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Post by onelasttime on Feb 14, 2024 16:31:42 GMT
This morning protestors shut down the Golden Gate Bridge during the commute to protest the latest bombing carried out by Israel. Honest question, what do these protestors hope to accomplish other than pissing off the folks stuck on the bridge? ABC News…. ”The Golden Gate Bridge has been shut down by Gaza protesters, bringing the Wednesday morning commute to a halt. abc7ne.ws/3SZxvmP” x.com/abc7newsbayarea/status/1757799387672035407?s=61&t=j45uMgNk1i8O0YllKF58nw |
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Post by nightnurse on Feb 14, 2024 16:35:14 GMT
They hope to raise awareness and galvanize change.
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Post by workingclassdog on Feb 14, 2024 16:39:56 GMT
Piss people off who need to get to where they are going. I don't see that helping their cause at all. You can protest somewhere else and get attention and have a valid reason. But by disrupting traffic or such doesn't help their cause (IMO).
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Post by onelasttime on Feb 14, 2024 16:40:42 GMT
But do protests really change anything?
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Anita
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Post by Anita on Feb 14, 2024 16:44:29 GMT
They accomplish nothing except making people angry.
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luckyjune
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Post by luckyjune on Feb 14, 2024 16:52:13 GMT
Protests let the people/organization/party/government causing the protest know that not everyone agrees with whatever they are doing. It's super easy to exist in a bubble and think no one disagrees with your actions, especially those who insulate themselves and surround themselves with yes-people. A bunch of people carrying signs and shouting is a dose of reality.
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sueg
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Post by sueg on Feb 14, 2024 17:04:16 GMT
For those saying protests change nothing:
Protests changed attitudes towards segregation in the US
Protests led to the overturn of Apartheid in South Africa
Protest brought down the Berlin Wall
I am sure there are other examples from history, and I am just as sure that - at the time - people were annoyed by the disruption caused by many of these protests.
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Feb 14, 2024 17:14:26 GMT
I would guess causing enough disruption to get on the news and to get people talking about them is their goal. I think they are a bit short sighted doing things like blocking bridges. It makes a lot of people mad, and the discussion is about the protest rather than about their cause.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Feb 14, 2024 17:22:57 GMT
I don't really agree with blocking roads or bridges, but I do think that protesting can bring awareness to your cause. In this case, letting elected officials know that they are not in agreement with what Israel is doing and don't want to continue funding it. I am also feeling pretty frustrated with this, and not sure what else to do since I already emailed my Senators and representative. Nancy Pelosi said that she thinks protestors are connected to Russia, which IMO she must be really out of touch with the public on this issue. Maybe having "real" people protesting will eventually help them to see what the public wants.
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Post by don on Feb 14, 2024 17:24:18 GMT
History tailgates.
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Post by workingclassdog on Feb 14, 2024 17:30:12 GMT
For those saying protests change nothing: Protests changed attitudes towards segregation in the US Protests led to the overturn of Apartheid in South Africa Protest brought down the Berlin Wall I am sure there are other examples from history, and I am just as sure that - at the time - people were annoyed by the disruption caused by many of these protests. I agree that protests can change things. But protests that block bridges/traffic and so forth isn't helping the cause, I feel it hurts the cause. Go down to the Capitol.. go to the parks, go in front of buildings, but disrupting a mom who has to go to work to make ends meet, or someone that has a life changing interview with a new job or a pregnant woman in labor trying to get to the hospital to have a baby.. etc... I can assure you that isn't helping the cause. There are lots of places that they can protest and get attention. Respectfully is my opinion. |
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sueg
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Post by sueg on Feb 14, 2024 17:33:55 GMT
The protests in Leipzig that brought down the Berlin Wall were on the Ringstrasse - the main traffic ring around the inner city. At its peak, the number of protesters was greater than the population of the city. I am guessing people were annoyed trying to drive home. But a month later, the wall was down.
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Post by onelasttime on Feb 14, 2024 17:36:32 GMT
Fair point.
But how is shutting down the Golden Gate Bridge in California going to influence Netanyahu in Israel?
We know that President Biden is trying to rein in Netanyahu but this guy has the “take no prisoners “ attitude with very little compassion. It was reported President Biden called Netanyahu an ahole a couple of times after their conversations.
What is shutting down the GGB going to do? Or disrupting other places in the United States going to do to change situations outside the country?
So maybe the answer is the protestors should ask themselves “what do we hope to accomplish with their protest”. Something they can realistically change or doing it just to piss off people with little hope of real change because they feel they have to do something?
I’m all for real change but before I retired crossing the GGB was part of my commute and today’s stunt and the reason for it would have done nothing but piss me off.
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Post by librarylady on Feb 14, 2024 17:41:23 GMT
I don't understand a protest in the USA about a war in another country.
We/the USA has no power in the war, so a protest in the United States is useless.
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Feb 14, 2024 17:42:06 GMT
When I was at the hospital last month, a transplant team came in from LA to look at an organ and get it back. Protestors had been blocking the 10 and other freeways in downtown LA.
Could you imagine being a family member knowing a life changing organ was on its way but held up due to a protest?!
