what would it take to get YOU in the street protesting and demanding immediate change?

[yurbud]

[villager]

1. That, Yurbud, would seem to be the question of the age.

n/t

[grasswire]

2. I was thinking of protesting outside the local comcast office

It is on a busy street with lots of curb visibility. Probably 95 percent of those who drive by wouldn't have a clue what was going on, tho.

[Urban Prairie]

3. The passers-by just might think that I am a lone teabagger.

Which may be why many on the left are loathe to actively protest, seemingly againt the current Democratic administration and in favor of Sarah Palin/Michelle Bachmann and the Tea Party, and if the protesters were to get any exposure by the MSM, it very well may be spun in that pro-rightwinger/conservative direction.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

4. 8,000 people in L.A. were too busy

trying to get help with mortgage payments and remaining in their homes.

http://www.latimes.com/includes/sectionfronts/AA1.pdf

[Hannah Bell]

6. perfect issue to organize around. perfect opportunity to recruit, educate, protest.

why are so few doing it?

[Hannah Bell]

5. contrary to popular belief, it pretty much takes a big shock -- like extravagantly rising food

prices -- to get a lot of people anywhere to spontaneously come "in the street".

you need to organize, & you need to be in it for the long haul.

in earlier days there was usually an already-established group with some bucks in the background organizing -- e.g. the communist party in the labor movement, the nascent unionsm, etc.

there's nothing like that today. consequently, people are floundering. they want to do something, but there's no organized group that seems effective -- except, of course, the tea party, which has some big bucks behind it.

people are going to have to build a movement from the ground up. if you build it, they will come.

[True_Blue]

20. We would definitely need to organize

and be in it for the long haul.

One problem is that we are so spread out here in America and many don't have the money to travel to Washington to protest for just one day. Maybe start organizing in every state and plan on protesting at each states' capitals every single day.

I think a good majority Americans (left & right) are frustrated with corrupt politicians/corporations/banksters/Wall Street, two neverending wars, outsourcing, high unemployment w/ no end in sight, low wages, rising costs, rampant foreclosures, the destruction of the middle class while obscene amounts of money are thrown into the bottomless pit of the wealthy/corporations. I don't think it would be very difficult at all to organize protests around these issues because they're not left/right issues. At this point it's getting to be a matter of self-preservation for the majority of Americans.

[HillbillyBob]

33. Very frustrated , but it is a fact that limited funds and physically

disability keep me off the streets. I can't run fast enough when the cops start bashing or even fight back and it is time to fight back.

We have limited our purchase of imports and unnecessary stuff, partly because its all imported at the cost of our jobs, and part because we simply cannot afford the things we used to.
We have already been homeless and have reached a sort of balance, that doesn't mean we have to like it and we were never ever extravagant.
I have been poz for almost 30 yrs, with related health stuff, standing out in the street quickly becomes impossible.
Snrs and disabled are going to be targeted. Like that buttwipe here in NC talking about cutting hiv funding to preverts.

[True_Blue]

46. They're heartless bastards

They're targeting the poor, homeless, unemployed, elderly, disabled, sick.... people that they think can't organize or protest. They're heartless bastards. But I think a lot of people are starting to wake up to the hopeless situation that our Country is in.

[Hannah Bell]

48. yes, most people can't go to washington. thus the need for local organizing.

pressure locally = pressure on states = pressure on dc.

also pressure on local institutions = pressure higher up.

also local orgs can network.

people used to know how to do organizing; if not political organizing, community organizing for civic ends.

but since the professionalisation of a lot of such things & the destruction of most local interest groups but churches, many middle to lower-class folks are out of the habit.

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. A sense that my being "in the street" would make the slightest difference.

Street protesting is a bit of an anachronism. It had *some* impact on political events in the 60's and 70's .... but that was a different world. The media is now a philosophical and political monolith. It ignores political demonstrations.... from the *left* that is...... thereby relegating them to invisibility and , ultimately, pointlessness.

We still have to figure out better ways of adjusting to that reality.

[yurbud]

8. It does something if you make it impossible for business to be conducted somewhere

[Smarmie Doofus]

9. The old Act-Up model.Well , yeah... but even that's 25 years old.

Give me some examples... more current would be better... of how that's been successful.

[sabrina 1]

13. Tunisia ~ look what just happened there.

It started with protests, and in a dictatorship that isn't easy to do. Just a few weeks later a 25 year-old, entrenched, oppressive corrupt regime was toppled.

