My question is “then what”. I have yet to see anyone actually set a goal and terms of victory. How many people will be needed and what is the end goal? If we make an arbitrary threshold at say 50 million, what then? Are they just still going to protest a couple times per year, or are they supposed to start burning factories down and lobbing heads off of the ruling class? How, and who, is going to make the people do that?
I wholeheartedly support the american people doing something, but as long as there isn’t an actual plan I can’t see it having any chance of success.
The “then what” seems to be to show people that the current administration isn’t working, at least from what I can see. And, weirdly enough, it has sort of worked so far. Democrats have flipped a lot of Republican-held seats in special elections up until now, and they even have a real chance of flipping a senate seat in Texas, of all states.
Assuming we have a fair election (or as fair of one as we can) in November, there is an opportunity to at least severely limit Trump’s power. This, of course, is predicated on a lot, including Schumer giving two shits about the people for once (which is a stretch), but it’s not nothing.
Worst case? You’ve already mobilized millions. Getting them to start rioting doesn’t take much once there’s a spark.
How else do you plan to mobilize millions of people? Telling them “ok we’ll protest for two years then start guillotining the bourgeoisie” is going to turn away most people. Saying “show up here and chant your lungs out” is much more palatable, and at least has a chance to accomplish something, even if relatively small.
Talarico is a possibility, but I can’t vote. One needs a fixed address in Texas. I’m working on that. But it’s fucking infuriating that the people who run our state from our own city hate us and wish us to die.
On a basic level, weekends are when the most people can afford to show up. And I mean that monetarily. The sheer number if people living paycheck to paycheck without much PTO would mean fewer showing up.
On a less basic level, why are you against weekend protests? Because they are less disruptive?
Because they’re not disruptive. At all. These are protests in name only; in essence they’re parades (I wouldn’t complain as much if they were only less disruptive). Also, despite being not disruptive they make people feel like they’ve “done their part,” effectively acting as a pressure valve against more radical action. I’ve seen arguments that these protests are a good stepping stone for organizing more effective resistance, but even then do we really need six of those? I’m pretty sure if these were still useful we’d see more of them.
On a basic level, weekends are when the most people can afford to show up.
And that’s another thing that ticks me off about this. Americans’ pain tolerance is disgustingly low for people staring down fascism while running and manning the world’s deadliest, evilest war machine. Like do y’all think this is going to end with signs and parades? Without anyone threatening him in any way, why the hell would Trump give up power? There’s a widespread trend of highly underestimating the pain and effort it’d take to drag Trump out of power, in a time where the fascists get stronger the more time is wasted.
They disrupt traffic a lot. Especially in the US where we are reliant on cars so much. That is pretty huge. Parades are disruptive in the same way.
despite being not disruptive they make people feel like they’ve “done their part,”
Maybe, but all protests have this issue. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do them
Americans’ pain tolerance is disgustingly low for people staring down fascism while running and manning the world’s deadliest, evilest war machine.
I don’t think this is the case, but this makes it sound like you don’t know what it means to live paycheck to paycheck, which is pretty bad anywhere but very bad in the US. You can’t necessarily afford to take time off, and if you call out you could loose your job and subsequently your health insurance. That could be life or death for a lot of folks The US is fucked in a lot of ways, but especially this one.
here’s a widespread trend of highly underestimating the pain and effort it’d take to drag Trump out of power
This is never going to happen short of prolonged and bloody civil war. I think we may see that unless Trump dies in office (of natural causes, assassination will just make him a martyr). The best we can hope for outside of full empire collapse is pushing out the shitty dems and getting actual progressives/leftists in office.
Ultimately I don’t think these protests are doing a lot, but they are not doing nothing either. And they certainly aren’t hurting anything. The normies that go to these were not going to organize outside of them, and maybe (very maybe) these protest help them see what collective action can do.
Oh they’re still doing these. Sigh.
I always wonder… what’s sort of big ideas do you have for mobilizing a nation of disparate people?
