Have you ever protested anything?

[Phoenix84]

Have you ever been part of a protest? If so, what was it about? And did you achieve the results you sought?

[msventoux]

No, I've never participated in one.  I'm generally far too lazy to be outraged by real or imaginary injustices.  I also don't necessarily think protests are the best way to get a point across, so if I'm that upset about something I'll pursue other available methods of resolving an issue. 

[Phoenix84]

I've always been too laid back (i.e. lazy) to get worked up enough to protest. Sure, there are things I don't like in the world, but not enough to spend what precious free time I have protesting.

I have to wonder about those who protest. Do they not have jobs, or famlies, or other commitments on their time? In theory, if I were to protest for any length of time, it would probably have to be on the weekends. And why would I want to spend my days off protesting?

To me, hate requires effort and emotiional involvement that I can't usually muster. I prefer to spend my energy on more productive things that impact me more directly.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I suppose that you would need to better define protest. 
I recently went to a state ways and means committee public hearing of comments. 
I commented. My husband was with me and says that I called them out. I didn't mean to. I meant to be passionately persuasive. 
He wasn't ashamed of me; he just was shocked. 

[Phoenix84]

May 3, 2015 22:45:05 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

I suppose that you would need to better define protest. 
I recently went to a state ways and means committee public hearing of comments. 
I commented. My husband was with me and says that I called them out. I didn't mean to. I meant to be passionately persuasive. 
He wasn't ashamed of me; he just was shocked. 

I was thinking of a picket line, but I guess there are many ways to protest.  I guess for the purposes of this thread, I mean actually physically going somewhere and protesting a real or imagined injustice you are/were passionate about. Writing posts on a message board, facebook, or twitter doesn't count.

[Regie]

I protested a protest against a protest. WBC was protesting in my town and there was a protest against the protest. I figured the best protest would be not wasting my time or attention.

[resolution]

I have called my representative's office a few times ahead of important votes, like SOPA. I also attended a couple of community meetings to try to avoid speed bumps being put on my block.

It would take a lot to get me physically at a protest because my life is comfortable and I would have too much to lose. If the trend of protests around the country continues, I think it will be because a lot of people feel like they don't have that much to lose.

[Tennesseer]

Vietnam war.

The protests help turn America against the war.

[billisonboard]

May 3, 2015 22:36:50 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

Have you ever been part of a protest? If so, what was it about? And did you achieve the results you sought?

I joined a street march to protest the impending US invasion of Iraq. I knew that there was no chance that we would stop the invasion. I marched because I knew the invasion was the wrong thing for my nation to do and that I would feel disappointment with myself if I didn't. I didn't sit idly by. So in one sense, I feel I did achieve my goal.

[weltschmerz]

May 3, 2015 22:36:50 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

Have you ever been part of a protest? If so, what was it about? And did you achieve the results you sought?

Sure, lots of times.  Protests against war, animal abuse, proposed new laws, pro-choice marches, etc.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I protested against a protest.

PETA was protesting against labs at the university, so a group went out to protest against them, including one of my bosses.

One of the women had a dog ith her, and some pretty substantial scars on her arm.  My boss pointed out that it was very likely the surgeries done had products and procedures done on animals first.  The protester said "even though I can use my arm, I am left with scars, so what good was it?"  Then boss pointed out that her dog likely even received medical treatment that had been tried on animals, and the protester said "well, the animal shelter denied the dog her rights to procreate by spaying her".

Boss turned around and left, he said there was no arguing with crazy.....so we left. 

[quince]

No.  I'm too anxious around people. I also try to avoid being informed about what's going on because I get very angry, so I distance myself from it as much as possible. I generally only get a bit informed when it is time to vote, or I donate. Then I try to clear my mind as much as possible to avoid being bitter and angry and guilty that I don't do more/brought another life into a fucked up world/etc.

[Bonny]

I've only participated in a March; Republican Women For Choice.

Lately I've wondered if I should start my own protest; Registered Republican for 25 Years Forced to Vote Democrat because of Party Stupidity

Think it will make a difference?

[weltschmerz]

I was at this one.  It. Was. Epic!

[weltschmerz]

May 4, 2015 0:58:19 GMT -5 quince said:

No.  I'm too anxious around people. I also try to avoid being informed about what's going on because I get very angry, so I distance myself from it as much as possible. I generally only get a bit informed when it is time to vote, or I donate. Then I try to clear my mind as much as possible to avoid being bitter and angry and guilty that I don't do more/brought another life into a fucked up world/etc.

Your post filled me with sadness.

[quince]

May 4, 2015 1:17:42 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

May 4, 2015 0:58:19 GMT -5 quince said:

No.  I'm too anxious around people. I also try to avoid being informed about what's going on because I get very angry, so I distance myself from it as much as possible. I generally only get a bit informed when it is time to vote, or I donate. Then I try to clear my mind as much as possible to avoid being bitter and angry and guilty that I don't do more/brought another life into a fucked up world/etc.

Your post filled me with sadness.

I'm sorry.  I do my best, and I know it's not rational. My kid is happy and full of smiles and well-loved, and just because some things and people are awful doesn't mean everything is, but my brain does worst-case scenario exploration like it's going out of style. I take drugs to sleep if I haven't been able to for more than two nights because it's a problem.  Distancing myself from the news cycle helps me to be present for my family and a person who is not awful to be around.  

