It's simply untrue that, compared to 2017 mass resistance, we are seeing mass quiescence. February '25 saw 2x as many protests as Feb '17. This data doesn't include Bernie 'fighting oligarchy' huge rallies, or the disruptions at GOP & Dem town halls. But there are differences 1/3 - ThreadSky

triofrancos.bsky.social • 7 days ago

It's simply untrue that, compared to 2017 mass resistance, we are seeing mass quiescence. February '25 saw 2x as many protests as Feb '17. This data doesn't include Bernie 'fighting oligarchy' huge rallies, or the disruptions at GOP & Dem town halls. But there are differences 1/3

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hunterw.bsky.social•7 days ago

This is a really interesting and important point. Where did you get the year-to-year data from?

charlesjmorris.com•7 days ago

https://bsky.app/profile/chenoweth.bsky.social/post/3lkqrdxha3k25

monkeypeter.bsky.social•7 days ago

That's a terrible metric. There's no head count ffs.

bowprow.bsky.social•7 days ago

There are too many people “laying low” and “hoping” or waiting for a knight in shining armor to save democracy. Please get active:
1) complain to Reps
2) attend townhalls
3) help call voters to overturn the House in the FL special election being held April 1, 2025.
https://www.mobilize.us/?q=Weil%20valimont

sierradelta328.bsky.social•6 days ago

If you do choose to protest in person, Alison Gary has some of the best, most useful, practical, real-world advice that you'll ever get:

https://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/details-on-the-april-5th-national-day-of-protest

egoldman.bsky.social•7 days ago

See Gitlin’s The Whole World is Watching

Not covering the grassroots protests comprehensively now is purposive

And no doubt the uprising Schumer is so patiently waiting for will be covered ever so objectively

kakotechnia.bsky.social•7 days ago

Awesome to learn this Thea! I’d assume as much in person but didn’t have quantitative results for folks who need numbers

river22.bsky.social•7 days ago

The fact that it is more dispersed and grassroots makes me hopeful that it will be more lasting and entrenched. People aren’t going for their one big march and feeling that they accomplished their goals.

tilmane.bsky.social•7 days ago

Take an example in Turkey, Serbia

https://bsky.app/profile/epoc.bsky.social/post/3lkzsqqufb22c

maxtwang.bsky.social•7 days ago

This isn’t effective resistance. Where are the strikes?

emgeekay.bsky.social•6 days ago

👍

captainahab.bsky.social•6 days ago

political strikes are illegal in America and have been since 1947.

maxtwang.bsky.social•6 days ago

So what?

maxtwang.bsky.social•6 days ago

Are you saying you're going to let that stop you? Feckless.

carlosgo.bsky.social•4 days ago

fear dissuades popular participation in the streets

bcnthomson.bsky.social•7 days ago

triofrancos.bsky.social•7 days ago

Namely, liberal elites and institutions are silent or complicit. The protests (& Bernie rallies etc.) aren't being amplified in the liberal mediasphere. Second and maybe related, the protests aren't a few huge demos, but more numerous, geographically dispersed & grassroots 2/3

sierradelta328.bsky.social•5 days ago

rainsurname.bsky.social•7 days ago

It's also simply untrue that some of those elites & institutions are actually liberal.

Billionaires own almost every media outlet now, & have a disproportionate amount of control over other institutions relative to only 10 years ago.

triofrancos.bsky.social•7 days ago

But we shouldn't mistake media invisibility for nonexistence, or liberal complicity for mass quiescence. In coming weeks, I would love to see more analysis of the terrain of national protest, including whether Bernie/ AOC rallies are catalyzing more action beyond the events 3/3

kenalleman.bsky.social•7 days ago

We're definitely seeing less grandstanding from grifters and lifestyle liberals than we did in Trump 1.0, and that's a good thing

ethelmerman01.bsky.social•7 days ago

Yeah, the rallies should be a small part of the overall actions taking place. The worry is Bernie and AOC will channel left-wing energy back to the corporate Dems like they did in the past. Protests, strikes, boycotts and general civil disobedience is where the real power lies.

analogline.bsky.social•7 days ago

My landlord got pissed/scared and started organizing people in my small MA city to protest every Tuesday at noon downtown. Been happening for the last four weeks at least. We’re not shaking the roof down, but none of that was happening 4 years ago here AT ALL. It was big events or nothing then.

analogline.bsky.social•7 days ago

8 years ago even. lol, it feels like the Biden administration didn’t even happen, this has short circuited my brain so much.

cacotecnia.bsky.social•7 days ago

What good are all of those Bernie rallies if he's sheepdogging people into racist positions on immigration issues, talking about the need for "secure borders" against "drug smugglers"?

rb-citizen.bsky.social•7 days ago

If you can't see the good on those rallies, then you must have your eyes closed.

cacotecnia.bsky.social•7 days ago

The complete opposite: my eyes are wide open, so I see clearly where positions like that leads us to

rb-citizen.bsky.social•7 days ago

🤔🤦‍♂️🤣🤣🤣🤣

sitnstitch.bsky.social•7 days ago

I have wondered if they have things like voter registration, union enrollment, local aid orgs, etc all with booths/stations for ongoing local work. Does anyone know?

armadillo13.bsky.social•7 days ago

I don't know what they've had, but AOC asked for suggestions.

https://bsky.app/profile/aoc.bsky.social/post/3lkyosefobk2c

blacktranstexas.bsky.social•7 days ago

People should begin documenting everything, everywhere, as we can no longer rely on the media to accurately cover stories. We witness this firsthand. You capture recordings on-site.

blacktranstexas.bsky.social•7 days ago

Regardless of the circumstances, this is something everyone must prioritize. We must move on to real people that are not loaded with money that hold no ill intent but just real stories and hype that up and make that the news outlet

matteosmaldone.bsky.social•7 days ago

Eventually, for good or ill, the msm won’t be able to ignore the protests. They literally have to decide they are “ready to cover” the actions. Sounds bizarre, but that’s what happened during #Occupy.

thomasswords.bsky.social•7 days ago

Thanks for this thread. I was at the big 2017 ones, but am much more involved with local actions now. They’re smaller, but more frequent. The vibe at mine is more left-wing (anti-genocide) than liberal (orange man bad) these days.

shafiqi.bsky.social•7 days ago

I moved to Maryland recently. What are ways to get connected to local actions? I was pretty involved in Birmingham, AL in many ways

justtmill.bsky.social•7 days ago

Protests mean exactly dick without action.

Sorry, but saying you're mad or resisting means nothing.

danielsomers.bsky.social•7 days ago

Yes. Thank you for this! I'm wondering how much this is related to class. I'm at Harvard and the silence here is incredibly demoralizing. I mean, I'm at the frickin' divinity school and it never seems to come up! So I wonder if it's more than media but also about people who are well insulated.

kmporemski.bsky.social•7 days ago

YES. If my little town is having a protest--a GOP-controlled city & county in a GOP-controlled state--you know something different is happening.

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