The biggest thing we need to do is let people know that the protests are FUN. Yelling fuck the man is fun. You will meet fun people. We also need to make them more fun. Bring grills like the French. Bring instruments like it’s Mardi Gras. Give people a reason to spend their weekend in the streets.
Yes, bring the drum circles, food trucks, college marching bands, lawn chairs, ice chests, bbq grills, & RV campers like a massive football tailgate party.
Have a democracy sausage sizzle like we do in Australia on every election day.
That is one tradition I will always envy. Side effect of mandatory voting, maybe, but it's a neat concept and if our elections weren't so.. fraught with racism we'd probably have something similar.
Just fyi, sausage sizzles are usually ways to raise money for community groups (they're used outside of elections to fundraise too).
As it should be. We do that too from time to time, usually church groups (volunteers cooking up bratwursts and frankfurters to raise money for mission trips) but communities should do that more often.
No. Please. It's not a party. And we don't need any more reasons.
why
Acab includes the fun police
Yes and may I also suggest more SINGING
This 👏
This is how I will get my husband to join! Bring the smoker and bbq tri-tip for sandwiches! 🥰
Live music with tailgating and/or food trucks will bring all the boys to the yard.
Someone brought bubbles to ours - so many smiles!
Agreed! I had my bell!!
Surprised I didn’t see more food trucks nearby
From the comments I'm getting rave vibes but without EDM and drugs.
The music at ours was Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. No rave vibes but great for a protest.
There’s some music, not always EDM. It generally feels a bit early for drugs, but that might be just me.
Grilling and music are great ideas.
Fuck the orange malignant narcissistic and that clown Jim Banks.
If my great-great grandfather could somehow bring his violin with him through two years he fought for the North in the Civil War until he was wounded at Gettysburg, heck, folks can bring some instruments to protests against Trump. 😉 Protests are fun, and unite people. Get creative, get media attn.
Evening protests can be done, too, and are perfect for a light brigade. The lighted letters on boards aren't too hard to make, and the illuminated words/phrases protesters hold up on overpasses or even on a stretch of road pop at night to convey a message. How-to: overpasslightbrigade.org/how-to/
Coincidentally, my violin-playing great-great-grandfather's son, my great-great-Grandpa, inherited his father's musical talent, studied the flute and playing opera houses in the US & Canada. He settled in Buffalo, NY and spent years playing First Flute for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. 😊 🎼🎶
They’re definitely fun. Our family attended one in Denver and we had a blast.
I was kicking myself for not bringing a cowbell and a kazoo.
The scene in Bmore could have used a few punk bands and maybe a salsa/marching group.
It *was* fun and yes let’s make it even more fun
Don’t show that to French people. Making them free feels like a revelation.
Yes, need some marching bands. Invite our local high schools if they can show up.
Phoenix protest was boring. No music, no drums, no one leading chants, no dancing, no joy, walked down narrow side streets, & all hands on deck day for the cops (they were everywhere) I’m just a drop in protestor from 1,000 miles away Lost opportunity to get people fired up & talking
I was thinking this too. Tailgate parties.
This is a critical element "just vote harder" libs don't get. Voting is on point of many democratic actions we partake in Community building leads to mutual aid. Protests build community. Its *how* you win elections, not some anti-electoral waste of time.
My day was made today by the Rude Mechanical Orchestra. So much fun! And plenty o' fuck the man.
Dress up like Halloween. And for God sake‘s put some art on your flyer or make your own saying I got so many more photos because I had Art on my sign and no one else did.
We should do the same with election days. Make it like a block party.
We need to do that during the party primaries to get people to vote to replace do-nothing empty suit politicians with good candidates on the ballot. That alone would probably drive more people to want to vote in the general election.
Excellent suggestion. These dipshits are working the long game, while we are living our best lives. We can do both.
It so fun, and empowering!
Yes YES Holding onto decency and democracy and having a good time
When I get out of Floriduh and back to NYC!😮💨😬
I had a blast at my first protest ever in Vero beach Florida today. It was exhilarating to see so many people protesting and car horns honking in this deeply red area.
As a French, i F... the CGT.
On peut tomber d'accord sur le génie du barbecue à roulettes.
C'est un train de chipos & merguez, une invention cheminote ! Et la CGT ne représente que les Staliniens. Tu sais, ceux qui défendaient le pacte Molotov-Ribbentrop en 1939 et qui défendent Kim Jung Un et putine aujourd'hui. Bon dimanche à tous les Bretons.
