Protesting - useful/gets things done or a waste of time?
Discussion
PoleDriver said:
Surely they would achieve more with a strongly worded email? 
Ha. Well, indeed, if you had an issue with something in the UK, you can set up a poll and just need 100k signatures to get parliament to at least debate it (or something like that). Far more effective than walking about London.unrepentant said:
Hoofy said:
unrepentant said:
it may be a catalyst for mobilizing people for 2018 and 2020.
Please explain the 2018 and 2020 thing. (Genuinely interested, not sarcasm.)Dems need new leadership. The re election of Nancy Pelosi was not likely to fire up the new generation of voters. They need the likes of Corey Booker, Juluan Castro and Kamala Harris to get a higher profile.
catso said:
Hoofy said:
Ha. Well, indeed, if you had an issue with something in the UK, you can set up a poll and just need 100k signatures to get parliament to at least debate it (or something like that). Far more effective than walking about London.
Don't think it's any more effective. I've not followed many but all the responses to petitions that I've seen have been a patronising 'Mother knows best' reply.Still, it's far easier than walking about London...
And yes, easier and less tiresome than walking in the cold.
Norfolkit said:
Really kicked off in Lowestoft.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/lowestoft_protest_grou...
http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/lowestoft_protest_grou...
Maybe the 500,000 others were behind the camera?grantone said:
I think protesting can be useful in a couple of ways.
Well organised protests as part of wider campaign with simple, clear goals, that are at least partly based on righting some 'common sense' injustice seem to be reasonably effective at changing the mood of a population and resulting in changes of political policy, or just how everyone thinks of a topic. Fall of the Berlin Wall maybe an example?
Protests like the recent feminist anti-Trump one serve another purpose though.
Imagine feminist politics is your hobby; you chat about it all the time, you were convinced that Hillary would walk it, Clinton, Merkel & May running the world, your views are now mainstream & obvious, it's repeated back to you in everything you read & from everyone you talk to, it's our time, clearly Trump is some kind of evil madman, everyone can see that, no-one sane could vote for him, a f***ing wall, this is ridiculous, he grabs ladies by the pussy!?!, I mean Hillary isn't perfect, but...
He won!!!! What the actual f*** is happening?
For people that were deeply emotionally invested in the outcome it must have been devastating, what was once obvious & a certainty is no more. They need something to help them feel better about it, to process what has happened, to feel that they aren't completely alone. Maybe a slightly incoherent walk about with a few thousand similarly minded people is not a bad way to process those feelings. It's pointless and useless for those not attending, but maybe it helped those who did feel a little better.
Dialogue & Bargaining stage?
I prefer this.Well organised protests as part of wider campaign with simple, clear goals, that are at least partly based on righting some 'common sense' injustice seem to be reasonably effective at changing the mood of a population and resulting in changes of political policy, or just how everyone thinks of a topic. Fall of the Berlin Wall maybe an example?
Protests like the recent feminist anti-Trump one serve another purpose though.
Imagine feminist politics is your hobby; you chat about it all the time, you were convinced that Hillary would walk it, Clinton, Merkel & May running the world, your views are now mainstream & obvious, it's repeated back to you in everything you read & from everyone you talk to, it's our time, clearly Trump is some kind of evil madman, everyone can see that, no-one sane could vote for him, a f***ing wall, this is ridiculous, he grabs ladies by the pussy!?!, I mean Hillary isn't perfect, but...
He won!!!! What the actual f*** is happening?
For people that were deeply emotionally invested in the outcome it must have been devastating, what was once obvious & a certainty is no more. They need something to help them feel better about it, to process what has happened, to feel that they aren't completely alone. Maybe a slightly incoherent walk about with a few thousand similarly minded people is not a bad way to process those feelings. It's pointless and useless for those not attending, but maybe it helped those who did feel a little better.
Dialogue & Bargaining stage?
https://youtu.be/G_Z3lmidmrY
Johnnytheboy said:
Hoofy said:
Johnnytheboy said:
I know I'm effectively repeating what I said upthread, but all these current protests are doing is making me think Trump must be doing something right.
How's that work, then? Johnnytheboy said:
As a rule I find that the protesting classes have the opposite view to me on everything, so seeing a protest on TV on a subject I have no knowledge on can be a useful way of choosing which side I am on.
If Trump is annoying the kind of people who like protesting about things, he's probably on the right track. Pan Pan Pan said:
Hoofy said:
BlackLabel said:
Meanwhile pictures coming in of the great women's march for the 1000s of children sexually exploited in Rotherham.
Similarly, not hearing anything about protests against the treatment of women in certain middle eastern countries.Take the march against Trumps temporary ban on Muslims from certain countries for example, They are whingeing about people being banned from entering America, and respond by calling for the exact same thing (banning someone from entering the UK) that they are protesting against???????
Don't see them protesting about Muslim countries banning people from Israel from entering their countries. Like I said double standards, which just turn their protests into nothing but hot air.
samoht said:
Hoofy said:
I can't help think today's protests around the world are a waste of everyone's time not to mention taxpayer's money as extra police are needed (and staff to potentially fix any vandalism).
Am I wrong?
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/31/politics/donald-...Am I wrong?
"Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump will not head to Milwaukee for a previously scheduled visit of a Harley-Davidson factory after the company decided it wasn't comfortable hosting him amid planned protests, an administration official said Tuesday."
Note bottom of first column - "Trump team also concerned thousands of British people would take to streets in protest when he visits UK"
To answer the original question, yes, protesting does make a difference.
Funkycoldribena said:
Johnnytheboy said:
As I've said in other threads lately, how much extra tax do these people think we should all pay?
10%? 20%? 50%?
The public sector would still want more.
Maybe the protesting classes only think "the rich" should pay more, perhaps higher rate taxpayers, but maybe they don't realise how many NHS employees this would encompass...
Shouldn't pay anymore seeing as we can afford the 50 billion Eu exit bill and overseas aid.Use that first,it'll be a start.10%? 20%? 50%?
The public sector would still want more.
Maybe the protesting classes only think "the rich" should pay more, perhaps higher rate taxpayers, but maybe they don't realise how many NHS employees this would encompass...
I'm happy to pay more tax if I know they aren't wasting it. Just like I'm happy to donate money to a charity if I know the CEO isn't earning s
t loads more than me and swanning about in a brand new S Class.Otherwise it's a bit like lending money to that friend who seems to spend a lot of time hanging around William Hill.
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