There is no hope of wresting the Democratic Party away from corporate control. None. I have no objection to protesting Trump's policies which richly deserve it, but shun any affiliation with the Democrats or their allied NGOs.
Never forget that the Democratic Party's primary purpose is to provide a place for progressive movements to go to die. It's been happening for most of my life, and I see otherwise intelligent people starting to fall for the same damned trick again.
What besides the protests with the "Trump is a Putin Puppet" signs is happening with the Dems? Do they encourage anything more active to bring about change? Or is it more like, "Remember to stay mad and vote blue no matter who!"?
I'm busy with our pro-Palestine/anti-genocide protests and events, so I'll let the Trump complainers do their thing. How I wished they'd join us sometime, but I won't hold my breath.
This is a reply I made to another critic of the Hands Off and this past weekend's protests:
Yeah, those naive 1960s civil rights marchers didn't know anything or accomplish anything. And all those anti-war protests didn't do a thing either. Might as well stay home, doom scroll and make fun of people who are out trying to do something to bring about change. There's lots of research showing that a relatively small percentage of a population can bring about change. If you are waiting for a mass movement that conforms 100% to your positions you've got a long wait ... and you're just the kind of person the fascist oppressors love.
I've gone to three large protests in the past month in three different communities and occasionally do solo protest at a busy intersection near me. Did everyone I meet conform to my opinions? Of course not. But we were in agreement on the vast majority of issues.
I was criticized for planning to go to the Hands Off protest because they didn't oppose the US/Israel genocide in Gaza. I made a sign that said "Bombs Off Gaza". I did what needed to be done with Hands Off -- I took Gaza to Hands Off and a number of people thanked me for bringing the sign and issue to the protest and stated their agreement.
This idea that everyone in a mass movement have to all conform on 100% of issues is naive and destructive. It is uninformed about what politics is about: the discussion and debate about ideas. The testing of views, building alliances when and where we can, learning and growing together.
The idea that politics is a rusty iron suit of conformity is wrong and just what the power structure wants us thinking. Get out and talk with people. Or help the fascists come to power.
You've missed answering my question. I have nothing against protesting (since I do it on a regular basis with our local coalition of Peace activists/Muslim community/Students for Justice in Palestine organizations). I asked, "What are the Hands Off organizers planning on doing after the protesting is over? Do they have any direct actions they're taking?" I mean, are they going to do a sit-down in an armaments factory? General strike until we all have health care? A massive boycott of businesses that support war/genocide/shutting down social programs? What are these Hands Off organizers actually planning to DO besides hold signs on street corners?
I think Ohio Barbarian makes a good point--the DNC doesn't really help progressive causes. As Kshama Sawant says, "The DNC is where progressive causes go to die." The DNC just absorbs progressive causes and then kills them off with the "Vote blue no matter who" business. It's what Bernie Sanders is doing right now--there's no call to action, just a lot of shouting and writing checks to the DNC's campaign war chests at the end of the day. So, the question needs an answer: "What are they planning on DOING after the protesting is over? Do they have any direct actions they're taking?" (Getting people to vote DNC or call their Congress member is not a direct action. We all know how useless that is. The Princeton Study of 2014 proves that to be true.)
Good question for ALL mass protest movements. These movements are new. Hands Off was only two weeks ago.
In the local protest I was in yesterday I had a great discussion with two of the organizers. A diverse coalition of groups -- including the local Democrats -- organized the event. One of the two I spoke with was with the local Dems. One of the things they are looking at locally is different forms of mutual aid, including a meal program and using the coming together of those meals to organize, educate and network people. That may be something I'll be helping with. One of the two is with the city council and we are meeting to discuss something I have thought would be good for the city and to also discuss effective political messaging. (Check out George Lakoffs "Don't Think of an Elephant")
We all agreed the corporate Dems need to go and that the leadership of the Democratic Party is shit. I was actually a little surprised by the complete agreement of the Dem.
Unfortunately, we are only at the awakening stage for the country, which is bringing people out for rallies and picket lines and expressing their opinions, disgust and anger in public.. The actions of occupation etc is building. Will it build fast enough before martial law is declared? I honestly don't know.
This is a time for coalition building and uniting for action as things get worse. I don't need someone to agree with me 100% to work with them. If we only agree on 3 of 10 issues, I will work with them on the 3. That's how politics works. It's not a purity test. A time for teaching and learning leading to action.