Rendons ça aux cheminots alors. Et on est d'accord sur les Stals
I kept looking for the mini-donut and corn dog trucks in St. Paul today
Yes! I saw an older woman in a motorized scooter with a (grand?) Child on her lap. Kid was passing out fun-sized candy bars to protesters. Kid was getting a lot of attention & having fun, protesters were too. Other kids had bubble wands - the dogs were going crazy!! But it needed music, 4 sure!
I love this idea YES!!
NYC had a band marching with us. They were fantastic and they led chants too.
Yesterday we marched in with this band with @indivisiblepgc.bsky.social. It was fun, uplifting and honestly comforting to see so many people out. You don’t feel alone when you’re surrounded by 100,000+ of other Americans who feel the same as you.
Making your presence known in a peaceful, positive, cool, confident way. I love it!!! (Is the band high school or college?) Next nationwide protest is on Saturday, April 19, 2025. Stay cool!💙
Nope, we're grown-ups! And anyone can join!
So glad you enjoyed it! The DC Activist Streetband definitely brought the joy to a very inspiring and important day 💙
Looks like a lot of peaceful to me! Yes, I’ve added fuck to my vocabulary just to stay sane
If you offer affordable or free food I swear there will be more teens interested in activism. I told the school kids I mind that I wanted to go to a protest and after I mentioned food they hung up and were running towards my direction.
People were singing This Land is Your Land in Tulsa, OK!
Prostests are FUN. Voting is BORING. RIP democracy.
In NYC they had a full Scottish drum 🥁 band on Bryant Park. They were great!
There was a Scottish Parade on 6th Avenue today.
I m a senior and went to My first protest. Met fun people yes but disappointed no one yelled “fuck the man” I did quietly. 😂
Youn can say it out loud next time- probably will turn into a chant!
J6 looked like a country thunder concert.
Someone brought a band drum today and it was the best. Pumped people up.
The one I was at in St. Cloud, MN, today was quite boisterous and fun. Lots of smiling people having a good time.
The Kentucky Derby is fun. Is that the point? To have fun? I thought it was something else. Like the degradation of American civics and values. By the way, I applaud all Americans for making their voices heard on these concerns. Or any concerns. This is America.
The one I went to today had a group with a food tent, a great DJ, girls dance team performed, singing, people introducing themselves, I teared up when we sang the national anthem, ended with singing We Shall Overcome. Signs were provided, most had creative ones. We waved at a drone that flew over.
That’s terrific. My last post came off a bit stodgy.
Needed more music IMO and a simple, repeating message over and over
Great music in Boston- made a LOOONG line exiting Boston Common danceable and happy.
They are fun and the more women the better because we bring snacks.
bsky.app/profile/iams...
We were just saying this in Richmond. We needed more tailgate energy at the end of the march - grills, interest tables, vendors, etc. The march itself was 2 miles long up and down hills - everyone could have used refreshments!
Next time bring those insights and help organize!
That is exactly what I tell people. Fun, cathartic and empowering.
we had "fuck trump" "musk must go" and other good chats. they sre cathartic. we need to continue to protest. 3.5% 24/7 for a week could change everything
"tax the rich"
Make it a tailgate!
Sing!
Also masks so chronically ill people can attend! Fuckin vile the organizers didn’t care- what a missed opportunity too in the age of RFK
Fireworks!
I get what you’re saying. But I wouldnt include the French, cause their version of fun involves more fire and rocks, they aren’t afraid of attacking police in riot gear, and often drive them back
Their version of protest actually gets shit done so we should absolutely take inspiration from our fellow workers over there.
Truth.
I wish we had some more French “energy” up in here.
Yeah, they get shit done. They didn’t like speed cams, so people all over the country went out and destroyed them. While here, we just write a letter to our congressman and cross our fingers that the intern that reads it will pass it along.
Direct action gets the goods.
How does one lear about this? I’m 54 and pretty scrappy. But I know nothing about direct action
See if you have a local Food Not Bombs chapter you can get involved with. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_...
Ah, good to know - I’m def doing that already. I belong to a prof org at a hospital. I am writing a letter to mail to all the professionals in the hosp to appeal to their orgs to ask how the org is standing up to fascism. And encouraging them persnly to join the fight . Sooner not later.
Not sure about the non civil stuff yet. But keeping an open mind
Or worse, people here in their comfort, sit on their hands and couches thinking someone else will do the work. Hmph
👍💙💪🇺🇸
It looked like community. And hope. And it was nice to know not alone. Because am doing my best guess and trying to exercise judgment in a kind of crazy world. Not sure what mean by that. The man though. Helpful directionally. Not sure subculture or movement though.
