Man in 'tar and feather' attack Your opinion to this attack on a drug dealer in Belfast.?

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6966493.stm

Answer 1

If he was a drug dealer he's lucky "the boys" didn't knee cap him as well. Usuallt tar and feathering is reserved for informants.

Answer 2

The were Gypsies. They're not "persecuted" in Romania. The government even gives them free places in schools and unis, especially for them and there are a lot of social programs for the Roma. Unfortunately, many of them still live by their own laws, not respecting the ones of the country, and that means other people aren't so eager to mix with them. I know Gypsies that are great people, that have integrated into the society, have a good job, good friends and have no social problem whatsoever. But most you'd actually see on the streets here are definitely not like that. One of the reasons this type of Gypsies left Romania is that nobody gives them money when they beg anymore and people have gotten used to their scams and don't fall for them anymore. The way that group in Belfast acted, however, has no excuse. I'm sure there are better ways to deal with the problem, if those people were an actual problem. About the reaction of your neighbours, it's a matter of expectations. The Gypsies on the streets, doing bad, are far more visible than those that actually respect the laws of the country. So people will associate the Gypsies with the most visible part of their social group: the beggars, the half naked children trying to steal money from your pockets and purses, the "castles" with the roof covered in aluminum foil and with a dirty yard, the noisy women with colourful long skirts, the street fights between gangs of the Gypsy mafia, children not going to school and being married by the age of 12-14, families with too many children and no money to look after them, arguing and noise. People keep hearing about those and they start to expect any Gypsy to behave like that. It's stereotyping and it's horrible; but it's human. And it probably influences the chances some of the Gypsies have, but not in a definitive way. As I said, I know many Gypsies with jobs, friends, family and that are great people. I'm not sure if I made much sense, but I tried to explain a situation that exists here in Romania. Sadly.

Answer 3

If the authorities cannot solve these probl ems we cannot blame people for taking the law into their own hands. I do not believe vigilante groups are the answer to the drug problem, but it is tiresome to see the same old cliches brought out by the police and politicians. They tell us that we should not take the law into our own hands, but we hear of cases where drug dealers have been reported but nothing happens. It occur ed in my own neighbourhood some years ago. Everyone in the area knew this family dealt in drugs and were constantly being reported but nothing happened. Then the police get annoyed when the public decide to act. As for tar and feathering, why not? Think of the lives that evil person has probably ruined.

Answer 4

Funniest thing ive seen in ages! Lets see him deal now.
One thing though in response to some other peoples comments... The police do act on information and the vast majority of officers i know (i am not an officer) would love nothing more than to bang up every piece of scum in our society. However the whole human rights act, scummy lawyers and a government that never puts blame on individuals, resulting in a system that looks after the guilty rather than the victim, has restricted the police completely.

We would all do well to have a 'smack a scab' day in this country!

Answer 5

God forbid if they have the wrong man eh?

Whereas i sympathize with the general public when the Police appear to be slow to act on information received it is entirely possible that these vigilantes have ruined a larger Police operation.

Yes something needs to done to clear our streets of drugs....but don't be fooled into thinking these people who take the law into their own hands are decent people...they are the scum of the earth and need to be taken off the streets along with the drug dealers and any other criminals.

Will there ever be peace in Northern Ireland? not while there's self professed vigilante scum around who tar and feather and even murder on a whim there won't be.

edit: crazymental.... can you point me to the answerer that you say said it was a "despicable act"? only i can't find it here.

Answer 6

I think we'll be seeing more and more of this in this country soon. It just happens that that one incident in Belfast was reported.

People are sick to death of how powerless the police have become and they are starting to take the law in to their own hands. I don't agree with as where do you draw the line but it's happening everywhere. People go to the police with information and they don't act on it. There are cases of paedophiles being branded and their homes graffitied on to show who they are and where they live. Why not drug dealers if the police won't deal with them?

Answer 7

He got off so lightly!! But this is an excellent way to deal with them and an excellent example of a community coming together to deal with a problem.

Gotta love the Irish!!!

Answer 8

someone said it was a dispicable act?! whats more dispicable to her? the tarring and feathering or the fact he was dealing drugs and is a scum on the face of society.

edit, nusha, if you had actually used the link and read the article then you would of seen the person about two thirds down saying it was a dispicable act.

Answer 9

The people of Northern Ireland can be so proud that they've sent a message to the world: "two wrongs DO make a right after all"

Answer 10

Firstly I don`t condone anything done by paramilitary groups as they shouldn`t exist in the first place.

However if you had asked me this question years ago when I was younger, more liberal and naive about life and people I may welll have tut tutted and agreed with the minister about this having no place in a civilized society., But now I`m glad he got his comeuppance, he won`t be doing it again.

It would be "interesting" to see scumbags treated this way on a regular basis.....................