There is no hope of wresting the Democratic Party away from corporate control. None. I have no objection to protesting Trump's policies which richly deserve it, but shun any affiliation with the Democrats or their allied NGOs.
Never forget that the Democratic Party's primary purpose is to provide a place for progressive movements to go to die. It's been happening for most of my life, and I see otherwise intelligent people starting to fall for the same damned trick again.
What besides the protests with the "Trump is a Putin Puppet" signs is happening with the Dems? Do they encourage anything more active to bring about change? Or is it more like, "Remember to stay mad and vote blue no matter who!"?
I'm busy with our pro-Palestine/anti-genocide protests and events, so I'll let the Trump complainers do their thing. How I wished they'd join us sometime, but I won't hold my breath.
This is a reply I made to another critic of the Hands Off and this past weekend's protests:
Yeah, those naive 1960s civil rights marchers didn't know anything or accomplish anything. And all those anti-war protests didn't do a thing either. Might as well stay home, doom scroll and make fun of people who are out trying to do something to bring about change. There's lots of research showing that a relatively small percentage of a population can bring about change. If you are waiting for a mass movement that conforms 100% to your positions you've got a long wait ... and you're just the kind of person the fascist oppressors love.
I've gone to three large protests in the past month in three different communities and occasionally do solo protest at a busy intersection near me. Did everyone I meet conform to my opinions? Of course not. But we were in agreement on the vast majority of issues.
I was criticized for planning to go to the Hands Off protest because they didn't oppose the US/Israel genocide in Gaza. I made a sign that said "Bombs Off Gaza". I did what needed to be done with Hands Off -- I took Gaza to Hands Off and a number of people thanked me for bringing the sign and issue to the protest and stated their agreement.
This idea that everyone in a mass movement have to all conform on 100% of issues is naive and destructive. It is uninformed about what politics is about: the discussion and debate about ideas. The testing of views, building alliances when and where we can, learning and growing together.
The idea that politics is a rusty iron suit of conformity is wrong and just what the power structure wants us thinking. Get out and talk with people. Or help the fascists come to power.
You've missed answering my question. I have nothing against protesting (since I do it on a regular basis with our local coalition of Peace activists/Muslim community/Students for Justice in Palestine organizations). I asked, "What are the Hands Off organizers planning on doing after the protesting is over? Do they have any direct actions they're taking?" I mean, are they going to do a sit-down in an armaments factory? General strike until we all have health care? A massive boycott of businesses that support war/genocide/shutting down social programs? What are these Hands Off organizers actually planning to DO besides hold signs on street corners?
I think Ohio Barbarian makes a good point--the DNC doesn't really help progressive causes. As Kshama Sawant says, "The DNC is where progressive causes go to die." The DNC just absorbs progressive causes and then kills them off with the "Vote blue no matter who" business. It's what Bernie Sanders is doing right now--there's no call to action, just a lot of shouting and writing checks to the DNC's campaign war chests at the end of the day. So, the question needs an answer: "What are they planning on DOING after the protesting is over? Do they have any direct actions they're taking?" (Getting people to vote DNC or call their Congress member is not a direct action. We all know how useless that is. The Princeton Study of 2014 proves that to be true.)
Good question for ALL mass protest movements. These movements are new. Hands Off was only two weeks ago.
In the local protest I was in yesterday I had a great discussion with two of the organizers. A diverse coalition of groups -- including the local Democrats -- organized the event. One of the two I spoke with was with the local Dems. One of the things they are looking at locally is different forms of mutual aid, including a meal program and using the coming together of those meals to organize, educate and network people. That may be something I'll be helping with. One of the two is with the city council and we are meeting to discuss something I have thought would be good for the city and to also discuss effective political messaging. (Check out George Lakoffs "Don't Think of an Elephant")
We all agreed the corporate Dems need to go and that the leadership of the Democratic Party is shit. I was actually a little surprised by the complete agreement of the Dem.
Unfortunately, we are only at the awakening stage for the country, which is bringing people out for rallies and picket lines and expressing their opinions, disgust and anger in public.. The actions of occupation etc is building. Will it build fast enough before martial law is declared? I honestly don't know.
This is a time for coalition building and uniting for action as things get worse. I don't need someone to agree with me 100% to work with them. If we only agree on 3 of 10 issues, I will work with them on the 3. That's how politics works. It's not a purity test. A time for teaching and learning leading to action.
cool. Time to make Trump shit his shorts