It was my very first protest and I am old. Curious about others’ local news stations. Did they give news coverage of your events? We competed with the Final Four here so guess where the coverage went to. Thank you Univision for at least giving some support of our event!
And bagpipes? 🥳 bsky.app/profile/jack...
Dang, we had a klezmer band in Montpelier but no bagpipes. Now I feel like I missed out.
Oooh, Klezmer! We had a bagpipe in DC as well as every type of drum imaginable. Inside my head, I was singing the Marseillaise bc it’s so fierce!
Klezmer is so cool! 😎
Awesome. Bagpipes = DEI.
@politicsgirl.bsky.social Fuck the man? You worship the biggest empire in the history of the human race?
Food trucks! Energetic music! Live bands! Singing! Short speeches that aren't redundant and are filled with banger lines that will evoke loud cheering! Fun chants led from the mic! Speakers who know how to use the mic and project and pause during the cheers so we don't lose half their words!
Yes! Come out and meet the retarded freaks in America
Troll.
No, you need to leave America. We don’t want idiots like you here
We had music and pie. Ok, I had pie. But we had music and the mood was positive
You have said the actual truth.
YES! Our actions are colorful, joyous & fun. Our mission statement ends with this: We work collaboratively, creatively, respectfully, and with all the JOY we can muster for the health of the people and the planet. Yesterday, people sang & danced down fifth avenue in the rain. Here’s Steff Reed 🎵
Boomer uncs, bust out those acoustics for a final swan song. We literally have protest songs that will evoke Americans already out there!
100% yes. I shake my booty like a fool out there b/c it's fun.
bsky.app/profile/mel2...
I’m thinking we had a critical lack of disco in Boston. Note to self for next time!!
We bring music, wear silly outfits and Dance Against DOGE.
Drums and brass instruments would work great!
You’ve inspired me. I’m bringing my tuba to the next one! Over 300 enthusiastic people in Butte, MT!
Love this idea! People should definitely check local ordinances beforehand though, some places you can get arrested for giving food out to people or for "operating without license" e.t.c. flimsy bs charges, but save yourselves the headaches and check first.
It would be so much nicer if it wasn’t 40s and raining - not great grilling weather!
Um no. Protests are fun but it's not a god damn party. People are being hurt leave the BBQ at home.
Engagement, build networks, bring people back.
Yesterday's protest in Denton TX was fun! Car's honking, supportive and waving posters.
I’m inviting Trump next time and we could roast marshmallows in his honor! And maybe some standup to make fun of him.
Brass band was a nice touch in DC 👏
Philly had a drumline
I was thinking today while out protesting how people connecting socially in-person is difficult if it’s not through religion, work/school or drinking. I was thinking about how someone could have met a new friend or a life long love at a protest— what a unique story to tell years down the road
Music would help
There were drums, tambourines, cow bells, noisemakers, and one person even had a portable speaker blasting music out at the NYC #HandsOff protest. Those were some of the best parts!
In @riseandresist.bsky.social Mission Statement, we include “with all the joy that we can muster” right in it, because we understand how important that is. PROTESTING IS FUN AF!
Thank you!! There has been far too much fear mongering of protests. Civil disobedience is normal and also needs visibility on SM. Isolating ourselves out of fear and paranoia will not help our cause.
Yes!!! It’s fun!! Let’s make it more like a huge party!
Dancing should definitely be an option
No. Protests are not fucking tailgates. Stonewall was not a fucking picnic. The Million Man March was not a fun lil get together. Protests don’t *have* to turn into riots. But grillin in the streets. Ain’t. It.
You fight hate w/ joy. If I can't dance, it's not my revolution! If I can't dance, I don't want your revolution! If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution. A revolution without dancing is not a revolution worth having. If there won't be dancing at the revolution, I'm not coming.
You can have fun while doing something serious.
Agree! Was just saying something similar to my friend as we were leaving our #handsoff2025 protest. Not only is fun good, it creates a sense of community. Humans crave it and if they don’t find it with the good guys, they’re susceptible to being taken in by the bad ones.
Le grille? What the hell is that?
I haven't laughed that hard all week, thanks for giving me strength when I needed it :)
This made me laugh thank you. So many obscure Simpsons lines rattling around in my head
I see a grill and rail lines and am disappointed there are no wheels.
