People who actually know a goddamn thing about how social movements work understand that protests can be massively useful not as ends in themselves but as *starting points* for people who are newly mobilized They are huge opportunities. They matter - ThreadSky

dynamicsymmetry.bsky.social • 4 days ago

People who actually know a goddamn thing about how social movements work understand that protests can be massively useful not as ends in themselves but as *starting points* for people who are newly mobilized

They are huge opportunities. They matter

Reposted from Laura

Less complaining about how big rallies don't do anything, more brainstorming about how to activate their attendees to get involved with targeted campaigns, direct action, and mutual aid.

Comments

yodelingfish.bsky.social•3 days ago

Yep! I was just reminded of Arab Spring where regimes were held accountable because of the protests

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring

prettyarbitrary.bsky.social•4 days ago

Repubs keep saying, "It's bots, it's scare tactics, it's just a small group of malcontents." Just ignore them, don't hold those town halls.
Now they get to see just how many people they've pissed off, and how bad.

dramaticowl.bsky.social•4 days ago

Yes, or they push the narrative that people are paid to protest.

nottheskye.bsky.social•1 day ago

Couldn't agree more, I see the way forward is to use protest momentum to get legislation to stop the oligarchs' main goals. For example, a campaign to ban Driverless cars and humanoid robots would stop Tesla Robotaxi and Tesla Optimus, and the others such as OpenAI's Figure robot or Google's Waymo.

nottheskye.bsky.social•1 day ago

I think saving blue collar jobs and gig work from displacement during the beginning of a recession would be popular to everyone that isn't a Tech CEO.

billthepony.bsky.social•4 days ago

Exactly,

Its confounding to me how many libs only consider "bills signed by the president" to be "effective politics"

So they dedicate huge effort to suppressing "useless" mobilization.

And then wonder where the voters are on election day!

andycrain.bsky.social•3 days ago

A protest > 1 million people is significant in itself.
A protest smaller than that is a mobilization tool.

dynamicsymmetry.bsky.social•3 days ago

💯💯💯

anrothelf.bsky.social•3 days ago

YES!! Especially local protests like these, where people connect and meet for the next protest.

It also moves organizing OFFLINE, where it's 1000x more effective than online.

#OrganizeOffline

robink.bsky.social•3 days ago

Exactly, this is barely the beginning.

danifroom.bsky.social•4 days ago

They also scare the shit out of politicians, both those being protested and those who are supposed to have the protesters' backs

i-am-erk.bsky.social•4 days ago

It might work to kick the democrats in the pants a little, but i really don't think it has the usual effect as one would expect on fascists. There were plenty of anti-nazi protests in Germany. In general I don't think any help is coming from typical political channels.

cathoderituals.bsky.social•3 days ago

People don’t wanna hear it, but the only way to fight fascists is to actually, physically fight them. It can’t be some ‘marketplace of ideas’ thing. If they’re given room to gather in your city, they will become more empowered and start attacking people in the community, esp the homeless.

irenzero.bsky.social•4 days ago

at the very least a mass gathering of local people is an easy place to get signatures on petitions for all kinds of movements from changing street names to recalling politicians to getting proposals on a local or regional ballot....

staydangerous.bsky.social•3 days ago

giving your information to anyone at any event like this is a terrible idea

irenzero.bsky.social•3 days ago

are you saying that no one should ever sign a petition?

staydangerous.bsky.social•3 days ago

Not at a rally like this. You have no idea if it’s legit or just someone trying to collect info on people attending for malicious reasons. If it’s something you’re passionate about, remember it and do it later/at a safer place.

kuangeleven.bsky.social•4 days ago

It's almost as if being in a crowd that validates your feelings about the shit you're seeing somehow ISN'T valuable, and nor does it do a thing for all the people watching online who haven't yet found the confidence to mobilise...

Over to my man, Justin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfp6NPPv8Ro

jscram3254.bsky.social•4 days ago

It really helps when you remember that, in order to build a mass movement, you need to have as many points of entry as possible and as many different ways as possible for people to contribute.

friendotoday.bsky.social•3 days ago

Holy moly YES! One of the most common forms of brain rot I see are folks saying only X type of political action works. There is more than one lane - there are tons of them actually! Pick a lane that appeals and do that work! Don’t forget the other lanes count and help too!!!

chadsomething.bsky.social•3 days ago

As an introvert, I am averse to phone banking and canvassing. It's nice when there is envelope stuffing, data entry, etc... options to help in other ways.

sharktocat.bsky.social•3 days ago

You might do this already, but my local group that helps unhoused folks with basic supplies is always looking for people to assemble the supply kits!

lying.bsky.social•3 days ago

They're great jumping-off points but their fundamental benefit is as a coercive show of force. They're a show of how many people are on your side and, from that, influence political proceedings because public opinion can't dive too far before some rich asshole in government loses his job.

lying.bsky.social•3 days ago

Also it scares the hell out of the stock market so every big protest drives Tesla stock that extra bit lower 👍

i-am-erk.bsky.social•4 days ago

Yeah, that's what I've been arguing too. I can't hide that I'm disappointed it took this long, but i am glad to see this happen. I hope it indicates Americans are realizing they are strong and don't have to just accept their new king. But this has to be a beginning, it can't be all there is.

