Good… now repeat it but as a General Strike
We clearly have the numbers against traitorous conservatives.
Would be really cool if we could use those numbers before allowing them to destroy our society.
Match the energy during election day ballot yeah?? Thanks
I searched and didnt find one. Maybe you can verify YOUR claim?
great job everyone!
Ok. I’m too chicken shit to actually show up in person to one of these protests.
What’s the next best thing I can do to meaningfully help?
Fucking show up is what you can do.
I get being afraid of going to a protest considering we have police literally saying they’ll just kill people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved with those organizing the protests. See if you can get involved with the organizers of your local protests and ask them what they need for the protests. After all, those signs you see people carrying didn’t make themselves. At the very least you can call your reps and make your voice heard. Even if your reps are dems, make it clear that you want real action, not just talk. You could also talk to the people around you: at work, at the store, family members, etc. Encourage them to call their reps. If your reps aren’t actively making things worse or letting things get worse by doing nothing but fundraise (so most reps) then see if there are efforts to primary any of them and encourage everyone you know to vote in the primaries too
Like I said, I understand being afraid to go to a protest. I am too. But you have to remember that if we don’t stop Trump and a full blown fascist takeover, then things will be much, much worse and much, much harder to change
Can you share what exactly your concerns are so that folks could suggest a mitigation strategy?
Grow a pair.
That’s great news. The other 9 of the 10 biggest protests were were extremely successful at affecting change.
Since we made such massive progress on all the others, this is clearly a harbinger of social and political progress.
- George Floyd (Police Brutality)
- Earth Day 1970 (Environmental Protection)
- No Kings (Trump)
- Hands Across America (Poverty)
- Women’s March 2017 (Feminism)
- Hands Off (Trump)
- March for Our Lives (Gun Violence)
- Women’s March 2018 (Feminism)
- #RickyRenuncia (Puerto Rico, Resignation of Ricardo Rosselló)
- Great American Boycott (Immigrant Rights)
Only #9 actually accomplished what they wanted.
Until we start seeing general strikes, or other action, they will continue to ignore the people.
A week of general strikes, and the stock exchange tanking acordingly, would actually have an effect.
I keep seeing this, and I don’t disagree, but what exactly is gonna change? Some rich people get slightly less rich, they’ll still own most of our government. Our current admin clearly doesn’t care about public opinion.
They care about money.
Day long general strikes have changed policy. A week would bring the government to the table on anything short of dissolving the government.
The US government is terrified of general strikes, and has gone to extraordinary measures to ensure they don’t happen.
“no king’s” implies you think of him as a king. So not really an insult
“no kings” isn’t meant as an insult, what are you on about? It’s a statement that people don’t want a king.
& here come the lies about the protests https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4mwJ1sIxt4
not to rain on the parade or nothing, but a protest that hasn’t the implicit threat of “…or else” is just a hang
All the other benefits of a non-violent protest aside, there’s also immense value is reminding people that they’re not as singular in their viewpoint as they feel.
For a lot of people, it’s been very easy to feel like everyone else must be in board with this.
I’m not sure what you’re looking for to codify the implicit threat. A couple million people calling you a king at an event called “no kings day” in a country whose founding narrative is “violently rebel against kings” seems pretty implicit to me.
Also, I just realized that there’s a red coat/red hat parallel I haven’t seen leveraged yet that has a lot of potential.
there’s also immense value is reminding people that they’re not as singular in their viewpoint as they feel.
This destroys the narrative of the protested party. They cannot convincingly talk about ‘a few misguided people disagreeing’ when you see so many others who feel like you. Even if nothing would be achieved by the protest, this is an immensely powerful confirmation of an individuals beliefs. 100% agree.
Would be MUCH more effective if all the protesters were armed.
The lesson from A Handmaid’s Tale is don’t protest without the arms to back it up.
They don’t have “a” narrative that can be refuted. Any narrative that they present is facile and can be changed in mid sentence. Addressing the things they say is a waste of effort, even as counter-propaganda. It costs them orders of magnitude less to spread bullshit than it costs you to spread the antidote. This is just another way that they get you.