There was one tragic event that sparked the revolution. It might have stayed at the protest level had not one 26 year-old college graduate, set himself on fire after being harassed by the police. Another factor was the use of social networks. His act of despair and protest might have been noticed only locally had it not been broadcast on twitter and FB across the world.

It is the first revolution in an Arab country since 1989. And it is scaring other dictatorships who are also experiencing food riots and uprisings against their 'austerity' programs while the rich make no sacrifices.

Maybe the time has to right and a spark that lights the fire is necessary. I guess it hasn't happened here yet, although I don't know why considering the millions of people who have lost everything, while the rich get richer and care nothing for ordinary people.

[Hannah Bell]

17. here's one:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x219903


i think these kind of actions can be very successful in these times. people are sympathetic -- & ticked off.

and they can link to wider issues.

in fact, i think this kind of grassroots thing, connected to concrete local issues is the best model for organizing in these times.

concrete local issues could be:

wage theft, as in this case
foreclosures
layoffs
bank overcharges

etc. all the real-life repercussions of the structural adjustment being forced on the population.

in these kind of local actions is the opportunity to draw attention to what's happening & educate the oblivious as well as gather a community of support.

[Smarmie Doofus]

26. Love the concept, actually. So far, can't find a link to NYC. n/t

[Hannah Bell]

49. ask them about like-minded contacts in nyc.

http://www.seattlesolidarity.net/index.php?option=com_contact&Itemid=3

[socialist_n_TN]

30. You want tactics? .................

I'd say the "Act Up" model, but do it at every Fox affiliate and every Fox Corp office in the country. And make sure that CBS, GENBC, and ABC knows about it. You want coverage? Take it to the Ministry of Propaganda and tell their competitors that you're going to do it. You'll get your coverage.

[yurbud]

39. In Venezuela, Bolivia, most of Europe, and now Tunisia

[Hannah Bell]

53. another link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x257124

[villager]

60. Like withdrawing economic support? A national strike?

;-)

[Citizen Worker]

10. Sure made a difference when there were 50,000 of us in the streets of Seattle during the WTO. I

remember well the night one of the Canadian delegates shouted from her balcony to the small crowd below, "you've won, you've won. Negotiations have ended." That brought to an end the global agreements and left the capitalists with negotiating bi-lateral agreements. Notice too that trade negotiations have not been held in the US since then. Instead negotiations now take place in heavily militarized nations. We've done it before and we can and MUST do it again.

[Smarmie Doofus]

12. Kudos to the brave souls who took to the Seattle streets.

Mission accomplished. Capitalists inconvenienced. ( And that in itself *can't* be bad.) But ...can't they just go somewhere *else* and do what they need to do?

>>>>>Instead negotiations now take place in heavily militarized nations. >>>>>>

[Hannah Bell]

18. what made the difference at wto was that there were several entities, with funding, actively

organizing & training people, plus recruiting & publicizing the event.

the organization is why it got the numbers & publicity it did, the training is why it was comparatively effective.

things don't just happen spontaneously. except maybe riots.

[True_Blue]

58. And unions use to have power

They could organize protests and there was a time when no American worker would have ever considered crossing a picket line. Raygun played a major role in the destruction of the American middle class.

[Kaleva]

11. It'd have to be pretty extreme. I mean it'd have to be a fight or die situation.

[Scruffy1]

14. What makes you think I've stopped?

So far this winter a protest in front of CEO of United Health care-wwwhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l985JkDIcVQ three protests in front of Federal Building in Minneapolis concerning the FBI raids on peace activists.Not all of us just sit around our computers and bitch.

Next one is the National Day of Action on January 25th. It might be ten below and we'll still be there. Go to www.stopfbi.net.

Just because the media would rather cover some old illiterate tea baggers doesn't mean we don't exist. Ignoring us won't make us go away. I get a laugh out of all the frenzy over KO. Do you really think that an entertaining multi-millionaire really gives a rats ass about you that much. Sure I like him, but I don't see him as any kind of movement leader.

Oh I almost forgot Jimmy Johns Workers Union. We just got the 87-85 vote against the union canceled so am gearing up for more picketing, postering, button making, fund raising.

I feel sorry for tv watchers. They miss all the fun while getting sold a bill of goods.

