I Don’t Have the Time to Protest

 

Does that title sound bad? I’ve always thought about that. How did people make it work, even back in the 1960s? How did they keep food on the table and clothes on their backs and protest?

I see the protesters clashing with police on TV or social media (Twitter typically) and I still feel that protesting peacefully now is lost on this generation. Many times protesters (not all) will be overly aggressive and violent towards the police and they often damage property. (Of course, this kind of protest is not new either.)

I always wonder: Why is it that people don’t realize the power in words? Instead of yelling at the police or throwing things at them or fighting with people who don’t agree with you, how about taking a microphone and a speaker and speak out against the things that you want others to take notice of?

Even still, I remember that I have a family to take care of. Yes, I’m saddened and disappointed with certain failings of different people, from those in authority to those who are regular citizens. But I have to keep a roof over my head and help my wife with the bills.

How do you manage protesting while taking care of personal responsibilities? Any “professional” protesters out there in Ricochet-land?

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  1. CandE Inactive
    CandE
    @CandE

    Jerome Danner: Any “professional” protesters out there in Ricochet-land?

    Certainly not me.  My one time attending a protest was at a 2009 tea party demonstration in downtown Ponca City, OK on my lunch break.  It was underwhelming, to say the least.

    My impression is that most here at Ricochet feel more akin to your way of thinking.  Persuasion matters more than yelling on the streets.  I’m sure this is due largely to the self-selecting effect that comes with a subscription fee to join.

    -E

    • #1
  2. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    Professional protesters are often college students (shows you the real value of a college education these days), and government employees whose employers agree with them and are happy to let them off work to protest.  Non-value-added people, in my humble opinion.  Many are also unemployed youngsters living in Mom’s basement, not paying rent, and posting to Facebook and Twitter all day.  Pathetic.  Then, there are the professional anarchists, who come out to smash store windows and generally cause havoc.  We get a lot of those in Seattle, and since they keep coming out and doing damage (wearing face-masks), it shows that the Seattle city government is on their side, not the business-owners whose property is destroyed.

    • #2
  3. Jamal Rudert Inactive
    Jamal Rudert
    @JasonRudert

    I’ve always wondered the same thing. On the right end of the spectrum, you might ask Mollie Hemingway. She got arrested one time and everything. She could give you a better look into what kind of people are able to protest abortion and how they manage it in their lives.

    • #3
  4. Jerome Danner Inactive
    Jerome Danner
    @JeromeDanner

    CandE:

    Jerome Danner: Any “professional” protesters out there in Ricochet-land?

    Certainly not me. My one time attending a protest was at a 2009 tea party demonstration in downtown Ponca City, OK on my lunch break. It was underwhelming, to say the least.

    My impression is that most here at Ricochet feel more akin to your way of thinking. Persuasion matters more than yelling on the streets. I’m sure this is due largely to the self-selecting effect that comes with a subscription fee to join.

    -E

    Yeah, I was with a group of others protesting a kid being put in jail over some issues with a young lady and dealing with an alleged sexual assault back in my college days.  I don’t have the time now.  Plus, in the small town that I live in, it’s pretty quiet.

    • #4
  5. Jerome Danner Inactive
    Jerome Danner
    @JeromeDanner

    Jamal Rudert:I’ve always wondered the same thing. On the right end of the spectrum, you might ask Mollie Hemingway. She got arrested one time and everything. She could give you a better look into what kind of people are able to protest abortion and how they manage it in their lives.

    Is she here on Ricochet?  I know I don’t get responses from her on Twitter.

    • #5
  6. Jerome Danner Inactive
    Jerome Danner
    @JeromeDanner

    RushBabe49:Professional protesters are often college students (shows you the real value of a college education these days), and government employees whose employers agree with them and are happy to let them off work to protest. Non-value-added people, in my humble opinion. Many are also unemployed youngsters living in Mom’s basement, not paying rent, and posting to Facebook and Twitter all day. Pathetic. Then, there are the professional anarchists, who come out to smash store windows and generally cause havoc. We get a lot of those in Seattle, and since they keep coming out and doing damage (wearing face-masks), it shows that the Seattle city government is on their side, not the business-owners whose property is destroyed.