But... There is wheels if you look closely! 😌 I even witnessed one in a protest last year 🤭 (secret french technology)
I saw the video later in this thread! Didn’t realize what looked like boxes in this photo were the wheels! 😅 Much better 😉
Invention des Cheminots Français ! Railway workers do it.
Play "La Marseillaise" !! www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM-E...
Anthology
It was fun. And a great stress reliever too.
I kinda felt like I was in the parking lot before a Jimmy Buffett show. There were people in costumes and laughing like they were old friends. I said to my wife need beer and cheeseburgers.
All of this + keep them during the day so trump's brown shirts are not picking people off the street without lots of people seeing it.
💯! I had so much fun wandering around the DC rally. I handed out Penzeys "RESIST" spice packs and one person gave me a kazoo in exchange. I bumped into two friends unexpectedly. Ended up having a mini picnic on the grass with one of them. There was a lovely spirit of community while we all yelled.
I was in CO and gave people stickers - LOVE the Penzeys idea!
Stickers are a great idea too! I love the idea of rally favors (aka party favors). P.S. I'm from CO — Loveland/Ft. Collins area. 💙
I just ordered some from Penzeys website after reading your comment, thank you!
I'm honored and thrilled, @erinmo.bsky.social! Sign up for the Penzeys emails too. They are pro-democracy and joyful. And the spices are excellent.
It was serious; it was respectful; it was peaceful; and it was a lot of fun!
Yep, we got in some good trouble, necessary trouble today in America’s Finest City!
By the time we got to Woodstock We were half a million strong And everywhere was a song And a celebration
And I dreamed I saw the bomber jet planes Riding shotgun in the sky Turning into butterflies Above our nation…. Now that was music!
F*ck Lollapalooza in chicago. we need a bigger bang in Washington DC July 4th holiday. we need to move Lollapalooza there this year we just got to persuade Taylor Swift and the three C's Charles Attal, Charlie Jones, and Charlie Walker
I didn’t know we could tailgate!? 😲
True that.
This is just the first global one, when it warms up they’ll be even bigger, and I’m guessing more festive.
I had the best time today standing in the rain!
One word, Tim. Vuvuzela
Exactly.
You're exactly right! I ran into people I hadn't seen in a while and ended up talking with people I didn't know at all. Different perspectives, interesting takes, a great event. Only one dude in a truck with a big-ass trump flag who took a second pass and blow his horn. We waved, chanted, laughed.💙
And, cars passing by contribute with horns. Couple trucks also cheered the group on.
I have never seen so many gray-haired people grinning ear to ear in my life
…besides the fact that they should be livid that their Liberties are being ripped away from them & out in the streets furiously defending them?
I always dream of buying like 5000 noisemakers and just handing them out for fun - makes people loud, but it's also just fun to play with noisemakers haha
Spring is coming. Protests always flourish in warm weather. We got all summer.
Ooooo, bringing food is an excellent idea.
Bravo America !! The Free World stands with you Well done !! Same time same place next weekend.. and the next weekend... and the following weekend Keep going until trump releases his thugs, his private militia - Proud boys and Oath keepers Goad trump into showing his real intent- Dictatorship
I loved the music at the NYC march. Some people started a little dance party in the park afterward. I wanted to stay, but I had to go to work.☹️
And do other things like the French
🤣 Exactly!
We can learn A LOT from the French lol
MUSIC AND DANCING!!
I’m with you, I feel the same way. Music 🎶. I started listening to Stand by Sly and the family Stone. Dates me but still a classic.
Ideas or recommendations of songs for these rallies and protests, respond.
Anything popular, anything with potential for a pun, but mainly things with a simple call-and-response.
Yes! It was tons of fun today. I talked to old hippies, cool weirdos, regular people, roughnecks who are pissed, grandparents. And even the kids said it was so much fun! Can’t wait to go to another.
Yes! I wanted music and dancing!
True. I had a great time and met cool people.
Yes! Bring joy back to being an American! Free food! Music! Party like there’s no tomorrow!
Yes Sir!
THIS IS OUR "THIRD PLACE"!
This ⬆️
YES. A thousand times yes. That’s the secret sauce right there. Protests aren’t just about resistance. They’re about *joyful defiance*. They’re about building a space where people *remember what it feels like to be powerful together*, not just mad and alone in mum's basement surfing 4chan.
Nice, but I think there’s already a pretty damn good reason. 💙
They f*in ARE fun!!! 🇺🇸👊🤟✨✨✨✨
And what a cross-section of America! Not a sea of white in the red hats!
I also like blasting “arrest the President”
Dancing to Hostile Government Takeoff EDM version would be great way to protest!
