Should anything stop the NYE fireworks ?

[Pessimistic]

Death of a monarch?

Death of a PM ?

Death of Princess Di ?

World trade centre disaster ?



It seems like with our fireworks to go ahead despite widespread sadness in the world, that nothing should stop them.

Apparently some places are cancelling or severely scaling back the festivities.

 

[SaveFeriss]

I was thinking about this as I was falling asleep last night. I know I wont be full of cheer as midnight strikes. But it never has filled me with cheer. More confusion as to why everyone else seems to feel so friggin happy about staying up till midnight, and why I dont share their enthusiasm.

Life must go on, however I didn't like the excuse the Sydney organisers gave.. "It's already been paid for". Weak spineless and pathetic. Why not just come out and say, life must go on.

Where ever I am tonight, I will think about the tens of thousands who unfortunatley wont be able to make it.

 

[bunsen burner]

Death of a monarch?

Death of a PM ?

Death of Princess Di ?

World trade centre disaster ?

No, no, no, and no.

People shouldn't be obliged to be sad because of a disaster or tragic occurance. It's like being at a funeral and being frowned upon because you're not crying. Just because you're having a good time on NYE doesn't mean you don't feel for the victims and their families. Celebrating the NY is just that - celebrating the NY. Has nothing to do with the Asian tragedy.

 

[Pessimistic]

I do realise that to cancel now would mean public disoder here and thats the last thing we want.
The time to cancel safely is now past but I do think there would have been a bigger outcry for WTC disaster or princess Di accident, were it to happen so near.

The postponed elections for a week in scotland.

And is is relevant directly to us. As well as the obvious tragedy and destruction up to 1000 australians are un accounted for and are most likely dead. No one is saying this and it is a very likely outcome

 

[DaveW]

Death of a PM ?

Sounds like a reason for more fireworks.

 

[bunsen burner]

The time to cancel safely is now past but I do think there would have been a bigger outcry for WTC disaster or princess Di accident, were it to happen so near.

Why are people so outraged about the average Australian's preference for what is bad and what is worse? I personally don't give a flying fruit bat that Princess Di died but was more concerned at 911 than this latest disaster simply because 911 was targeting westerners and was a malicious act. A sunami, whilst tragic is an act of nature. The result was much worse but people are outraged more by deliberate acts of violence.

People have been complaining that our media is biased and that this is wrong. No it's not. The media cater to what the people want to read and watch. All over the world people are more concerned about what is closer to home. We are westerners and we're going to be more concerned about other westerners.

 

[Cap]

I cant belive this is even an issue, I agree with bunsen , your basically saying if anything bad happens people should automatically put on there sad faces and walk being real pains in the arse

NYE (will fairly pointless) is still a celebration but you cant take it away from people, The worlds a mess but lets face it when hasnt the world been a mess ?

If it was inapproriate to do it now what about during the civil wars in the balkans? what about the constant destruction if the Brazilian Rainforests surely people are unhappy about that - wouldnt it be inappropirate to celebrate NYE with such a disgusting act is still occuring ??


so many ******** things happens in the world every year whats the difference ?

 

[Pessimistic]

Why are people so outraged about the average Australian's preference for what is bad and what is worse? I personally don't give a flying fruit bat that Princess Di died but was more concerned at 911 than this latest disaster simply because 911 was targeting westerners and was a malicious act. A sunami, whilst tragic is an act of nature. The result was much worse but people are outraged more by deliberate acts of violence.

People have been complaining that our media is biased and that this is wrong. No it's not. The media cater to what the people want to read and watch. All over the world people are more concerned about what is closer to home. We are westerners and we're going to be more concerned about other westerners.

There are up to a thousand australians 'unnacounted for' where do you think they are ? in the brothels of Bangkok ?

 

[Pessimistic]

I cant belive this is even an issue, I agree with bunsen , your basically saying if anything bad happens people should automatically put on there sad faces and walk being real pains in the arse

NYE (will fairly pointless) is still a celebration but you cant take it away from people, The worlds a mess but lets face it when hasnt the world been a mess ?

If it was inapproriate to do it now what about during the civil wars in the balkans? what about the constant destruction if the Brazilian Rainforests surely people are unhappy about that - wouldnt it be inappropirate to celebrate NYE with such a disgusting act is still occuring ??


so many ******** things happens in the world every year whats the difference ?

I just happen to think the princess Di thing, or 911 would have caused a cancellation if it happened on boxing day

 

[Port1978]

No the NYE fireworks should not be stopped. Just because something awful has happened doesn't mean that people still shouldn't be able to celebrate NYE. Life goes on....we can't just all sit around moping whenever something bad happens.