    Good points!  That’s sad if that is true what you wrote about Seattle.

    • #6
  7. Kate Braestrup Member
    Kate Braestrup
    @GrannyDude

    Jerome Danner:Does that title sound bad?

    I have always thought about that. How did people make it work, even back in the 1960s? How did they keep food on the table and clothes on their backs and protest?

    I see the protesters clashing with police on tv or social media (Twitter typically) and I still feel that protesting peacefully now is lost on this generation. Many times protesters (not all) will be overly aggressive and violent towards the police and they are into damaging property. (Of course, this kind of protest is not new either.)

    I’m always wondering: why is it that everyone does not realize the power in words? Therefore, instead of yelling at the police or throwing things at them or fighting with people that don’t agree with you, how about taking a microphone and a speaker and speaking out against the things that you want others to take notice of?!

    Even still, I think that I have a family to take care of. Yes, I’m sadden and disappointed with the certain failings of different people, from those in authority to those who are regular citizens. But I have to keep a roof over my head and help my wife with the bills.

    How do you manage protesting with taking care of personal responsibilities?

    Any “professional” protesters out there in Ricochet-land?

    I wonder the same thing, Jerome, whenever I see the protests. Where do they find the time?

    When I was in high school I protested a whole lot—you name it, I protested about it, cutting class to do so. The cutting class was a big part of the attraction, and since the protests were conveniently located near the museums, I could go look at some art after I’d finished declaring that the people, united, will never be defeated. Otra vez no puedo venir…. then I went to college, and there was classwork I was actually interested in, so I protested somewhat less, and with more discernment—Apartheid in South Africa mostly (conveniently-located S.African embassy). Got married, had a baby, moved to Maine… now, I occasionally turn up at a vigil (e.g. for the fallen Dallas officers the other night) but I don’t really protest all that much. That may change if Hillary is elected. I can be one of those angry, middle-aged ladies in large earrings, shrieking and stamping my sensible shoes in front of the White House…

    How is your family? Baby pix yet? (Why is the new Ricochet not equipped with a “baby picture” feature?)

    • #7
  8. CandE Inactive
    CandE
    @CandE

    RushBabe49: Professional protesters are often college students (shows you the real value of a college education these days)

    Like, srsly.

    My 4 years at college were some of the best of my life.  I was learning a ton for my future career, and all my extra time was taken up with music, culture, and beautiful women.  Plus I worked so I could graduate debt free. Protesting seems like such a sad way to waste such precious time.

    -E

    • #8
  9. Titus Techera Contributor
    Titus Techera
    @TitusTechera

    It’s a good title. Good luck with taking care of the family & all.

    As for the protesting–not even America can accommodate all comers–some ambitions do not have another outlet…

    • #9
  10. Vectorman Inactive
    Vectorman
    @Vectorman

    The point of a protest is to give the “Mainstream Media” (i.e., the progressive & Democrat controlled) cover for bringing up the agenda. If over half a million show up in Washington D.C. each year for Right to Life, it’s old news for the rest of the country and if mentioned in D.C. it’s only to warn people about the potential traffic problems.

    Here in the slightly conservative Midwest, any wacko progressive cause with 10 – 20 protesters makes the nightly news, wearing us down to accept gay marriage, etc. Tea Party groups are usually ignored, regardless if 100 times that number show up.

    • #10
  11. Jerome Danner Inactive
    Jerome Danner
    @JeromeDanner

    Kate Braestrup: Otra vez no puedo venir

    Thanks for responding!  You might have to get those “sensible shoes” ready.  I’m not quite sure if Trump will see the White House.

    Thank you for asking.  My wife and I are doing well.  About 2 months and 2 weeks left until Elijah (the name that we have chosen for our son) makes his grand entrance into our world.

    I appreciate you keeping up with that.  That would be interesting if Ricochet had a baby picture feature…haha!

    • #11
  12. Jerome Danner Inactive
    Jerome Danner
    @JeromeDanner

    Titus Techera:It’s a good title. Good luck with taking care of the family & all.

    As for the protesting–not even America can accommodate all comers–some ambitions do not have another outlet…

    Thank you, and good point!