Bring Beer!!!
I think looking at their children, and knowing their future is bleak with these f.. k-ups in charge is motivation enough.
In Korea when they got rid of Park Geun-hye, they made Saturday night protests part of the whole country's culture! Couples would go on dates to the protest, old people and families would show up, students from other cities would come in large groups. That's how they got rid of her.
For Yoon, they added disco glow sticks! Remember that his martial law was defeated because normies -- mostly retired drunkies, this all went down at like 1am! -- showed up at their Congress building to face off against elite soldiers.
I wish everyone could understand Korean so they could get the full effect of some tipsy grandpa getting right up in the soldiers' faces and telling them they are a disgrace!
We didn't understand Korean but you were an inspiration anyway!
We don't have to understand Korean to know that'd be an awesome sight to behold.
I was about to ask who are “retired drunkies” but of course! I believe Americans call them “Margaritaville residents”. Definitely a staple at French protests too. You know things are serious when their wife shows up.
So fucking proud of koreans. Beautiful work by the people.
They were incredible. Lots of energy, no violence. Hundreds of thousands out in freezing temperatures. This was from December 21 I think.
Marching in the streets, as opposed to the sidewalks, is a revelatory experience. "You mean, if enough of us decide to do this together, they can't stop us?
I wanna be at one and start singing fortunate son
You know that's the song Sean hannity plays between commercials on his SiriusXM show?
So the fuck what its clearly not about him or his ilk.
Ok, calm down.
What happened to "guillotines like the French"? Let's have some REAL fun!!!
The French have been very tame about beheadings during protest for a while now. Grilled sausages, giant balloons and chants with sex-themed puns are deemed more child-friendly. I’m not saying there’s no violence: they’ll gladly bring incendiary explosives in a pinch.
💯
It’s also very emotional to meet like minded people that care about democracy and being a decent human. I was overwhelmed a few times today with how many people honked, thanked us for protesting and thumbs up. I’ll bring the sliders next time 😉
It’s a tailgate for democracy. We should treat it as such.
This is actually the exact reason I want to pick up banjo. Folk music and protests go together like miners and trains full of dynamite
We had a blast today. Friends, funny signs, music, the wave with Krazy George and a whole lot of solidarity. Santa Cruz, CA #HandsOff
kind of like, "welcome to the resistance. we've got cookies."
Made me remember how close we got to "taco trucks on every corner". Like that was going to be a bad thing.
Boston didn't have BBQ, but we had Honk bands leading sing-alongs, fife and drum bands in revolutionary garb, and fiery MCs leading 50,000+ group chants. Plus plenty of fucks to go around. It was a fantastic time!
Lots of people with their dogs at the Corte Madera protest I just drove past! Fun signs, looked like people were sharing coffees and snacks.
It was really fun! Beautiful day, positive vibes, nice walk. #Marin #WeThePeople
Yay! Did anyone proceed down to the Swasticar dealership?
Thanks for driving by! Walked from the Rec Center, around Menke Park and back. Gathering at the T dealer today at 3?
That’s great! I’m with you in spirit. Sole caregiver today for my mom, who’s on hospice/comfort care.
Hugs for you & your mom.
Take care 🌸
We had some music, but we couldn’t get too loud because that would have given them a reason to shut us down for noise. 😕
Been saying this for years. The French protest EVERYthing. Politicians are held hard to account. Of course the French also have a shall we say more intellectual baseline culture.
And a history of beheading the rich!
And a strong union culture.
They also march and grill at the same time, which is top tier protesting game tbh.
To be fair to Americans who are learning the ropes, most grills are stationary. There’s that one grill that railroad workers have welded to fit a tramway gage on that one historical road that still has old tram lines. It gets a lot of use, because it’s a popular combination but no need to overthink.
And someone create similar for Musk? He is so vain probably have double his meds.
I believe it's currently in the Museum of London so could still be available.
www.gofundme.com/f/help-get-b...?
That’s a great idea! It would be fun to bring our drums and have a drumming. I went to first Friday in Phoenix numerous galleries are open and Art show locations. On my walk there was 50+ people partaking in a drumming.
This is all good- but we also need car pooling or temporary repeal of transit rules against carrying signs on the bus/train.
My son wanted to mount speakers on his truck and play Rage Against the Machine while he drove around the protest area. Unfortunately, he had this idea just before we left for the protests.
I would recommend checking setups to carry the amp, battery and speakers while on foot or on a bicycle. Cars aren’t usually march-friendly (unless they are part of the organization).
