Black armbands, to wear or not to wear

Jan

Bronze
Jan 3, 2002
1,801
473
83
64
Santo Domingo Este
www.colonialzone-dr.com
Being a "No Vota" cedula carrying Gringa. Would it be safe or unsafe for me to wear the black armband on the 27th? I don't like to get involved in politics but I have been asked by some where I stand. And now I'm wondering since I do live here and concider this my adopted country should I show my support by being a little involved or just keep going and keep my nose out of it all?

Just wondering how the other Expats here deal with the political/involvment issues here.
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,829
329
0
79
www.casabush.org
MrMike said:
It is best not to get involved. You are not going to get beat up by a mob for not wearing a black armband, but you may (veeeeery slight chance) get hassled by police if you do.

Soory Mike, I disagree with you. IF we want to involve ourselves ito the country (& I feel as residents we ought to) then it is behoven upon us to show support (or otherwise) for a demonstration against this Government that can not Govern!! With so many people against this President, I think there is a good chance it will be safer to wear the armband anyway. If the police do stop me & get stroppy, then I just invent a recently deceased member of my family in the UK (or wherever). Personally, I doubt if they would have the balls to enter into a political discussion with me about why people are wearing armbands - got too many arguments to fire them down with ............. done with a SMILE of course!!!

Keep the faith brothers & sisters - only another 3 months to election day & under 6 months to the new administration!!!!!! - Grahame.
 

MrMike

Silver
Mar 2, 2003
2,586
100
0
52
www.azconatechnologies.com
Well, if that works for you then fine.

I think people get the government they deserve, Dominicans and Haitians included.

I also think that if 7 million Dominicans not working for two days and costing the local economy billions of pesos produced no results whatsoever, then quietly wearing arm bands doesn't really make alot of sense.

The current administration is already aware that they are less popular than Satan, and I am sure it has not escaped their notice that they have the lowest approval rating in Latin America. Gringos on the north shore are known for making drunken fools out of themselves, paying too much for everything and chasing ugly hookers around - I don't think their political statements in general are going to make much difference to anyone. (please note that I am not referring to you specifically but making a general statement about the way we are perceived)

I have no problem with helping Dominicans solve their problems whenever there is something I can actually do that would make a significant difference, but it wasn't the expats lining up to vote for these guys that gave them their landslide victory.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
One of my collegues at the university started this

About 6 weeks ago. Lots of the professors wear them...Not flaunting, just wear them.

I use the problems of the germanic tribes after conquoring Rome as examples of poor governance. Usually get a few laughs....

HB
 
Mar 21, 2002
856
2
0
Jan you're not dominican
don't wear that crap
when you get your head bashed in or thrown in jail nobody on DR1 will reverse those effects-hopefully not
just play the dumb gringa that dominicans like and be safe
remember this is a lawless land of the 3rd world
also remember how violent politics can turn there
my family tells me of one american during balaguer time that protested i need not say anymore
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
2,493
0
0
I Am Wearing One. Go for it Jan!

Onions&carrots said:
Jan you're not dominican don't wear that crap when you get your head bashed in or thrown in jail nobody on DR1 will reverse those effects
I spend every available minute explaining to family members, friends, employees, employees familys exactly why things are the way they are and showing them how they can vote accordingly to change things if that's their desire.

Wearing that arm band is an easy way to let them know even more clearly exactly where I stand and show them what they can do. They have the power. And if I, as a resident don't have the stomache even to put on a silly arm-band, how can I have any credibility when asking them to take their future in their own hands and vote to change things? Heaven and hell help anyone who bothers me about it!

I will not abandon them. But that's the difference I've found between conservatives, and liberals, anywhere I've lived on the planet. Conservatives really stand for something. And we are willing to defend that belief at the expense of suffering the slings and arrows of the less enlightened. You know who you are.

Tom aka XR
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
2,493
0
0
MrMike said:
Gringos on the north shore are known for making drunken fools out of themselves, paying too much for everything and chasing ugly hookers around ...
Mike. My friend! Please stop spending so much time with Aftab. It's affecting your thinking!

Tom aka XR
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,829
329
0
79
www.casabush.org
MrMike said:
Well, if that works for you then fine.

Gringos on the north shore are known for making drunken fools out of themselves, paying too much for everything and chasing ugly hookers around - I don't think their political statements in general are going to make much difference to anyone. (please note that I am not referring to you specifically but making a general statement about the way we are perceived)

:pirate: Time for you to visit the North Coast again Mike. We have evolved beyond that stage now!! I appreciate you said ".... about the way we are perceived", but unless we demonstrate that we are NOT all ".... drunken fools ... chasing hookers ...." by taking an interest in & PROVING that we are interested in the country we have adopted as our home, then we will be allowing the misconception to remain!! To quote someone famous (I've forgotten who) "Justice must not only be DONE, it must be SEEN to be done". Hence we must show our solidarity with those who are suffering & try to assist them to make the right decisions next time - by THOUGHT process, not hunger inflicted!!! - Grahame. :devious:
 

MrMike

Silver
Mar 2, 2003
2,586
100
0
52
www.azconatechnologies.com
I still don't see the point of the armbands, I don't plan to be out in public on this date anyway.

I plan to do something more concrete by throwing my wife out of the house if she votes for the PRD again. And I need to think up a lesser sanction for if she just doesn't vote at all, which would have the same effect. (she hates the PLD) Maybe I can persuade her to vote for one of the lesser parties, like those green fellas that can't even spell the office they are running for properly on their billboard. Anybody else seen that one in Santiago, announcing that they are running for "Presideite"?
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
2,493
0
0
I Saw That!

MrMike said:
I plan to do something more concrete by throwing my wife out of the house if she votes for the PRD again. And I need to think up a lesser sanction for if she just doesn't vote at all, which would have the same effect. (she hates the PLD) Maybe I can persuade her to vote for one of the lesser parties, like those green fellas that can't even spell the office they are running for properly on their billboard. Anybody else seen that one in Santiago, announcing that they are running for "Presideite"?
But I didn't think it was a mis-spelling. I thought they were following in Baldy'sfootsteps combing the power of El Presidente with El Dios. An actual honest-to-gosh Presi-diete!

Tom aka XR

P.S.
Mike! Can't you just give your wife a sack of cement or a little zinc in exchange for her cedula?
 

XanaduRanch

*** Sin Bin ***
Sep 15, 2002
2,493
0
0
Excuse the Thread Interruption Folks ...

Fiesta Mama said:
I am new to DR1 and cannot figure out how to post a new thread - could you tell me how?
Sure. I PM'd this to you for safe-keeping as well.

First, go to the Message Boards main page, here: http://www.dr1.com/forums/

Then, select the Forum in which you wish to post your new thread. Say, "General Stuff" for example here: http://www.dr1.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13

On the left side near the top will be a button that says "New Thread". Just click there and type your message.

Tom aka XR