    • #12
  13. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Jerome Danner: That would be interesting if Ricochet had a baby picture feature…haha!

    You can always start a baby picture group.

    Seawriter

    • #13
  14. Jerome Danner Inactive
    Jerome Danner
    @JeromeDanner

    Vectorman:The point of a protest is to give the “Mainstream Media” (i.e., the progressive & Democrat controlled) cover for bringing up the agenda. If over half a million show up in Washington D.C. each year for Right to Life, it’s old news for the rest of the country and if mentioned in D.C. it’s only to warn people about the potential traffic problems.

    Here in the slightly conservative Midwest, any wacko progressive cause with 10 – 20 protesters makes the nightly news, wearing us down to accept gay marriage, etc. Tea Party groups are usually ignored, regardless if 100 times that number show up.

    Oh, good point!  I think I remember when there was a huge pro-life march going on in DC back in January.  It was on Twitter, but when I turned to CNN (I think it was CNN), there was no news about it.

    • #14
  15. Jerome Danner Inactive
    Jerome Danner
    @JeromeDanner

    Seawriter:

    Jerome Danner: That would be interesting if Ricochet had a baby picture feature…haha!

    You can always start a baby picture group.

    Seawriter

    Excellent idea!  I will have to remember that!

    • #15
  16. livingthehighlife Inactive
    livingthehighlife
    @livingthehighlife

    The Thursday night protest here in Dallas was scheduled for the evening because most of the protesters have jobs.

    But I have wondered about the “professional protester”, like this Deray character who appears to be an Al Sharpton starter kit.

    Follow the money, and there the truth will be.

    EDIT:  I suspect there’s a corollary between employment and the peacefulness.  The protest Thursday night here in Dallas was very peaceful.  Protesters were taking pictures with police officers, and by all reports everyone was friendly.  And I’m willing to bet 90% or more of those in the protest had jobs.

    • #16
  17. Merina Smith Inactive
    Merina Smith
    @MerinaSmith

    A lot of people in this world need to hear your message:  Use your words.

    • #17
  18. Anna M. Inactive
    Anna M.
    @AnnaM

    When I lived in Chicago back in the 90s, one of my co-workers was an older African-American lady.  She told me lots of stories about growing up on the South Side, and one day she mentioned that she’d been part of the protests against Richard Daley (the elder Daley, not Richie M.) in the 60s.

    She said that many of the protesters were working-class black people (not college students) who skipped work to march downtown, where the protests were filmed by TV crews.  The next day her boss called her in and asked her where she had been… she told him that this was a civil rights issue that she felt strongly about, and that for her it was the right thing to do.

    He said “Thank you for being honest” and let her take it as a vacation day.

    Some of the other people she knew who’d been there decided to lie and say they were sick; their bosses had seen them in the crowds on the nightly TV news, and several of them lost their jobs.

    Not that there would be a ghost of a chance of hiding that today, in the age of 24/7 news feeds and InstaFaceTweet…

    • #18
  19. Bob Laing Member
    Bob Laing
    @

    livingthehighlife:I suspect there’s a corollary between employment and the peacefulness.

    Totally agree. Young males need an outlet for their energy.  If it is not spent in a productive manner, it will be spent in other ways. It is no coincidence that decent paying jobs are hard to come by in the Middle East.

    • #19
  20. CandE Inactive
    CandE
    @CandE

    Merina Smith:A lot of people in this world need to hear your message: Use your words.

    My wife frequently reminds our 5 year old of this exact thing.  Perhaps if more 25-year-olds were told this when they were 5 they wouldn’t need to hear it now.

    -E

    • #20
  21. Dick from Brooklyn Thatcher
    Dick from Brooklyn
    @DickfromBrooklyn

    Jerome Danner:

    Thank you for asking. My wife and I are doing well. About 2 months and 2 weeks left until Elijah (the name that we have chosen for our son) makes his grand entrance into our world.

    I appreciate you keeping up with that. That would be interesting if Ricochet had a baby picture feature…haha!

    Good luck to you and your wife, Jerome.

    I think that someone started a baby picture thread on the member feed a while back. Elijah’s grand entrance sounds like a great time to start a new thread!

