There is a small (but v vocal) ostensibly left of center group who keep insisting DC is as busy as it ever is this time of year. We know tourism and restaurants are down. I also have eyeballs, and have walked over 100 miles around the city the last week. What’s their motivation?
If the left keeps doing what it’s always done (at least in the last 50 years that I’ve been paying attention) and attacking itself, nothing is going to change. Just because somebody disagrees with you doesn’t mean you can’t be on the same side.
You’re either a bot or illiterate.
And for the record, I have a PhD and I’m very real. So bite me.
Thank you for proving my point for me. If you find yourself looking like a deer in the headlights, wondering why American democracy evaported, look in the mirror sweetie. It’s because of people just like you. Moron.
As I understand it, there have been calls for protests and protests. Liberals have convinced themselves that protests will trigger the fascist state to crack down, so they're posting about how nice DC is and insisting the bad press will undermine Trump.
I don't understand the logic either. Authoritarians do not need your help justifying their attacks against you. They also don't check your twitter to see if you approve of their lies. The people arguing citizens should not protest their government are always wrong.
This is a form of obeying in advance where people convince themselves that if they are quiet and civil enough, the fascists will not have any justification to use in attacking them. It's the Hermit Crab Defense. And if we all adopt it, we will all die.
Of course protests will trigger the fascists to crack down. *That's the point*; you get them to the point that the crackdowns are so extreme that they lose the usually-apathetic center, and that topples the regime.
I don't disagree, but I have a different level of intentionality with this. I don't think it's *the point* to get them to crackdown. I think the conclusion is the same whether they do or don't. The crackdown validates the need for the protest. But it's not a necessary component, just inevitable.
How is a protest with no crackdown going to erode the regime's support to the point it falls?
Protests have many purposes. Even the effective protests pointed at the regime are not exclusively focused on eroding its support. Say they instead targeted its financing. Or its logistics. Its weapons. Success would be measured differently.
If you took the keys to an ICE kidnap-mobile and just walked home without them noticing, there might not be a crackdown. They might never catch you. But the protest succeeded anyway. We shouldn't limit the word "protest" to marches or demonstrations.
*A* crackdown is always coming. Protests doesn't inherently make them come any sooner or take any longer to arrive. And they far outnumber the crackdowns.
It does often takrle multiple protests to provoke a crackdown...but one so obviously unhinged often does need to be provoked.
The term "protest" refers to a specific type of action, which must be public. Oh, and stealing the keys is going to accomplish less than sneaking a look at their target list and warning/getting lawyers for the targets. Keys are easy to replace. The element of surprise is much more critical.
No, the term protest means to object. ^ this is a protest right here Many private actions are also protests. The impression you're talking about that protest should be public and "civil" is the subject of many very interesting texts. I'm thinking of one in particular I'll try to find
You'll notice my point was not about the effectiveness of an individual strategy (removing the keys from a govt vehicle does not render it immovable at all) It was a case in point to demonstrate a lesson you understood perfectly well. Daniel Berrigan didn't pour blood on warheads in public.
Sorry, liberals. It turns out people actually love tyranny
Contrarianism.
Perhaps to convince people it's a bustling place to come visit???
No. It’s being done to discredit my reporting.
man even the weed shop was a ghost town lol
I have seen zero instances of this. Who are these people you claim are very vocal?
Don't worry about it kitten.
Then don’t talk about it I guess? Just trying to figure out what supposed left of center people I should be avoiding listening to.
You should go back to avoiding me instead of annoying me. Thanks.
What are you talking about? Avoiding you? I’m saying I want to avoid the people disagreeing with you.
Maybe they're trying to downplay it so people don't get angry with them about their lack of fight? Idk I don't understand it.
Lack of fight from DC residents?
Good question.
It could be a bot group? You know, a bunch of annoyingly stubborn people living in a delusion with only a few hundred followers? I dunno. Just spit balling some of the weird shit that happens on here 🤷♂️
The goal of any center left group is to preserve the perception of the status quo
I use the phrase left of center intentionally, because I meant something more broad than what you’re saying.
It’s hard to thread the needle when you’re trying to be both vague and general
Center left isn't the same as left of center
I’m not really trying to be that at all. I’m making it clear it’s not right wing people. It’s both centrist dems and left wingers. Pretty across the board.
How is it a small contingent, but also pretty across the board? I have seen many liberals doing this and they explain their argument. It's a very bad argument. Can I see an example of a self-proclaimed leftist also doing so, so that I can agree with you that they are both being foolish?
It's not a majority stance in the world, but the people who have said it range from center left to actual leftists. Not sure how that is confusing? "A minority of people's fav color is puke green, but those folks range across economic spectrums.""If it's a minority, how is it also a wide range?"
You chose to interpret it as me pointing out a contradiction, but I didn't say that. I asked you to explain how it could be both, and you did that. You did not, however, provide a concrete example of the two cases. This is where the basis of my disbelief comes from. I can overtly see one case.
By asking you to provide a small example of the second case, I am not, in fact, disagreeing with you. I am asking you to provide information so that I can be on your side. If you do not have that information, that's fine. But I think you should consiser whether that's a sign it might not exist.
If you followed her, or her writing, for the last few years you wouldn't be asking for something so utterly fucking stupid. She owes you nothing.
Y'all are weird.
I won't lie, starter packs have made it so I get some real dumbasses in my replies as it is, but then having someone who doesn't even follow me demand proof of my own life experiences??? Suck it lmao.
Do you think this is normal behavior?
I'm not that interested in being normal, but yes, asking someone to provide evidence in support of something they say does seem relatively normal. I'm also fine with the response that they don't have that specific evidence, but I would like to see it if they do.
it's not a contradiction, though.
Yeah, and I didn't point it out as one.
I have to say, I don't really give a fuck if some anonymous random asshole disbelieves me. You come off as a condescending dickwad and I'm returning your hostility. If you think I'm making up hundreds of replies and some in person convos for some magic reason, my life doesn't fucking change one bit.
There was no hostility.
Anyway not really looking for your agreement here, looking for an answer to my initial question. Thanks though.
It's entirely possible that questions are unanswerable if you do not look at them from the correct context.
Oh, so not center-left, but actually left of center! My bad, your language was spot on.
Sounds like provocation? I dunno
Noticable drop in the number of foreign tourists versus last August.
DC is usually dead in August, which is why I love DC in August. Aside from restaurant week, generally don’t need reservations. No traffic, so I can walk and bike w/o drivers trying to murder me. DC is great whenever Congress is out of town.
But even so, it is particularly extra quiet/dead for this time of year
So you're saying your prior post was pointless, then? Thanks.
Maybe 😘 character limits 😘
I can't believe one of you replied to a post about you.
🤣 I am not saying it’s as busy as ever
I wrote a second reply 😘
How many of these people are still on Twitter?
I didn't ask. What a weird question.
Receipts from restaurant week are down dramatically, 20-30% from last year
🎯 came here to say the same… dead last night
ok but tiktok says it's business as usual and i'm dumb