this matter has been taken in consideration and finally the government passed the law. These laws are important to be taken in consideration because; when there are no rules people take advantage of other people. This article also reflects upon the idea that as the time is passing , people’s expectations and needs are exceeding and due to that, government has to think and act upon these expectations and listen to the voices which arise by the protests.

Hindu overhauls Jinnah’s legacy, this article is not so deeply related to the other articles as such, however it is a matter of raising a voice for a right, this article is about a Hindu senior politician Jaswant Singh who wrote a book on Jinnah’s legacy. Jinnah, who is known to be a great leader in Pakistan. The issue is that, Jaswant Singh has written a book about Jinnah who is considered to be a criminal in India and now the question arises that Jaswant Singh is a member of the Bhartiya Jinnah Party,(BJP). Through this article it shows that people who are a member of the government are not given the right to give their opinions or express their feelings. Being a politician doesn’t exclude him from being a member of the public. The only reason Jaswant Singh has been questioned is because Indian government doesn’t have positive views about Jinnah, whereas Jaswant has respect for Jinnah and what Jinnah has done for his country. Now, only because the views of the Indian government and Jaswant Singh do not match does not mean that the government should be against him, after all everyone has their own views and opinions about different matters and persons and one should respect it.

So, it’s not only the public who has to strive in order for their opinions to be heard by the government it’s also the members of the government who are bound to express their opinion, which is going against the right of freedom of speech.