New rule: Suspect and distance yourself from anyone who says, “you’re only voting/volunteering/donating/canvassing/protesting/contacting representatives, etc. iT’s NoT gOiNg To aCcoMpLiSh AnYtHiNg!”. Yeah, doing nothing and trying to get others to do the same is the only way to guarantee nothing changes!
Absolutely!
There is no good reason to oppose protests but here are a few of the ones I’ve seen around here:
It’ll put you on the list for ‘no reason’
– If nonviolent protest will put you on ‘the list’, then you’re already on the list. We’re all on the list. But it’s a big list, because we have the numbers on our side.
It accomplishes nothing!
– No, nothing accomplishes nothing. If your choices are between “nothing” and “something”, do something. If your choices are between “nothing” and “vague appeal to violence”, that’s not a choice, that’s a trap. Even people who believe in those solutions would never try to dissuade you! because public unrest would obviously only help their cause.
You’re provoking them! They’ll enact martial law!
– No, they provoked us. they are not ‘waiting for an excuse’. Nonviolent protests and the exercise of free speech do not provoke oppression, that is victim-blaming.
If they want violence, they will bring the violence, and manufacture whatever excuses they need. Please see the Reichstag fire.
People who say “do nothing” are full of shit, but there’s some merit to “we need to escalate yesterday”. Getting swept up in the tide and not noticing where you actually stand is the second-worst thing you can do, the worst of course being not doing anything.
fuck off with that shit. some of us see that more direct action needs to be taken. you can pussyfoot around all you want to. i don’t have to agree with it.
New rule: Suspect and distance yourself from anyone who says, “you’re only voting/volunteering/donating/canvassing/protesting/contacting representatives, etc. iT’s NoT gOiNg To aCcoMpLiSh AnYtHiNg!”. Yeah, doing nothing and trying to get others to do the same is the only way to guarantee nothing changes!
Absolutely! There is no good reason to oppose protests but here are a few of the ones I’ve seen around here:
– If nonviolent protest will put you on ‘the list’, then you’re already on the list. We’re all on the list. But it’s a big list, because we have the numbers on our side.
– No, nothing accomplishes nothing. If your choices are between “nothing” and “something”, do something. If your choices are between “nothing” and “vague appeal to violence”, that’s not a choice, that’s a trap. Even people who believe in those solutions would never try to dissuade you! because public unrest would obviously only help their cause.
– No, they provoked us. they are not ‘waiting for an excuse’. Nonviolent protests and the exercise of free speech do not provoke oppression, that is victim-blaming.
If they want violence, they will bring the violence, and manufacture whatever excuses they need. Please see the Reichstag fire.
People who say “do nothing” are full of shit, but there’s some merit to “we need to escalate yesterday”. Getting swept up in the tide and not noticing where you actually stand is the second-worst thing you can do, the worst of course being not doing anything.
thank you for this.
fuck off with that shit. some of us see that more direct action needs to be taken. you can pussyfoot around all you want to. i don’t have to agree with it.
so take direct action then. just know there are many ways to resist.