I don’t mean to devalue organizing and peaceful protest, but the benefits are what it does to us, not what it does to them.
Showing up isn’t arguing against them, it’s sending a message to other people (amongst other things).
Arguing with fascists is pointless. Showing that not everyone agrees with them is different though, and has value. They may not have a singular static narrative, but they rely on the perception that dissent is a minority position.
I was trying to say that. Seeing others puts a ‘narrative’ that is different from theirs in your own head, because you see with your own eyes. Everybody still needs to adress all incoming information, it’s not always apparent it is a false story.
Getting millions of Americans to go out and essentially shout “F U Donald” is a little bit more than a hang. And is potentially much more effective than a riot or occupy wall street.
America is still a democracy, in that all the roads to power require you to get folk to show up and vote for you.
America is still a democracy,
Not much longer if americans dont fight harder.
That is exactly why the midterms will be so important, not to mention the next presidential election. We need to keep the momentum going for a blue wave, and this protest may have helped with that.
When that fails, when Democrats lose voting rights, when Trump pardons the Minnesota assassin to effectively legalize political violence against MAGA’s enemies, when all peaceful options for democracy have been exhausted, then let’s talk about the violent revolution. Until then, there’s no reason to be a buzzkill about this protest.
The fact that No Kings was nonviolent was perfect, for now, because trying to riot or a coup would have just enabled MAGA to justify state-sanctioned violence of their own.
Well, good thing that the Minnesota assassin is currently being held on state-level murder charges because Trump can’t pardon non-federal charges.
Oh, thank goodness.
I would argue that it already isn’t. we kinda waited a bit too long, that’s why the protests happened.
Truth will be in the form of how they respond to the protests. If we end up with military occupation or martial law, we’re already not a democracy.
that said, tomato, tomaaato, same fix.
I see so many videos with people saying “I support you” and none saying “I’m going to take action.” Everyone is dawdling, nobody is doing anything
5 million people are doing something, your comment is shitting on their effort.
And 2-3 million were doing something a few months ago with the earlier protests. With any luck this trajectory continues
They are saying the effort was toothless, no need to take it so personal.
It’s incredible that millions of people showed up and pretty much none of them feel for Donald Trump’s trap that would have, to the MAGA Republicans, justified martial law and the suspension of liberties.
I’m pretty solidly convinced the protest was a good thing and that we won this battle.
You guys think that merely walking around in your own time holding up a board and shouting a bit, all focused on the mango puppet instead of the puppet masters, is going to change anything given that there is no single Historical event in the US ever of the lower classes rebelling against and deposit the upper classes (even the Revolution was literally the American plebs led by the American upper class fighting against the English plebs controlled by the English upper class)?!
The murder of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare had more impact, if only temporary because it wasn’t followed by more similar murders.
Even millions of people marching and shouting a bit (and so polite that they do it in their own time) will cause no fear for the elites because that’s in no way a warning that the heads of the elites will soon start getting separated from their shoulders if nothing changes.
You need at the very least a General Strike and/or targetting the economic and propaganda interests of the elites (trashing the TV studios of certain channels or certain newspapers would send a powerful message).
I mean, just notice the impact on police violence of the greatest demonstrations in the US - the George Floyd protests: nothing or even worse than nothing as the pigs have never been this violent.
Getting average people to the point that they are ready to do something like a general strike is a process.
Most people don’t even want to have to go to a protest.
But going to a protests is like anteing up in poker – it is mentally anchoring people as in the game and publicly taking a side.
And yeah - the fucks in power are going to say “bet”.
So now millions of people who are not where we already are, who have not wrestles with this and avoided it as long as they can - they are starting to ask, “ok, what do we actually have to risk to change this? What am I willing to do?”
Will we get enough people actually engaged enough for a general strike? I have no idea.
But I know it won’t happen without giving people a ramp-up that includes things like the protest this weekend.
Come over and lead the revolution then, if you think you’ve got what it takes. Otherwise, you’re also doing nothing of note.