My friends who have been protecting the war between Israel and Palestine have been going to local offices of state and federal officials. That is an appropriate place to protest.
So are parks, sidewalks, official buildings of those who can make the change.
Those protests get people talking.
But blocking traffic and disrupting life for many is not the way to make change.
It does piss people off and they talk about that, not the cause.
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Feb 14, 2024 17:42:57 GMT
I don't understand a protest in the USA about a war in another country. We/the USA has no power in the war, so a protest in the United States is useless. Money talks and we are sensing a lot to Israel who continues to kill innocent people. So yes the US and world csn certainly make change and have power in this crisis. |
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Post by gar on Feb 14, 2024 17:43:47 GMT
Protesting quietly in a park without disturbing anyone won’t make the news.
I completely agree that blocking roads etc is extremely frustrating and potentially dangerous for many people but, as they say, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.
It’s difficult- there have been random, highly inconvenient protests in London by an organisation called Just Stop Oil over the last few years and there have been some very angry scenes between them and people they’re disturbing - but catastrophic climate change is mightily inconvenient too.
Personally I think they ought to particularly target and inconvenience the bosses of the mega companies that add terribly to greenhouse gases, etc etc
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Post by ~summer~ on Feb 14, 2024 17:44:33 GMT
I don't understand a protest in the USA about a war in another country. We/the USA has no power in the war, so a protest in the United States is useless. you think we have no power over Israel? |
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Post by gar on Feb 14, 2024 17:45:03 GMT
I don't understand a protest in the USA about a war in another country. We/the USA has no power in the war, so a protest in the United States is useless. World leaders talk to each other and can have great powers of persuasion over others. |
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Feb 14, 2024 17:47:11 GMT
Protesting quietly in a park without disturbing anyone won’t make the news. I completely agree that blocking roads etc is extremely frustrating and potentially dangerous for many people but, as they say, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. It’s difficult- there have been random, highly inconvenient protests in London by an organisation called Just Stop Oil over the last few years and there have been some very angry scenes between them and people they’re disturbing - but catastrophic climate change is mightily inconvenient too. Personally I think they ought to particularly target and inconvenience the bosses of the mega companies that add terribly to greenhouse gases, etc etc It certainly makes local and state news. Not national but it does get people talking and article written. |
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Post by librarylady on Feb 14, 2024 17:47:48 GMT
I don't understand a protest in the USA about a war in another country. We/the USA has no power in the war, so a protest in the United States is useless. World leaders talk to each other and can have great powers of persuasion over others. We can try to persuade Netyenhau(?), but have no way to MAKE him do what is offered as a plan. |
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Post by katlady on Feb 14, 2024 17:48:09 GMT
I get what the OP is saying. How does a protest in one country affect another country? The Selma-Montgomery March in 1965 was a success, but it was a US event/issue. The protest mentioned by sueg to bring down the Berlin Wall was happening in Germany. I think there needs to be protest at places of government within the US for international issues. Protest at the White House, protest at the Capitol, protest at a congressman's house/office. But, yeah, blocking a main artery of traffic for something happening outside the US will not get the attention of Netanyahu. |
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Feb 14, 2024 18:12:31 GMT
I don't understand a protest in the USA about a war in another country. We/the USA has no power in the war, so a protest in the United States is useless. We definitely have power, although not as much as some think we have, IMO. At the very least we can cut aid to Israel if they are not using the money or weapons we give them in a way that we approve of. Just like we have expectations for Ukraine and the money we give them. |
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Post by papersilly on Feb 14, 2024 18:16:09 GMT
protest can bring bad press to a company. this might force them address issues that employees can't otherwise bring to their attention.
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luckyjune
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Post by luckyjune on Feb 14, 2024 21:10:16 GMT
I'm amazed at how many people don't know and/or don't care about what is going on locally, nationally, and internationally. It's super easy to drive by a group picketing on a street corner. The fact there is a protest going on might register, but not necessarily the cause of the protest.
Getting stopped in traffic by a protest makes people mad. The first question is, "What is holding up traffic?" I'm imagining they'll seek out information because they are pissed and inconvenienced. Awareness spread, protest's job done. People are mad, but informed.
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Post by ChicagoKTS on Feb 14, 2024 22:07:57 GMT
There have been numerous protests in Chicago from both sides of the Palestinian and Israeli conflict. While I support their rights to protest, I doubt the protests at City Hall calling for the mayor to do something about ending the conflict will have any effect. The current mayor isn’t capable of doing anything about local issues let alone international conflicts.
Personally, I think they would be better served by holding fund raising events to contribute to humanitarian organizations aiding the people in Gaza.
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Post by craftedbys on Feb 14, 2024 22:35:23 GMT
Some protesters shut down the only bridge we have open right now to go between West Memphis, Arkansas and Memphis Tennessee.
Pissed quite a few people off because they were trying to get to/from work, but even more engaging is the fact that it kept ambulances from getting to the bigger hospitals (children's hospital, trauma center, etc) and thereby endangering lives.
To me, that kind of stunt isn't bringing people to your side of your cause, especially since your blocking a bridge isn't going to change policy half a world away.
The protests of the summer of 2020 were much more lawful, and I think had an impact locally.
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