dramaticowl.bsky.social•4 days ago

Yes, I really feel like there should have been protests as soon as DOGE was announced and treated as legitimate. I think people were just so devastated that people chose him again after everything

i-am-erk.bsky.social•4 days ago

I have been raging about what should have happened for a while and I'm trying to lighten up... I'm just still worried too few Americans know how to resist. But seeing strength in numbers can be a strong motivator.

raywoodruff.com•4 days ago

The first step to mobilizing is knowing you are not alone. This helps build community both among those who attend and those who know those who attend and might get interested in attending next time.

cassandrascharm.bsky.social•3 days ago

People do what their neighborhood does . Why were yard signs effective. Unfortunately, people don’t super think but they see . What they see they vote . That’s why the rallies were so effective for Trump . Cheering people and it didn’t matter what they were cheering

aggieloveseggs.bsky.social•3 days ago

Saying protest has no impact is such a defeatist attitude. Those people are the ones quietly accepting what's happening in the USA but they won't admit it.

susaga.bsky.social•3 days ago

"Protests have no impact, so you shouldn't bother. Also, I'm completely immune to knifes, so don't try to stab me. I just want to save you all that embarrassment. I'm not just bluffing to avoid getting stabbed."

civics4all.bsky.social•3 days ago

🎯 This is such an important thread! Protests are one of the best tools in a democracy for energizing potential voters. They are building blocks for future electoral and legislative action—especially when the protesters are being attacked/ignored by the people in power.

sc00trgrrl.bsky.social•3 days ago

I always wondered if rally protests did anything too, but I’m actually open minded and decided to try going to one

I think they are a very good starting point that inspire people

People that disagree need to be asked what they would like to do instead. The answer will probably be a non-answer.

queengwenevere.bsky.social•4 days ago

In the last go-around, a lot of protests doubled as voter drives to get people registered and/or to point people to resources about how to run for office, which I think helped a lot in 2018. In some cases there were even tables set up with free info and resources.

queengwenevere.bsky.social•4 days ago

Plus as we’re seeing in the Tesla actions, it spreads awareness! People see a protest, get curious about what’s going on, and when they find out, THEY get mad and motivated, too!

Speaking of which, having informational pamphlets to hand out at protests may be a good idea

itswanda.bsky.social•3 days ago

Tesla investors are definitely noticing

smartvpants.bsky.social•3 days ago

Consistency principal. Get people to commit to small actions and the bigger ones are an easier ask.

benjamincpritchard.bsky.social•3 days ago

They make me happy amidst the state terror

dynamicsymmetry.bsky.social•4 days ago

Sneering at them because you think they’re all just a bunch of cringey libs is really fucking stupid

aaronsofaer.bsky.social•4 days ago

There is nothing more cringe than the people who sneer from their computers at people who are out touching grass, istg.

kateelliottsff.bsky.social•4 days ago

what I find most indicative is that a certain kind of person will complain "why aren't you doing anything, why aren't you all out on the streets like they do in the EU & Korea?" & then the same certain kind of person will complain "these mass street protests don't do any good, why aren't you--" etc.

dynamicsymmetry.bsky.social•4 days ago

And it’s really also vital to recognize the potential power in the simple visual of a ton of people gathered in one place for one purpose, especially if it looks cathartic and/or fun

This isn’t where things end, this is ideally where they start

mastergatherer.bsky.social•3 days ago

Was speaking to someone on the train home, and we both think that we'll see more people turn out as the summer kicks in and it gets warmer.

There is a big feeling now that this is the start

dynamicsymmetry.bsky.social•4 days ago

If even a significant minority of the people out there today get hooked up with local groups involved in ongoing action, we are REALLY getting somewhere

thevgmlover.bsky.social•3 days ago

The George Floyd protests don't feel like they ever happened. They were SUCCESSFULLY QUASHED because the police doubled down instead of apologizing and immediately dealing with the cause.

I NEED TO KNOW THAT THIS PROTEST WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM THAT BEFORE I GET ANY HOPE OR CONFIDENCE, WHATSOEVER.

dynamicsymmetry.bsky.social•4 days ago

And also a significant number of them are likely out there because they are ALREADY hooked up with local groups involved in ongoing action!

itswanda.bsky.social•3 days ago

or whining that they don't get a lot of media coverage when they're held on Saturdays, no one called the media, and there isn't a singular message.

I often think the most important part of protests besides visibility is meeting other action oriented people

lovesdaryl.bsky.social•3 days ago

Yes! Seeing that you’re not alone with your anger is fantastic.

fincoot.bsky.social•4 days ago

which is why the fascist mouth will run around yelling 'it doesn't matter low ratings'

but that's just the media war. The energy persists.
organizing people who haven't been organized before
they fear that

bchanson.bsky.social•4 days ago

Thank you for illuminating that.

lovesdaryl.bsky.social•3 days ago

I‘ve been to more protests over the past six or seven years than in the twenty years before and they felt so massively empowering and motivating.

bella59.bsky.social•3 days ago

That's exactly what I told anyone who would listen in Buffalo NY. It's only the beginning!

gottastory.bsky.social•3 days ago

Go with the crowd so to speak.

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