I’m not American. If I went there to lead the revolution I would end up in El Salvador.
I did, however, got involved in politics in two countries I live in and did a lot of campaigning for them, so I’ve actually done the deed as far as I could rather than merely talk about it, and did so further than just demonstrations.
Demonstrations are nice as a way for people to know that they’re far from alone in their concerns, but they’re worthless if not leveraged into helping make or grow grassroots organization to change the actual underlying problems that results in somebody like Trump getting elected again and again (and I’m pretty sure that if that doesn’t change, when Trump is out somebody else like him or worse will eventually get elected).
The Georgy Floyd demonstrations are a great example of what happens if demonstrations aren’t leveraged to grow civic-society movements for change: you get some vague promises from politicians and then nothing actually changes.
I just feel that people here are treating these demonstrations as some kind on getting near the finish line when they’re at best (and hopefully) a beginning, and not even a beginning of the end but and beginning of the beginning, and they should be treated as opportunities to get the ball rolling on things that can actually snowball into real change.
If all you do after a demonstration is pat yourself on the back for having “done something” whilst you don’t even have some contacts for groups of people you’re thinking of joining for further actions, you’ve just done exactly what the actual powers that control the country wanted you to do: defused your anger whilst not starting the ball rolling on real change.
“Why isn’t anyone doing the obviously much better thing?” - someone not doing that thing
Murdering ceos didnt do jack shit, real change only happens like this
These protests, while better than nothing, will not produce real change.
Just as the George Floyd protests did not produce real change (Pelosi kneeling and raising a fist is not “real change”)
UnitedHealth reduced claim denials following the murder. So at least that is some tangible positive result
Just as the George Floyd protests did not produce real change
That’s just not true though. You’re just spouting bullshit on the internet.
That link states that no federal reform occurred. Which supports my point.
Of the state level changes, they are all aesthetic and surface level changes - and even those are now being undone.
So I’m not seeing the real change. Which demonstrates that the protests were not effective
And didn’t accomplish shit, by design. These types of protests are intended to channel frustration of the masses into feeling like they’ve done something, when really they’ve accomplished nothing.
That was more than enough people to overthrow the parasitic ruling class. Just do it already.
And yet here you are actively fighting against activism to enact change in the government. Are you wearing a maga hat right now or something? What is the motivation here?
Really? No one? Can’t even tell me what specific change they’re trying to enact?
Expecting a pat on the back, and can’t even articulate a specific policy goal. Absolutely wild and hilarious.
I would never. So please clarify for me- what was accomplished by this billionaire sponsored event? What change was enacted or demanded?
Do you have any receipts for that “billionaire sponsored” claim?
Hardly a “claim.” They didn’t hide it. Their backers were listed right on many of their ads.
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/walmart-ad-no-kings-boycott/
“The advertisements from Christy Walton are in no way connected to or endorsed by Walmart. She does not serve on the board or play any role in decision-making at Walmart,” the company said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch.
Walton has also made clear that she paid for the ad herself, and that it represents her own views.
I 100% believe billionaires shouldn’t exist, are a millstone on the neck of society and progress. I’d also support any action that would take care of the problem… But I don’t think you link shows much more than a single deplorable person experiencing a twitch of morality.
What is more likely?: this billionaire is funding a nationwide rally against the president’s cut to benefits that directly contribute to her growing wealth, or this billionaire is doing this out of a sense of morality?
What was the call to action of this protest? What was the demand? Stop, and think it through.
Please, if you feel like you’ve got the charisma and plan to rally us to, come on over and do so. Otherwise you’re doing no better.
Doing no better than what? What was accomplished? What’s the bar we’re measuring against?
Than the people you criticized. They got off their asses and touched grass for a few hours, met other likeminded individuals, networked, got to know allies in their communities. What are you doing, Comrade? Other than rereading the Communist Manifesto for the zillionth time? Where’s your praxis?
That’s what I wanted to confirm. If that’s the bar we’re setting for accomplishments, my group’s blowing them out of the water.
