Hippie Town Under Pressure

[Kosez]

They want to ignore the laws of the country, while squatting on government property? Doesnt make a bit of sense to me.

There's a difference between legal and legitimate. Something has to be legitimate first in order to get legal. Sometimes legal is not also legitimate, if that's the case, citizens have the right to obide that kind of law. Not only right but also a duty. Laws should be written for all parts of society and not just for rich.

Plus, squotting is a very legitimate way of providing housing for yourself, because squotting essentially means take over of uninhabited buildings which serve no purpose even if they have owners. And not using buildings in times when housing is hard to find is not very legitimate now, is it?

 

[skadistic]

If a law is not legit of un-just you act by the rules set forth to change said laws. You don't ignore them. Thats the worst justifaction I've heard for commiting crime.

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Excellent stuff. Crush the hippies mercilessly underfoot and boot the survivors screaming back into the real world. Bayonets optional.

 

[warpus]

If a law is not legit of un-just you act by the rules set forth to change said laws. You don't ignore them. Thats the worst justifaction I've heard for commiting crime.

Tell that to Rosa Parks. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

 

[Simon Darkshade]

That is an entirely different kettle of fish. The root of her issue was immutable. Being a hippy is not immutable, nor are chosen behaviours under the same category as unchosen personal characteristics.
The argument of the US civil rights movement cannot be extended to the hairy unwashed peddling dope and death on the street of fair Denmark, methinks.

 

[GinandTonic]

If disobaying un unjust law can ever be moral, then to demonstrate an act is imorral you have to do more than demonstrate it is illegal.

 

[Whomp]

Well it’s taken me awhile to sort through my thoughts and I’m a bit conflicted over what’s happening in Christiana. I’ve vistited there and can say that I’ve never met so many different people from around the globe in all of my travels.

Copenhagen is a wonderful walking(and especially biking) city.
With Tivoli Gardens (a charge to get in), a walk along the Stroget for shopping, the parks, the hotties and even a visit to the Glyptoteket was neat. However talking to the locals the city is simply not accessible for many young people. Rents are stratospheric and it takes a near miracle to find a place in the city (5800 people per sq km).

My thinking is if there could be a compromise it could be a win-win. If a coexistence could be possible it would benefit both the city and the collective. Christiana is 85 acres (34 hectars) of prime real estate in Copenhagen and includes the city’s Naval fortress. It could be another attraction to the city if planned properly. Make it a type of ecclectic type of music, bars, coffeehouse type of environment where the collective can mangage and run the facilties while paying taxes and having their place too. Right now they are being offered rents at 250 DKK/month (~$40).

Unfortunately, having Indymedia Center involved and their far left anti globalization stance seems to have made things that much worse.
The involvment of this organization does not shed a very positive light on the situation in Christiana.

 

[skadistic]

@ Whomp should all governments compromise with all criminals? Or should laws be followed?

 

[Sidhe]

That is an entirely different kettle of fish. The root of her issue was immutable. Being a hippy is not immutable, nor are chosen behaviours under the same category as unchosen personal characteristics.
The argument of the US civil rights movement cannot be extended to the hairy unwashed peddling dope and death on the street of fair Denmark, methinks.

dope and death, can you show me a case where someone has died of a dope overdose?

Yes we all know hippies are conservatives mortal enemies but, they love you man

It sounds to me like Christiana is a tourist attraction in itself, I think they should buy weapons from the UK and form an active resistance movement

 

[Kosez]

It's allways about drugs, isn't it? Even if Christiania and Metelkova and similar alternative places are about everything but drugs. In fact, they offer a way out of drug abuse by offering young people something to do with their lifes.

Ok, Christiania is a bit different, there aren't so many young people in it, but the fact is they are being here for 30 years now and it just doesn't seem fair to force them out now. I'm sure that if they had known that this is a prime real estate area 30 years ago they would chose some other place. But situation was completely different back then.

 

[Dionysius]

i say make it a dutch embassy. or legalise marijuana in denmark, which would be excelent.

 

[Whomp]

@ Whomp should all governments compromise with all criminals? Or should laws be followed?

Hmm...it seems to me that Christiana was very similar to Amsterdam in many ways. It's only been since 2004 that the government passed a law abolishing the collective and it ran just fine for 30 years. Christiana brought in tourists just based on its uniqueness. On the other hand 900 people for 85 acres of land in a crowded city is a bit much too. This is why I suggested some compromise. This could make Copenhagen a destination city IMO.

I would suggest this is akin to prohibition. Was it legal to drink? Nope. Did it create a different behind the scenes element?