If you are a US born citizen and a working member of the upper middle class

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does showing your face add though? Trump insisting that Columbia ban students from wearing masks during protests says all you need to know. Why do exactly what he wants? Seems low/no reward for a lot of risk.

Risk of what, exactly? Do people think that Trump will be able to round up tens of millions of people who protested and, what... deport all these legal American citizens or throw them in prison? And the rest of the country will not rise up?

I’m a Black woman. Please reassure me — if you can — that if I’m one of the people that gets arrested, the rest of the country will “rise up”. Let’s start with you, PP. Are you and your friends going to notice that I’ve been arrested? Once you notice, will you come and find me from wherever I’ve been taken? I’m pretty sure that for all of my degrees and “upper middle class” interests, I’ll be left to rot. I’d like to think that I’m wrong though. Well?

I'm Asian American, naturalized citizen, and I agree with you. DH is also a naturalized citizen, white. We are both scared that any outward protest may result in a roundup, or at the least, harassment. We have kids. Truly scary times.

I've been a citizen for over 40 years and used to vote R.

You are playing into the fear. If millions like you stood up, the rest of the country would know that we won’t allow such things (round up, etc) to happen. Why are we not rising up about wrongful deportations? Nobody remembers the “First they came for… and I said nothing” story?

Yes, we remember it. We also have many experiences with POC being punished for the same things that get overlooked in others. Trump and his white Christian Nationalists aren’t “playing”. It’s funny, PP, how you shift from “millions like YOU” when it comes to taking the risks to what “WE won’t allow”. Those for whom the risks are less certain need to be on the front lines for this one. We remember that bit. It’s often repeated by people who have no intention of risking their own well-being.

This. They aren’t playing. Bukele and Trump have disappeared that man into Centec and refuse to bring him back for due process.

I’m honestly really frightened and I don’t know who is trustworthy. I think a lot of Democratic voters are ok with this if it seems to punish antisemitism, no matter how irrational it all is because sorry, I have friends with kids at Columbia and guess what? They were fine all of 2023 and 2024. There are not enough people protesting. Elie Mystal said flatly that the only thing that’ll get Khalil out is a significant crowd of Americans traveling to Jena, LA to demand he be freed. I have a young child. I don’t feel like I can do that. Do any of us?

My big fear is that midterms won’t save us. I don’t think the fury we see at town halls is going to make serious difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people afraid to protest and have their pictures taken? I've had people say they believe in the mission but won't be doing any protesting themselves, because they don't want to have facial recognition software used to ID them.

Effective protest happens at polling stations. It doesn't happen when a bunch of unhinged so-called protesters and counter-protesters throw rocks at each other.

I truly don’t get the point of these protests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does showing your face add though? Trump insisting that Columbia ban students from wearing masks during protests says all you need to know. Why do exactly what he wants? Seems low/no reward for a lot of risk.

I'm not saying you have to show your face. I'm asking why more people aren't protesting.

Because even though we did not vote for Trump, I am happy to see that at least 13 gang members were removed from my Maryland community. I am happy to see that my jewish child will be safe at the north-east college they are currently attending. I despice Trump, but I am not going to protest to put my family and my community in more danger like it was during the last administration.

The most serious crime against Jewish Americans in recent memory predated October 7, 2023 — by almost 5 years exactly. Under a different administration. Remember, mama bear?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_synagogue_shooting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people afraid to protest and have their pictures taken? I've had people say they believe in the mission but won't be doing any protesting themselves, because they don't want to have facial recognition software used to ID them.

Effective protest happens at polling stations. It doesn't happen when a bunch of unhinged so-called protesters and counter-protesters throw rocks at each other.

I truly don’t get the point of these protests.

That’s okay. What you should understand though is that the anti-Trump protests were peaceful. You should also notice that when people like PP blather in about “unhinged so-called protesters and counter protesters throw rocks at each other” they are very careful to avoid actually identifying what events they are talking about— or even if such events actually exist outside of their own fevered imaginations.

The point of the protests is to develop collective power that can be directed to achieve meaningful goals. Some of those goals can be achieved in the process of protesting — including affirming the fact that Trump’s EOs in no way reflect a mandate. Other goals will be accomplished by nudging the political systems currently in place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not afraid to protest. We just don’t have a unified process yet. We need mass French-style protests and we don’t have that scale yet.

This isn’t France. So in other words you are waiting and will protest when everyone else does it? If everyone thought that way, nobody would be protesting.

This is PP. That is very fair criticism. I guess I’m just angry that my fellow citizens voted for this (with eyes wide open - despite knowing a lot of this pre-election). If this is what our country wants, then it makes me feel very demoralized. If enough Trump voters started regretting their vote, it might make me feel like we have a critical mass to save our democracy. If not, it’s just a minority of voters arm waving. Can we make a difference? I don’t know what to do…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people afraid to protest and have their pictures taken? I've had people say they believe in the mission but won't be doing any protesting themselves, because they don't want to have facial recognition software used to ID them.

Effective protest happens at polling stations. It doesn't happen when a bunch of unhinged so-called protesters and counter-protesters throw rocks at each other.

I truly don’t get the point of these protests.

No one asked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not afraid to protest. We just don’t have a unified process yet. We need mass French-style protests and we don’t have that scale yet.

This isn’t France. So in other words you are waiting and will protest when everyone else does it? If everyone thought that way, nobody would be protesting.