Funny attempt though. I’m not sure how you expected the argument to go your way, when your own standards for accomplishment set a bar so low that almost every single person minimally involved in any activism is doing loads more than this bare minimum measure.
Considering the “no kings” folks were sponsored by the Walton family and purposely enforced a stance of silence on the Gaza genocide, this doesn’t even meet the threshold for bare minimum on human decency.
Your conspiracism is silly but otherwise you’re correct
What conspiracy?
“funded by the Waltons”
Cool, then Sieg Heil to you, mein guter Herr. Enjoy your moral superiority when ICE kicks in your door.
Yes, if you oppose ICE but not the genocide, I am morally superior to you. That is a factual statement.
It was a moral victory. It showed us jow strong and numerous we are and we needed that.
It was a protest organized by a billionaire that was overtly anti-revolution and neutral on genocide.
It was specifically set up to reinforce inaction among a frustrated populace. Numbers don’t mean anything, without the will to use those numbers to revolt.
Go do something violent then
You first.
HEY EVERYBODY!..“you first” is absolutely NOT the flex you think it is.
It feels good to know that lots of other Americans care about what’s going on. I don’t know if we’re going to make it but I felt like part of a country out there and I hope we figure it out.
3rd largest so far.
Seriously, there will be more, I don’t think we’ve seen the biggest ones yet either.
1 George Floyd protests 500,000[5] 15,000,000–26,000,000 2020
2 Earth Day 20,000,000[6] 1970
3 No Kings protests 5,000,000 2025
4 Hands Across America (poverty) 5,000,000 1986
5 2017 Women’s March 3,300,000–4,600,000
Did any of these have any lasting impact?
take a guess
Ok I will. Yes
Can you provide examples? From what I gather, 1 cops are still killing people, 2 we’re still speeding towards climate catastrophe, 3 Trump is still in power, 4 Poverty and wealth disparity is getting worse, 5 Women in many walks of life are still second class citizens.
Unless the lasting impact you mean is one step forwards three steps backwards.
The comment told me to take a guess so I did although my answer was intentionally wrong because I thought my questions answer was obvious. None of the things listed have remained relevant
They asked a question, were asked to guess, and now are being demanded proof for the answer they are still seeking.
Do you think that the needle has moved in a positive direction since these protests? Even if it feels like only a few millimetres?
Starting from the bottom of this list: 5. There’s more women in the workforce than ever before https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2022001/article/00009-eng.htm 4. We’ve seen a drop in poverty since 2017 (but it’s climbing back up!) https://www160.statcan.gc.ca/prosperity-prosperite/poverty-pauvrete-eng.htm 3. As a direct response to Trump, Canada elected a Centre-Left Prime Minister in Marl Carney’s Liberals when the election was decidedly going to be a Rightwing landslide with the Poilievre’s Conservatives. 2. Green, renewable energy has never been more popular.
- There have been significant reforms since the George Floyd protests. Some cops have seen prison time, or lost their jobs entirely.
That’s not to say our job is done and everything is a utopia now - we still have a lot of work to do. However, we do need to acknowledge when things have moved in a good direction or we’ll be overwhelmed by the bad and lose hope.
You’ve gotta see some of the good through all the shitty headlines that want to make you click and feel bad.
Your first source is about women working in Canada and your second is about poverty in Canada.
Unless I missed something, Canada still is a sovereign nation despite what Trump wants.
Reminds me of this:
And then i’m told I should be happy the “needle is moving in a positive direction.”
I’m sorry, but every significant change in the world started with violence.
Intense violent changes are more suited for writing stories about than gradual non-violent changes. I’m not saying gradual non-violent changes is what US needs right now, but your statement is false and I think you should stop instigating violence in this thread.
The United States was created by the Revolutionary War.
We live in a country that only exists because of violence. We celebrate and honor this violence every year on July 4 (and on Memorial Day and Veterans Day)
Clearly we as a nation deeply believe in the transformative power of violence. It’s literally what it means to be an American.
I mean, yeah- they all did an excellent job of reinforcing the fascists’ understanding of how little a threat the US “left” is.
So do something about it, or you’re just as much a part of the sheep.