    • #21
  22. MLH Inactive
    MLH
    @MLH

    Back in the day, protesters were really protesting and took the time and the risk to stand up for their beliefs. Friends and neighbors made sure they didn’t go hungry or unsheltered.

    • #22
  23. Mike H Inactive
    Mike H
    @MikeH

    Yes, thank you. Political protesting is a luxury and largely ineffective. People have families to feed.

    This is the same for people in 3rd-world countries. When I argue people should be allowed to immigrate here and have a much better life, often others will argue that they should stay there and “fix their own country.” But you’ve articulated perfectly why that is a ridiculous and wrong-headed suggestion.

    • #23
  24. Merina Smith Inactive
    Merina Smith
    @MerinaSmith

    Dick from Brooklyn:

    Jerome Danner:

    Thank you for asking. My wife and I are doing well. About 2 months and 2 weeks left until Elijah (the name that we have chosen for our son) makes his grand entrance into our world.

    I appreciate you keeping up with that. That would be interesting if Ricochet had a baby picture feature…haha!

    Good luck to you and your wife, Jerome.

    I think that someone started a baby picture thread on the member feed a while back. Elijah’s grand entrance sounds like a great time to start a new thread!

    Love the name you’ve chosen. Can’t wait to see the photos!

    • #24
  25. CandE Inactive
    CandE
    @CandE

    Mike H:Yes, thank you. Political protesting is a luxury and largely ineffective. People have families to feed.

    This is the same for people in 3rd-world countries. When I argue people should be allowed to immigrate here and have a much better life, often others will argue that they should stay there and “fix their own country.” But you’ve articulated perfectly why that is a ridiculous and wrong-headed suggestion.

    Why would you assume that saying that immigrants should “fix their own country” is insisting that they run protests?  It seems that everyone here agrees that protests are “a luxury and largely ineffective”, and I don’t think anyone believes it will work in other countries.  Unless you can show that “fix their own country” = protests, this argument is fallacious.

    -E

    • #25
  26. CuriousJohn Inactive
    CuriousJohn
    @CuriousJohn

    Lucky for me, I’ve worked 30 years for the same company. So I have a slue of PTO days in my pocket.  So when I need to Protest, I due it on my dime (in a sense). I have a feeling I’ll be using a few PTOs in the coming months for a little non-vacation activities.

    • #26
  27. La Tapada Member
    La Tapada
    @LaTapada

    Jerome Danner:I’m always wondering: why is it that everyone does not realize the power in words? Therefore, instead of yelling at the police or throwing things at them or fighting with people that don’t agree with you, how about taking a microphone and a speaker and speaking out against the things that you want others to take notice of?!

    There’s also the power of negative words. I’d specify “use constructive, “peace-building” words.” (Thanks for your post.)

    • #27
  28. Ric Fischer Inactive
    Ric Fischer
    @DesertDwarf

    Jerome Danner:

    Seawriter:

    Jerome Danner: That would be interesting if Ricochet had a baby picture feature…haha!

    You can always start a baby picture group.

    Seawriter

    Excellent idea! I will have to remember that!

    I’ll bet you have cool baby pictures already even though Elijah is still in his mommy’s tummy. That’d be a great way to get the group started!

    Love the name Elijah, by the way. I have fond memories of reading a book called “Elijah” (also known as “The Mantle” and “Prophet of Fire”, depending on publisher’s whims).

    • #28
  29. Jon Gabriel, Ed. Contributor
    Jon Gabriel, Ed.
    @jon

    When I was a kid, I remember the Iranian hostage crisis being reported on the nightly news. My dad would see the footage every day of angry mobs protesting in Tehran, and would say each time, “don’t these people have jobs?!”

    • #29
  30. Carol Member
    Carol
    @

    Jerome Danner:

    Kate Braestrup: Otra vez no puedo venir

    Thanks for responding! You might have to get those “sensible shoes” ready. I’m not quite sure if Trump will see the White House.

    Thank you for asking. My wife and I are doing well. About 2 months and 2 weeks left until Elijah (the name that we have chosen for our son) makes his grand entrance into our world.

    I appreciate you keeping up with that. That would be interesting if Ricochet had a baby picture feature…haha!

    I demand baby pictures! ( can that count as protest?)

    • #30
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