The point of protesting at Trump rallies is to express disapproval of his message. Does it play into his tiny little hands? Probably to some extent, but it also provides a counter to his bullshit. People who, at this point, are not registered to vote, are unlikely to be "energized" enough to get registered and vote, unless someone like Trump, or an equally countervailing "energizing" force motivates them. Trump deserves protests. People who want to peacefully protest have the right to do so. I think that their doing so, serves the function of clearly demonstrating that Trump's bullshit con-artist messages are not being sucked up by everyone. The media is going to provide hundreds of millions of dollars of free airtime to Trump, regardless. Why shouldn't people who protest his bullshit get some airtime, also?"The point of protesting at Trump rallies is to express disapproval of his message", while this rings true, the point is compromised by protestor violence and not respecting the rights of Trump supporters to hear his bullshit message. I agree that violence by anti-Trump-protestors compromises their message of disapproval. But violence against non-violent anti-Trump protestors, violence that is advocated by Trump himself, enhances their anti-Trump message. As far as respecting the rights of Trump supporters to hear his message: Trump's message has been broadcast, perhaps more than any other political figure in our history. His message (and this has been measured over a one week period) includes a falsity, on average of once every 5 minutes. What about the rights of those who want to hear his lies confronted? The media are incapable of confronting his bullshit, it is too overwhelming for them, and their first loyalty is ratings, anyway.
What's the point of protest?In this case, trying to prevent repeating the atrocities the Nazis perpetrated. It's going to take more than protests to accomplish that. What do you suggest? It demands an engagement in the political process, people giving a damned and networking with each other, and a level of community solidarity that just doesn't seem to exist. People already do that. What else? Heck look at this board, CFI, I'd think in a country of three hundred million, there's be more than a dozen, a couple dozen, wanting to kick around these ideas. But, it's like no one is into reflecting on what's happening to us and our country anymore. Or about discussing our ideas and wrestling with opposing thoughts in a civil manner. I guess maybe most people are simply and blindly reacting to immediate stimulus, while trying to keep their head's above water. I don't know, but it all feels like that slippery sliddy slope keeps getting slipperier and steeper. What are you doing to remedy the situation? I'll bet you are "blindly reacting to immediate stimulus, while trying to keep your head above water," and have nothing more to suggest or do. Lois https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjSpO2B6G4s
Lausten, I think rushing the stage and grabbing the mic to protest Trump's rhetoric is acceptable behavior, but the problem is it might encourage people to assault Trump when they get on the stage. As long as it doesn't escalate into violence I have no problem. The protests at Trump rallies are getting publicity, and with any luck they will encourage people to get out and vote. Trump has crossed the line from passive approval to encouraging people to assault protesters, and that is very dangerous. Someone is going to get badly hurt or killed before his campaign ends.I know, I'm getting old. I can see my idealism slipping away. In a few more years I'll just be shaking my fist at the TV, oh wait, I already do that.
There is a way to protest peaceably, as the constitutions says, but people naturally get carried away when the rheteoric is as nasty and violence-inducing as Trump’s has been. When protestors enter a venue with every intention of demonstrating peacefully, it’s hard to maintain that peacful attitide when supporters come along and punch you in the face. I have never seen violent supporters like Trump’s, and he is a rabble rouser par excellence!
Lois
What do you suggest?Less apathy, more engagement.
People already do that. What else?No they aren't. Or they wouldn't have abandoned Obama once they got him in office, rather then remaining engage and giving him that public backbone politicians need to get anything accomplished. Instead they rolled over, while Republicans were quietly and strategically exercising their racism and getting out the votes during the unsexy mid-terms.