[MarleyKeezy78]

I have never been to a protest, I haven't been outraged enough I guess 
It has crossed my mind from time to time, but I am always afraid that it will devolve into rioting, and I want no part of that as I was a child when the LA riots broke out and happened to be visiting my dad there at the time and it was pretty scary.

[Regis]

When I was about 8 or 9, my mother insisted that I try lima beans.  I protested vehemently for about 20 minutes before buckling to the pressure and ate the lima beans.

I still don't like lima beans...

[The Captain]

Probably not what you're looking for but I've paid several different types of tax under protest for my employers.  Even joined in drafting an industry position paper on one issue.

Yea, I know - boring.

[cael]

Let's see... I attended a Gulf War protest with my parents when I was 7 or 8... an anti-animal testing protest in Utah when I was 16.. a peace rally in Boston in college, and a pro-gay marriage (I think that's what it was) rally in DC right after college. I'm a regular rabble rousing liberal I guess.

(I'm too old, cynical and tired for that sh*t nowadays even if I agree with a cause)

[Tennesseer]

May 4, 2015 9:55:55 GMT -5 Regis said:

When I was about 8 or 9, my mother insisted that I try lima beans.  I protested vehemently for about 20 minutes before buckling to the pressure and ate the lima beans.

I still don't like lima beans...

For the first time, my mother served us kids lima beans for dinner. We liked them so much that evening dinner that we asked her to cook some more for seconds. Once we were done eating a second serving of lima beans, we hated them. We asked mom to never, ever serve us lima beans again and she didn't.

To this day I will not eat lima beans.

[Deleted]

Yes, I bussed with a large group to a rally in Washington DC during my HS days and did a protest walk. 

I won't go to protests now because there are people there specifically to agitate & cause police conflict.  There was one I really would have liked to go to locally a couple of years back that was local. But as usual, external agitators arrived & it broke down into throwing shit at cops and inappropriate aggression. I don't think it is safe to protest in the normal way anymore. I don't know who these organizations are that seem to send psychopaths into every protest now. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

May 4, 2015 1:04:07 GMT -5 Bonny said:

I've only participated in a March; Republican Women For Choice.

Lately I've wondered if I should start my own protest; Registered Republican for 25 Years Forced to Vote Democrat because of Party Stupidity

Think it will make a difference?

I'd join this party!

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

May 4, 2015 10:06:35 GMT -5 @rockit said:

Yes, I bussed with a large group to a rally in Washington DC during my HS days and did a protest walk. 

I won't go to protests now because there are people there specifically to agitate & cause police conflict.  There was one I really would have liked to go to locally a couple of years back that was local. But as usual, external agitators arrived & it broke down into throwing shit at cops and inappropriate aggression. I don't think it is safe to protest in the normal way anymore. I don't know who these organizations are that seem to send psychopaths into every protest now. 

This seems to be more common than not.  In Seattle, the May day protests were (again) a mess.  As I was watching the conflicts unfold on TV, I had to wonder how much the increased police presence cost.  Not having the police keep things under control is not an option after what happened several years ago.




These days, many employers let employees off early, or suggest that they don't even come to work.  Most people try to avoid being downtown during the protest.  So other than the financial cost to the police force, the individual business loss is also probably considerable.

[dannylion]

A few years ago I went with some fellow vets and joined others to form a human wall between the WBC jerks and a fallen soldier's funeral.  

[Tiny]

I've observed a bunch of protests.  I've participated in several anti war protests.   One of those was on a weekend, and the others were on weekdays.  Since the protests were happening a couple of blocks from my work place - I just walked over.

I've only experienced 'peaceful' kinds of protests - no violence or arrests.    Some have had less than 50 people, some over 1,000.   The big ones usually have the police force out in riot gear and sometimes even the mounted police - mostly they just hung out near the edges of the plaza (or along the marching route) and didn't interact with the crowd.    The protesters obliged by ignoring them in return.   As protesters we chanted our chants, waved our signs, made noise, listened to various speakers, and then had a final Chant/Lots of Noise, and mini parade. The rally ended and everyone hung around a bit longer - taking pictures, having interviews taped, and generally being friendly.    The cops continued to look 'bored'.   We ignored them.

For the smaller protests there's usually a police presence - sometimes the cops are on bikes (I have to admit the Bike cops are mighty easy on the eyes.)  

I've done the form email letter to my state representatives/senators/who ever for certain issues in the past.  Unfortunately, I can't remember what they were. 

[wyouser]

Yes! Every year I get a Form 1040 publication! The articles suck! It never has any photos! And, its the most expensive publication I get in the mail! Every year I protest and write a nasty letter asking them to cancel my subscription! They never respond! This year I even tried to call to complain...but no one will answer the phone! How does that outfit even stay in business

[Iggy aka IG]

Yes.  In 2013 we protested against a sales tax increase, after having one the prior year.  (Voters knocked it down by 2-1.)

This past Saturday we (peacefully) protested against BLM land closures.  (This outcome has yet to be determined.)

To address some of the comments above:  Yes, we have jobs.     The sales tax increase protest took place just a few times for about an hour each during business hours.  And, there is no hate involved.  Just disdain for certain government agencies continually dipping into our wallets (and public land use for the latter).

[Phoenix84]

Yeah, these days many protests devolve into riots. I couldn't risk getting arrested or charged with any sort of crime, since I need a federal security clearance to do my job.

[ken a.k.a OMK]

Same here. I got a secret clearance out of high school to work for the Navy and go to college. It was 1965 and war protests were starting.