[socialist_n_TN]

31. Hey Scruffy, what do you think about my post ............

upthread? Do you think it would work? "Act Up" type events at Fox affiliates and corporate making sure to let their competitors know about it. I would think that it would get exposure. I'm not very good at organizing, so I thought I'd ask an expert! :)

[Le Taz Hot]

15. Same thing it's taken for the last 40 years.

:shrug:

[mdmc]

16. better health sadly

[xchrom]

19. recommend

[Major Hogwash]

21. It's got to warm up first.

20º out there now, bud.

Too cold to protest out where no one cares.

[Scruffy1]

22. Been doing it in the cold too.

But then I'm in Minnesota so if we didn't do stuff in the cold not much would get done.

[Major Hogwash]

23. Nobody cares here. We could walk around naked and not get in the newspaper.

Of course, there would be a lot of shrinkage involved, but still.

[Occulus]

24. I'm in MI

Nobody on the roads but plows at about 6:45 this morning. This was with driving across several major arteries into town and to the highways.

Nothing is moving. How the hell do animals survive in this cold?

-4 at 7AM, and no wind at all, thankfully. I'd hate to guess how cold it would feel with even a small breeze. :scared:

Holy shit, half an hour after I got home, and I just looked at the temperature outside; it's actually gotten colder. -7 now.

Jesus! Jesus FUCK!

[WinkyDink]

25. Well, let's see: I protested in 1969. Marched twice, NYC 2003. Now I'm 61. Where are the young?

[WhiteTara]

27. There are some young people marching

I saw lots of kids during the marches in DC...I think my last march was 2006...Buddhist monks were with us and it was my first time to work as security on a march and I asked him for a blessing - he tied my shoe laces which had come undone unnoticed by me.

The main people at that particular march seemed to be older women and war vets; but there were many young people. Some were going to be arrested for civil disobedience. I had a plane to catch the following day and couldn't.

[WinkyDink]

35. It's good to hear this, because they need to be VERY concerned.

Afghanistan and Iraq will not be the 21st C's last wars.

[RegieRocker]

28. Sunday and more people concerned enough to do it.

The freakin list is soooooooooooooo long.

[mmonk]

29. Some protest only when Republicans are in office.

[Kip Humphrey]

32. stealing our elections. And, it has already happened and I already have, do, and will continue to.

[IcyPeas]

34. france went on strike and took to the streets... (with lots of pix)

France had strikes across their country a few months ago protesting raising their retirement from 60 to 62 as well as other social issues that Sarkozy wanted to cut. Ultimately Sarkozy's government won out.

USA is obviously a much bigger country so I think it's harder to make an impact like they did in France -

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/10/france_on_strike.html

[WinkyDink]

36. Europeans had their lands conquered by force. They won't take politicians' crap any more.

[yurbud]

41. that's what we should be doing here.

[Xenotime]

37. Only as long as the protests don't look like they could turn violent..I do it.

[yurbud]

40. any protest can turn violent with provocateurs planted in the crowd. You have to shut

them down before the police do.

[WinkyDink]

57. Any serious protest here would become violent. See: 1968. A POLICE RIOT.

[Shagbark Hickory]

38. One person to organize it. It's that simple.

[emilyg]

45. Yes.

[jpak]

42. but...but...but...I thought staying at home or voting third party was the answer

so I have been told

[yurbud]

43. If the CIA knows how to incite coups and revolutions in other countries, could they also

have the opposite ability?

Knowing how to nip nascent revolutions and uprisings in the bud?

Obviously something like that has to be going on in places like Saudi Arabia and Egypt where the government only works for a small minority.

[tkmorris]

44. Company

[jillan]

47. Taking away social security or cutting healthcare for my disabled daughter.

The second has already brought me to the state capitol.

[NNN0LHI]

50. Take away my Judge Judy and I will gather the tar and feathers

:silly:

[felix_numinous]

51. Many people associate demonstrations

with violence, arrest and incarceration and being labeled a terrorist.No one wants to make the news, no one wants to be singled out. What would get me in the streets? If enough people were there with me, and if I knew it was being done in the most peaceful and non violent manner.

[Iggo]

52. Proposition 8.

[Lucian]

54. If you start something, I'll join.

I'm not good at starting movements.

[itsallhappening]

55. If they turned my power off for no good reason.

Or just Internet.

Also, I'd march for a free Cheez-its program.

[AmandaMae]

56. some people to join me.

[True_Blue]

59. That's a big one

I'm ready, but I don't want to be the only one protesting in the street.