The Democratic Party Got Crushed During The Obama Presidency. Here's Why http://www.npr.org/2016/03/04/469052020/the-democratic-party-got-crushed-during-the-obama-presidency-heres-why Democrats Face Real Political Crisis Ahead Of November Election http://www.npr.org/2016/03/03/469083152/democrats-face-real-political-crisis-ahead-of-november-election
What are you doing to remedy the situation? I'll bet you are "blindly reacting to immediate stimulus, while trying to keep your head above water," and have nothing more to suggest or do.Go to caucus and do the Colorado process, only reason I'm not going to state convention/assembly is because of my pre-commitment to the Durango Bluegrass Meltdown, which occurs the same weekend. Community service thing. :) At least I remain engaged during the off years too. I pound my head against people's shackled minds and attempt witnessing on behalf of this fantastic planet we are in the midst of destroying. http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com no-villageatwolfcreek.blogspot[DOT]com But, of course Lois, you could have some fun asking me in bold red caps, how's that going for me. Not so good, still no converts - but we do the best we can with what we have. Here's a another song of the moment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdx6oyBOVj0
... Lone protesters, lone protesters without a plan, are just that lone protesters pissing in the wind, and giving their ruthless adversaries live ammo. Where is their plan, where are their moral and material resources for the long haul???https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d8/Tianasquare.jpg A lone protester is better than no protester. Yeah, tell me about it. Tim, for the record if you think it's the protesting I'm bitching about here - I've totally failed at expressing my thoughts. It's about getting real mileage out of the protests, that I'm talking about. Well, I guess also raging at the general saturation of apathy out there. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tank_Man
Do not despair, CC, our youth are rallying behind your case. See this essay on BMC Media, a new site. The author was a classmate of mine at St. Edward’s University.
http://www.bmcprojectmedia.com/#!Lets-Go-To-Rally-Against-Trump/c1l8f/56eadc5f0cf203534b10e2ec
He and his colleagues are actively opposing Trump.
Union strikes and marches in the South are positive examples of how protest works.Yes, and those examples, are perfect examples of a mighty movement of unseen people, supporting those protesters. Lone protesters, lone protesters without a plan, are just that lone protesters pissing in the wind, and giving their ruthless adversaries live ammo. Where is their plan, where are their moral and material resources for the long haul??? (Like there was for the great examples you provided.) If everyone waited to get a good plan together before taking, nothing would ever get done. I agree there are a lot of people, especially in America, who want to go wave a flag and think that's a plan, but you can't have a movement without followers. Sure, a few people need to be sitting in a kitchen somewhere hashing out details, but those details included getting a bunch of people who are sure what they are doing or how it all works to get off their butt for one afternoon and go stand on street corner somewhere because someone else told them it might make a difference. Peaceful movements need soldiers just like armies do. Most of us have to worry about getting the lawn mower started and the bread made, and a few people know how to combine data and plans with emotional appeal and each of those types need each other. There's no such thing as a "lone protester", unless you're talking about a guy with a sign that says the end is near.
What do you suggest?Less apathy, more engagement.
People already do that. What else?No they aren't. Or they wouldn't have abandoned Obama once they got him in office, rather then remaining engage and giving him that public backbone politicians need to get anything accomplished. Instead they rolled over, while Republicans were quietly and strategically exercising their racism and getting out the votes during the unsexy mid-terms.
The Democratic Party Got Crushed During The Obama Presidency. Here's Why http://www.npr.org/2016/03/04/469052020/the-democratic-party-got-crushed-during-the-obama-presidency-heres-why Democrats Face Real Political Crisis Ahead Of November Election http://www.npr.org/2016/03/03/469083152/democrats-face-real-political-crisis-ahead-of-november-election
What are you doing to remedy the situation? I'll bet you are "blindly reacting to immediate stimulus, while trying to keep your head above water," and have nothing more to suggest or do.Go to caucus and do the Colorado process, only reason I'm not going to state convention/assembly is because of my pre-commitment to the Durango Bluegrass Meltdown, which occurs the same weekend. Community service thing. :) At least I remain engaged during the off years too. I pound my head against people's shackled minds and attempt witnessing on behalf of this fantastic planet we are in the midst of destroying. http://whatsupwiththatwatts.blogspot.com no-villageatwolfcreek.blogspot[DOT]com But, of course Lois, you could have some fun asking me in bold red caps, I didn't use bold or caps. THIS IS WHAT RED CAPS LOOK LIKE. THIS IS WHAT BOLD RED CAPS LOOK LIKE ;) how's that going for me. Not so good, still no converts - but we do the best we can with what we have. Here's a another song of the moment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdx6oyBOVj0
I didn’t say you did 
%-P 
but I see sometimes my power of suggestion works 
I didn't use bold or caps. THIS IS WHAT RED CAPS LOOK LIKE. THIS IS WHAT BOLD RED CAPS LOOK LIKE ;)Was it fun for you :)
Lois, Don’t take it the wrong way, you just gave me too much of an opening.