 

[Port1978]

I just happen to think the princess Di thing, or 911 would have caused a cancellation if it happened on boxing day

Am I the only one who hates September 11 being referred to as 9/11?? We're not in bloody America!

 

[Cap]

I just happen to think the princess Di thing, or 911 would have caused a cancellation if it happened on boxing day

911 is a possiblity - (then it would be called 2612) but it was a different kind of violence if this had been a terrorist action (which they could mimick i suppose) then it would have put a dampner on it i'm sure.

still there still would have been people quite happy to celebrate regardless, becasue it has no effect on them, I feel for the people involved and the familes etc , it has had no personal effect whatso ever I know noone thats was there or even anyone who knew someone there, so it hasnt the impact as it may to some.

I'm sure there were people with Bdays on 10/11 who would have still celebrated there birthdays the next day !

 

[Pessimistic]

Am I the only one who hates September 11 being referred to as 9/11?? We're not in bloody America!

So it offends you more than the disaster ? perhpas the current one would have more impact if it had a cool name

 

[Pessimistic]

BTW I don't really have a position on this but the debate has merit.

I'm not the only one who thinks it's an issue


NYE celebrations muted by quake
From correspondents in Paris
December 31, 2004

THE Champs-Elysees, the centre for New Year celebrations in Paris, will be draped in black crepe this year in mourning for the nearly 120,000 victims of killer tsunamis in south Asia, a statement from city hall said today.

In the statement, Mayor Bertrand Delanoe requested that 400 trees along the famous avenue and the 80 ornate lamp posts in the Place de la Concorde should be draped in black this year "to symbolise the solidarity of Paris with all the people touched by this tragedy".

Last year, 450,000 people gathered on the Champs-Elysees to welcome in the new year.

German authorities appealed to citizens to give up their usual purchase of fireworks and give the money to the wave victims instead.

Pisa in Italy announced it would abandon its New Year's festivities and send the money saved to aid organisations. One minute of silence was to interrupt the festivities in Venice.

In London, a quarter of the sums usually raised for charity during New Year parades, will be sent to the wave victims.

Sweden, one of the European countries most affected by the catastrophe, with 44 confirmed dead and at least 1000 missing, proclaimed New Years Day an official day of mourning. Flags are being flown at half-staff in Belgium for a three-day period.

Several countries in Asia called off New Year festivities altogether.

 

[Pessimistic]

Perhaps when we are all just innocently having fun we should reflect that most of the victims were doing the same thing

 

[skipper kelly]

911 is a possiblity - (then it would be called 2612)

1226

 

[Cap]

1226

hmm i did get that the wrong way didnt I !!

 

[bunsen burner]

There are up to a thousand australians 'unnacounted for' where do you think they are ? in the brothels of Bangkok ?

As more Australians are confirmed dead, the outrage meter and the media focus will increase.

 

[skipper kelly]

Except for the flying fruit bat bit, I agree with BB.

I for one am quite sick of media coverage of disasters 24/7. I have no need to watch and keep updated of death tolls.

Do what you can, help in any way you can then move on. If your help is by flying over there and helping out, great. If your help is by donating, great. If you learned how short and frail human life can be then great, put it into practice. If you dont care what happened, who are we to judge. Life goes on.

Who gets the enjoyment out of fireworks. Mainy young people and old people. Why should they be deprived of enjoyment because of what happened. Life goes on. When I die, life will go on. When you die, life will go on.

Do what you can to help, dont judge others and proceed with your life because you never know when your numbers up. Be happy, enjoy the moment, enjoy your family and friends, care for others, open that door, help that old lady across the road, bring your neighbours rubbish bin in, mow that extra bit of the nature strip etc etc etc. Be happy folks, be happy.

 

[skipper kelly]

hmm i did get that the wrong way didnt I !!

 

[Port1978]

So it offends you more than the disaster ? perhpas the current one would have more impact if it had a cool name

Of course it doesn't, dont' know where you got that idea from It's just that 9/11 to me is the 9th of November....

 

[Pessimistic]

Of course it doesn't, dont' know where you got that idea from It's just that 9/11 to me is the 9th of November....

Yeah.. a bit like 'Y2K" - I always found year 2000 easier to say

 

[Port1978]

Yeah.. a bit like 'Y2K" - I always found year 2000 easier to say

Much easier

 

[Bomber Spirit]

Don't know whether they should have cancelled them this year. They were already paid for, so cancelling them wouldn't have freed up any money to donate to relief efforts.
But I definately think they should have cancelled them in Sydney in 2001 when the bushfires were on. Despite what the officials said, it would have been dangerous having them, and having fireworks while people in the metro area were having their houses burnt down or threatened with fire was rather tasteless.

 

[Frodo]

NO...Celebrating a new year is unrelated to any other matter.