Seeing Palin's house sign is hilarious.
People will be angry you said this & rail against the ineffectiveness of that but to those people I say: look to Philadelphia and tell me that unbridled joy in the streets can't wreak havoc and disrupt systems. I'm not debating this point. You are unambiguously correct!!
LGBT group singing “God Help America” at 26th Street was pretty great.
Hell yes! Joy is an act of rebellion. The act of creating is the antidote to consuming. Make music! Paint! Sculpt! Write! Dance! Not for money or fame or power, but for the sheer unadulterated joy of creating; for the sake of the act itself and its centrality to the human condition.
Dude, we had 2 separate drumming groups in Philly!
Bring ironing boards as makeshift snack tables
I was in Bowling Green, KY and just had the best time I’ve had in a LONG time. (It was pouring down rain the whole time!)
Music definitely makes them feel festive
My friend and I in cincy heard someone playing a drum and we were like, we need to go to there that’s the vibe. And we found the drummer and it was fantastic. More instruments!!!!!!
Totally agree, I'm a novice but our local protest was a blast and I met a lot of great people. I can't wait to get back out there...with vastly improved sign skills!
This is it exactly!! I WAS fun. I’ll be ready for more tomorrow!!
already seen one protester out there in DC with a guillotine sign classy stuff
And 🪘 bring drums, like the usc ones
Yeah. Make it like an Aussie election - do a sausage sizzle!
I wanna dress like that one lady from The Princess Bride and just yell at the people we’re protesting “SLIME, FILTH, MUCK, PUUUUUUTRESCENCE!!!”
Good thought for any GOP townhalls.
True...we had great convos today with the people there..
There's a volunteer brass band that shows up to the protests in the greater Boston area and it slaps every time
I wish the Tartan Day parade bands had joined us.
Drums and instruments really add a lot.
my sister brought a bubble gun and people lost their damn minds
Yes! Like, the video of folks doing the electric slide is so good! It’s such a contrast to the hateful Jan 6 crowd. People need to see that.
You spelled “guillotines” wrong. The French bring “guillotines” to their protests, and THAT is why they are so much fun…
We need to stop romanticizing the reign of terror. It was a good thing that these protests were peaceful. If you want violence I hope you’re the first putting your body on the line instead of sitting behind your phone waiting for someone else to do it
It's generally preferable to achieve change through peaceable means, because it's bad to harm people or be harmed by bastards. If peaceable means don't achieve change, then they aren't good. If a combination of peaceable and non peaceable means achieve change, then both are good because they work.
I agree it’s usually a mix of both. This particular protest was meant to be peaceful and it is good that it was.But I have a big problem with people who say anything other than violence is useless while sitting back and waiting for someone(who they consider disposable) to put themselves on the line🧵
2/ it’s immature to think that revolution doesn’t involve community care, infrastructure, public relations and a number of diverse tactics. Some people truly just want to sit on their asses and feel superior to others and are just a liability with their empty words of “revolution”
I’m against violence anyway, but specifically right now because I don’t want tRump to use protest as an excuse for military action/martial law. Pretty sure he’s looking for any excuse to suspend our first amendment rights.
Sure, those things are good and necessary. I guess what I'm objecting to is the way that an understandable preference for peace can mutate into the prioritization of peace over justice and an entirely unfair characterization of spicier movements.
Like, I agree that it's good when an event goes as intended, and it's safer for a lot of people for events to be peaceful. No disagreement. However there is a tendency that gives me flashbacks to May and June of 2020, when my city was fighting the cops and a bunch of fools were crying over a Target
The amount of times some random person asked a given, obviously pretty mild demonstration "are you peaceful!?!" or the breathless condemnations of a movement for civil rights because some windows got broke, that shit weighs on you. So I have a lot of suspicion of "peaceful" as a synonym for "good."
It feels like "peaceful" isn't really being used as a neutral signifier of the type of action this is (because that's silly, because that doesn't need to exist, because nobody makes like a Facebook post advertising a violent protest, obviously the event is meant to be peaceful).
Rather, it feels like "peaceful" functions as a comparison to other, bad protests that either the person posting or their intended audience might be scared of. To me it reeks of that same judgemental energy as the person saying BLM lost their support when people started shopping for free at Target.
Lol
We had a kid today leading this chant: Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Trump is a Fascist, and Elon is Poo. The crowd loved it, the kid loved it - it was fun!
Reminds me of the chant we had as kids: Carter, Carter, he works harder. Carter, Carter, Reagan is a farter.
