Biting the hand that feeds you.

Was watching the news about the protesters at Olympic Dam and began wondering about the people involved.  Now putting to one side, for now, the ethical rights or wrongs about uranium mining, I was struck by the irony of it all.  These people are protesting against the very people who support them! The mining industry contribute a large amount to the government coffers, their employees are all paying taxes and these taxes are used in part to fund people on welfare, the dole or getting education grants etc.  Now, if the mining companies were gone and thousands of workers were unemployed and claiming benefits, then the people that are protesting would have to get jobs and do their bit to support others.  Now that would be ironic.