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How not to protest
11 years ago
This Friday morning, a group of protestors will be shutting down the Montgomery BART station beginning at 7am, effectively fucking up the morning commute.
What are they protesting? The arrests of 14 protestors when the same group shut down another BART station. (That protest was on Ferguson.) They're also demanding the BART police dissolve, and better options for low-income workers.
My reaction to this protest is zero sympathy to their causes whatsoever. In fact, I'm hoping that the BART police not only not dissolve, but arrest even more of them for trespassing on railroad property so that the SF-bay area morning commute is not ridiculously fucked over.
Protests are about being being heard and gaining sympathy. Infuriating those that rely on BART to commute to work is not a way to gain support, but a great way to piss people off. Protests are about being heard by the offending parties and getting the public behind the cause, not about angering the public.
The leaders of this protest strike me as very childish and selfish.
Want to hold a protest that speaks volumes without pissing people off? Instead of blocking off a bart station, have people sit cross-legged and holding hands along the buildings on a street, NOT BLOCKING STREETS OR ENTRANCES of said buildings. And wear bright colors or something else that draws the eye. No, it's not a loud form protest. I think it would definitely have people talking, though, and not in anger.
What are they protesting? The arrests of 14 protestors when the same group shut down another BART station. (That protest was on Ferguson.) They're also demanding the BART police dissolve, and better options for low-income workers.
My reaction to this protest is zero sympathy to their causes whatsoever. In fact, I'm hoping that the BART police not only not dissolve, but arrest even more of them for trespassing on railroad property so that the SF-bay area morning commute is not ridiculously fucked over.
Protests are about being being heard and gaining sympathy. Infuriating those that rely on BART to commute to work is not a way to gain support, but a great way to piss people off. Protests are about being heard by the offending parties and getting the public behind the cause, not about angering the public.
The leaders of this protest strike me as very childish and selfish.
Want to hold a protest that speaks volumes without pissing people off? Instead of blocking off a bart station, have people sit cross-legged and holding hands along the buildings on a street, NOT BLOCKING STREETS OR ENTRANCES of said buildings. And wear bright colors or something else that draws the eye. No, it's not a loud form protest. I think it would definitely have people talking, though, and not in anger.
Oh well. A childish species, human.