Reply #33: It just blows me away when critics blame protesters [View All]

For not immediately saving the world.

Yet those critics never have a viable alternative to suggest.
Never.

For those who so readily dismiss the bravery of protesters,
and - make no mistake - it does take bravery to face down
hundreds of cops in riot gear with guns and tear gas canisters
and horses, I have a question:

*What practical and effective alternative to protesting
would you suggest that you personally would be willing to
participate in?*

People just love to sit around and sigh before and after protests
that they accomplish nothing. I disagree with even that much.
No, a protest doesn't magically reverse the world's problems
in the blink of an eye. Whatta bummer.

But it accomplishes something, including:

-Making people feel much less isolated, showing them that they're
not alone in feeling appalled with the situation.
-Getting publicity. Not as much as Michael Jackson's latest molestation,
gawd knows. But any publicity is better than none.
It does spread the message to some people willing to acknowledge it.
-Giving people a much needed emotional outlet; it's an uplifting
and cathartic experience after years of hell.
-And, most deliciously, making the bad guy go to great lengths
to avoid them - to hide and scuttle thru back doors like the criminals they are.

Here's what the London protest reduced Bush to according to
Graham Joyce in "Cheering Bush down" on Salon:

"Drums and dancing, whistles and songs, foghorns and chanting were
the character of the day in this massive anti-Bush rally...

Ironically it was supposed to be George Bush, Tony Blair and the
queen who were throwing the party.
This was the first "state" visit of an American president
since the end of the First World War.
And what is this "state visit" thing? ...

For George Bush this would normally mean red carpets,
the paralyzing corset of white-tie dinners,
41-gun salutes by guys in furry hats, the gleaming
blond-plumed horse guards, and baroque open
carriages trotted along the Mall as tourists and
royalty junkies wave paper flags. But this year the
carriage has been mothballed and the horses stabled.
George was, instead, helicoptered in the dark
into the grounds of Buckingham Palace in a modified gunship.
A bizarre "welcome" was laid on after breakfast the following
morning, with the president driven 100 yards inside the
Buckingham Palace compound to be greeted by the queen
and her phalanx of retainers in 18th century livery.

This exhibition of depressed panoply took place so that he
wouldn't have to see the tumultuous and ebullient demonstration
about his presence going on outside."

Again:

"...driven 100 yards inside the Buckingham Palace compound..."
to hide from protestors.

Is that not delicious?

In addition:

"With bobbies called in from all over the country to buttress
the Metropolitan police force, the security operation is
estimated to cost 10 million pounds."

I'm pretty sure the English are *pissed* about having to
pay for the security of a war criminal. How many countries
will be willing to pay out the ass to protect this fascist?
Probably few, and fewer all the time.
They saw what happened in London.

The English flipped him a big ol' bird and the whole world saw it.

That's what was accomplished by one day of protesting by our
brave compatriots in England.

But even if none of that was accomplished, speaking strictly
for myself, getting off my ass and screaming at that
dictator as his motorcade rolls by, (and both times
I've had the chance he *did* have to see
and hear the furious mob) allows me to look in the mirror
and sleep at night.