I couldn’t let it pass.
just a little light hearted fun.
cheers
Back to the thread.
This whole thread was just venting at the whole ineffectualness, so we all hang on doing what we do, and nature will have it’s way with us. Fair enough determinism and all that. That’s why I’m out here. I know I’m totally depend on this doomed system, but I did get as far offsides as possible. Guess I figured out long ago, I didn’t want to be in the middle of it as it falls apart. But, it’s so weird, it’s like all the worst outcomes keep ticking by - But we humans do have so much potential, still we never overcame any of our weaknesses and greeds. Good thing we each only have one life to lose. And the rest has aways been way bigger than us anyways. But still it’s sad, I came into a world still wonderful, frayed edges all over, but for the young easy to miss. But, what we’ve managed this past half century in the middle of all it’s wonder, it’s been horrific to watch us laying down the foundations of not just our own destruction, but this whole fantastic planet we had. We are going to hugely reset the evolutionary clock on this planet, sure as your morning shit. Look around at the trends of the past half century, pay any attention to what’s happened to our oceans these past decades - try playing that forward. And now with surface temperatures getting back into the swing of things, oh man hang on for the ride.
Lois ready for some mind expanding hippydippyshit,
Folds within folds of cumulative harmonic complexity flowing down the stream of time, will give way to cascading consequences, where she bottoms out nobody knows. And then the oceans and land masses will do what they do and in a few tens, hundreds of thousands of years some new equilibrium will finally be settled into and the march of life will once again commence.
I didn't use bold or caps. THIS IS WHAT RED CAPS LOOK LIKE. THIS IS WHAT BOLD RED CAPS LOOK LIKE ;)Was it fun for you :) Absolutely! ;) Or should I say ABSOLUTELY!
Now all I need to be truly content is for you to fix the coding booboo in your signature.
:cheese: Now all I need to be truly content is for you to fix the coding booboo in your signature.looks like its missing ] after the color We know, we know. I think she know it really messes with my sense of esthetics and layout. Not that I think it any passive aggressive thing going on. But that's strictly between us, I like Lois and don't want to piss her off and I know how people can be. :zip:
Now I feel like a lone protester on Lois’ lawn.
With placard and chant:
fix the code
fix the code
Now I feel like a lone protester on Lois' lawn. With placard and chant: fix the code fix the code ;-) :kiss:I'll join you, as she refuses to fix long links that mess with the margins (a pet peeve of mine). Though we should protest from the sidewalk. (The yard is private property.) fix long links fix long links trump has tiny hands (as a Bernie supporter, I had to throw that in, since I'm going to the trouble of protesting) fix long links
Okay we got two now, although, that’s an easily misunderstood number as Arlo has made clean. Can me make movement?
You know, if one person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick and they won't take him. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony, they may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them. And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in singin' "fix the link" and walk out. They may think it's an organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day, I said fifty people a day walking in singin' a "fix long links" ... And friends they may thinks it's a movement. :cheese: credit goes where credit is due: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57gzA2JCcM
Okay we got two now, although, that's an easily misunderstood number as Arlo has made clean. Can me make movement?So, currently, people may think that the two of us are homosexual. That could be a plus, on this progressive forum.You know, if one person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick and they won't take him. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony, they may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them. And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in singin' "fix the link" and walk out. They may think it's an organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day, I said fifty people a day walking in singin' a "fix long links" ... And friends they may thinks it's a movement. :cheese: credit goes where credit is due: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57gzA2JCcM