I doubt you’ve ever successfully wrangled 3 mates to get a pizza order together, much less a nationwide protest.
My question is “then what”. I have yet to see anyone actually set a goal and terms of victory. How many people will be needed and what is the end goal? If we make an arbitrary threshold at say 50 million, what then? Are they just still going to protest a couple times per year, or are they supposed to start burning factories down and lobbing heads off of the ruling class? How, and who, is going to make the people do that?
I wholeheartedly support the american people doing something, but as long as there isn’t an actual plan I can’t see it having any chance of success.
The “then what” seems to be to show people that the current administration isn’t working, at least from what I can see. And, weirdly enough, it has sort of worked so far. Democrats have flipped a lot of Republican-held seats in special elections up until now, and they even have a real chance of flipping a senate seat in Texas, of all states.
Assuming we have a fair election (or as fair of one as we can) in November, there is an opportunity to at least severely limit Trump’s power. This, of course, is predicated on a lot, including Schumer giving two shits about the people for once (which is a stretch), but it’s not nothing.
Worst case? You’ve already mobilized millions. Getting them to start rioting doesn’t take much once there’s a spark.
How else do you plan to mobilize millions of people? Telling them “ok we’ll protest for two years then start guillotining the bourgeoisie” is going to turn away most people. Saying “show up here and chant your lungs out” is much more palatable, and at least has a chance to accomplish something, even if relatively small.
Talarico is a possibility, but I can’t vote. One needs a fixed address in Texas. I’m working on that. But it’s fucking infuriating that the people who run our state from our own city hate us and wish us to die.
Europeans: “Where are all the protests guys do something!!”
Europeans when Americans protest:
I mean is it too much to ask for these to happen on a weekday? Just because I want Americans to protest doesn’t mean any protest will do.
On a basic level, weekends are when the most people can afford to show up. And I mean that monetarily. The sheer number if people living paycheck to paycheck without much PTO would mean fewer showing up.
On a less basic level, why are you against weekend protests? Because they are less disruptive?
Because they’re not disruptive. At all. These are protests in name only; in essence they’re parades (I wouldn’t complain as much if they were only less disruptive). Also, despite being not disruptive they make people feel like they’ve “done their part,” effectively acting as a pressure valve against more radical action. I’ve seen arguments that these protests are a good stepping stone for organizing more effective resistance, but even then do we really need six of those? I’m pretty sure if these were still useful we’d see more of them.
And that’s another thing that ticks me off about this. Americans’ pain tolerance is disgustingly low for people staring down fascism while running and manning the world’s deadliest, evilest war machine. Like do y’all think this is going to end with signs and parades? Without anyone threatening him in any way, why the hell would Trump give up power? There’s a widespread trend of highly underestimating the pain and effort it’d take to drag Trump out of power, in a time where the fascists get stronger the more time is wasted.
They disrupt traffic a lot. Especially in the US where we are reliant on cars so much. That is pretty huge. Parades are disruptive in the same way.
Maybe, but all protests have this issue. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do them
I don’t think this is the case, but this makes it sound like you don’t know what it means to live paycheck to paycheck, which is pretty bad anywhere but very bad in the US. You can’t necessarily afford to take time off, and if you call out you could loose your job and subsequently your health insurance. That could be life or death for a lot of folks The US is fucked in a lot of ways, but especially this one.
This is never going to happen short of prolonged and bloody civil war. I think we may see that unless Trump dies in office (of natural causes, assassination will just make him a martyr). The best we can hope for outside of full empire collapse is pushing out the shitty dems and getting actual progressives/leftists in office.
Ultimately I don’t think these protests are doing a lot, but they are not doing nothing either. And they certainly aren’t hurting anything. The normies that go to these were not going to organize outside of them, and maybe (very maybe) these protest help them see what collective action can do.
You can’t win, when they’ve done it on a weekday you get everyone complaining its not on a weekend
What? I have literally never seen someone complain about this.
Well your experience is not representative of the whole