This is PP. That is very fair criticism. I guess I’m just angry that my fellow citizens voted for this (with eyes wide open - despite knowing a lot of this pre-election). If this is what our country wants, then it makes me feel very demoralized. If enough Trump voters started regretting their vote, it might make me feel like we have a critical mass to save our democracy. If not, it’s just a minority of voters arm waving. Can we make a difference? I don’t know what to do…

No one regrets their vote. People are very proud of what Trump is doing. I know it is very hard to comprehend for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people afraid to protest and have their pictures taken? I've had people say they believe in the mission but won't be doing any protesting themselves, because they don't want to have facial recognition software used to ID them.

Effective protest happens at polling stations. It doesn't happen when a bunch of unhinged so-called protesters and counter-protesters throw rocks at each other.

I truly don’t get the point of these protests.

Just distraction and disruption, same as with BLM protests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people afraid to protest and have their pictures taken? I've had people say they believe in the mission but won't be doing any protesting themselves, because they don't want to have facial recognition software used to ID them.

Effective protest happens at polling stations. It doesn't happen when a bunch of unhinged so-called protesters and counter-protesters throw rocks at each other.

3M+ people protested across America 2 weeks ago and nary a rock was thrown. I got a few middle fingers, and I suspect that was the extent of it. To answer your question the OP question, I have no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people afraid to protest and have their pictures taken? I've had people say they believe in the mission but won't be doing any protesting themselves, because they don't want to have facial recognition software used to ID them.

Effective protest happens at polling stations. It doesn't happen when a bunch of unhinged so-called protesters and counter-protesters throw rocks at each other.

I truly don’t get the point of these protests.

Just distraction and disruption, same as with BLM protests.

The trolls love these threads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not afraid to protest. We just don’t have a unified process yet. We need mass French-style protests and we don’t have that scale yet.

This isn’t France. So in other words you are waiting and will protest when everyone else does it? If everyone thought that way, nobody would be protesting.

This is PP. That is very fair criticism. I guess I’m just angry that my fellow citizens voted for this (with eyes wide open - despite knowing a lot of this pre-election). If this is what our country wants, then it makes me feel very demoralized. If enough Trump voters started regretting their vote, it might make me feel like we have a critical mass to save our democracy. If not, it’s just a minority of voters arm waving. Can we make a difference? I don’t know what to do…

A minority of voters could still be millions of people protesting peacefully and showing up to say this is not ok, and that we do not sign onto Trump's actions. The world is watching. I was moved by the pictures of tens of thousands in major cities filling the sidewalks and streets. The worst thing that Trump can do is make reasonable people feel that they are alone, that they are powerless, and that they should fear those in power.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not afraid to protest. We just don’t have a unified process yet. We need mass French-style protests and we don’t have that scale yet.

This isn’t France. So in other words you are waiting and will protest when everyone else does it? If everyone thought that way, nobody would be protesting.

This is PP. That is very fair criticism. I guess I’m just angry that my fellow citizens voted for this (with eyes wide open - despite knowing a lot of this pre-election). If this is what our country wants, then it makes me feel very demoralized. If enough Trump voters started regretting their vote, it might make me feel like we have a critical mass to save our democracy. If not, it’s just a minority of voters arm waving. Can we make a difference? I don’t know what to do…

No one regrets their vote. People are very proud of what Trump is doing. I know it is very hard to comprehend for you.

Proud? That he brings middle school "solutions" to PhD problems? He has surrounded himself with the most obsequious people he could find. Everyone is terrified to tell him he might be making mistakes on things. So he does stupid **** like tax everything, then pause it, then tax it again, then give exceptions which actually DISCOURAGE manufacturing here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are people afraid to protest and have their pictures taken? I've had people say they believe in the mission but won't be doing any protesting themselves, because they don't want to have facial recognition software used to ID them.

Effective protest happens at polling stations. It doesn't happen when a bunch of unhinged so-called protesters and counter-protesters throw rocks at each other.

I truly don’t get the point of these protests.

Just distraction and disruption, same as with BLM protests.

The trolls love these threads.

Says the Nazi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to the protest on April 15 and honestly, I don't want to be associated with that crowd. Very disappointed. Will wait for mid-term election instead.

Did you go to the large protest in DC? Only asking because a friend did and also had the same disappointed feeling afterward.

I went to my smaller, local protest and had a positive outlook afterward. The speakers gave us information on what we can do locally to help and how to do it. There were booths that provided information and flyers with the contact details of our local politicians to reach out.

The larger protests seem performative to me. I also have issues with anxiety + large crowds, which is why I've avoided protesting thus far. But when I saw my small town was holding one, I figured that'd be a good chance to test out my anxiety in a moderate crowd in a familiar location.

So, the ones that you did not attend seemed “performative”. Got it.

Many of us went to the larger protests —and came away inspired and heartened by the collective energy of being a part of a large, peaceful crowd.

So you felt good. What change resulted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not afraid to protest. We just don’t have a unified process yet. We need mass French-style protests and we don’t have that scale yet.

This isn’t France. So in other words you are waiting and will protest when everyone else does it? If everyone thought that way, nobody would be protesting.

This is PP. That is very fair criticism. I guess I’m just angry that my fellow citizens voted for this (with eyes wide open - despite knowing a lot of this pre-election). If this is what our country wants, then it makes me feel very demoralized. If enough Trump voters started regretting their vote, it might make me feel like we have a critical mass to save our democracy. If not, it’s just a minority of voters arm waving. Can we make a difference? I don’t know what to do…

Of course as long as you “don’t know what to do” others in your position, who are also hoping for some “critical mass” to nudge them to bestir themselves are sitting it out too. Imagine if all of y’all waiting for your “critical mass” actually felt moved to DO something. You might surprise yourselves by creating the “critical mass” that you’re looking to others to provide for you.
DP