• usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml
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      9 months ago

      They are being suppressed in media coverage, but there are people protesting. Media coverage paints a false picture that no one in the US is fighting back

      Here’s one from today with 1000 people in Boise, Idaho

      Here’s a super incomplete timeline with just a handful of the nationwide protests. I’m missing a lot, I’m just showing your the photos I had from recent memory


      8 days ago there were national protest for science funding cuts. Here’s the main one in DC


      11 days ago there were nationwide protests in all 50 US state capitols + DC + Many cities within those states. This was part of the 50501 movement

      Portland, Oregon

      Monroe, Wisconsin

      San Fransisco, California

      Albany, New York

      Raleigh, North Carolina

      Richmond, Virginia

      Austin, Texas

      Protests Outside Fox News in New York City


      16 days ago there were large protest in the Iowa Statehouse


      19 days ago, a protest in Cherry Hill, New Jersy outside Tesla Showroom as part of a nationwide movement protesting Telsas. There have been tons more than just this one and these happen basically every day


      21 days ago, large protests in DC for Ukraine aid


      And so on. There’s a lot more going on than just this

      • Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works
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        9 months ago

        Thank you for posting this. I’m so sick of ignorant people outside my country (US) spouting nonsense about nothing happening here.

        These people are almost as bad as the US conservatives when it comes to believing only what they see on their news.

      • Tja@programming.dev
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        9 months ago

        That’s… kind of sad. There’s like dozens of people in those pictures. Honestly, no surprise media doesn’t report it, I’ve seen barbecues with higher attendance. Americans need to do a lot better.

          • Tja@programming.dev
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            9 months ago

            I think so, but look at the protests in Serbia (or south Korea recently, or France every other month since the invention of the baguette), or basically any other country… and look at the pictures of protests in the US. The difference is remarkable.

            • WagyuSneakers@lemm.ee
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              9 months ago

              Non Americans only viewing American politics from the lens of a democracy that cares about what the people say or think is surprising ignorant.

              Sorry Americans don’t want to suicide by cop or make their families homeless to make your feel better. Californians can’t just take a week off work to trek to the capital to hold up a meaningless sign so you feel a little better. If our government was ever worried about a protest everyone would leave in a bodybag or to a black site. There is no chance of it accomplishing anything and your sheer ignorance of American geography is ironically very American.

              • I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world
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                9 months ago

                And yet, look at any major city after a sports team win. The harsh truth is the protest turnout here in the states is pathetic. It’s low to the point of being embarrassing. It’s so low, that right wingers can use it as evidence of support for Trump; because clearly, if people were actually upset, there would be more than just a handful of people showing up and peacefully standing around.

                Again, look at the streets after a sports team wins a game. Don’t tell me people can’t show up. Don’t tell me people can’t do more than hold signs. They do it all the fucking time because their group of guys moved a ball better than another group of guys.

                The fact is, Americans don’t protest because we’ve mostly become disillusioned and have given up. There hasn’t been a single protest that accomplished anything since the Occupy Wall Street movement, and all that accomplished was getting media companies to circle the wagons and ensure they never, ever talk about class war again.

                • RedAggroBest@lemmy.world
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                  9 months ago

                  Any major city after sports win? I wasn’t aware the whole US was Philadelphia. You literally only see what happens after major events where there’s already a fuck ton of people not from that city ready to leave the stadium with nothing better going on. What an awful comparison.

                  • I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world
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                    9 months ago

                    Yes, any major city. You think people only fill the streets in Philly? Look at literally any city after they have a major football or baseball win. Streets are packed. There’s not always violence, but good luck trying to drive through downtown that evening. And guess what? The people filling the streets AREN’T just from the stadium. People pour out of their homes, bars, EVERYWHERE. Using your Philly example, look at this crowd. You think those are all just people from the stadium? That was a Sunday night. It was cold out, those people had jobs they had to be at the next day, but it didn’t matter because they felt it was “important” to be out there. And that’s just the spur of the moment post-game celebration. The scheduled parade that Friday had over a million people show up. Over a million.

                    Now look at any picture or video from the recent “protests” and tell me it’s not pathetic in comparison. And what happened in Philly is not the exception. Similar turnouts happen in any major US city following a Super Bowl win, most cities following a World Series win, and some cities following a Stanley Cup win. Its so expected, cops will pre-section off areas of the cities because they know people are going to be out on the streets not giving a fuck.

                    So yes, when the protests can’t even muster up even 1% of the crowds that naturally occur after a fucking ball game, it can be safely called a depressingly low turnout.

                  • I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world
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                    9 months ago

                    Buddy, I am American. This shit is pathetic. I’m tired of pretending that less than 1000 people standing on a street corner is a good protest. The turnout has been embarrassingly bad, and the internet’s take that it’s because working Americans don’t want to risk their jobs completely discounts the feeling of utter defeat many are feeling. There is just no motivation to protest anymore, it’s been shown to be as ineffective as calling or writing to your senator. You know they aren’t going to see it, and if you receive anything back, it will be a canned, generic response that doesn’t even acknowledge your message.

                    I’m not upset with people for not turning out. I fully understand why they don’t. I just wish we’d stop pretending these protests are the start of some new movement, when all signs point to them being the last gasps of a dying resistance. Think that’s too doom and gloom? Well, unfortunately, that is our reality.

                  • Tja@programming.dev
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                    9 months ago

                    So you hear “show up to protest” and you think “violently attack the white house”?

                    Again, look at the pictures. You have 100 people standing like they’re social distancing on a small portion of a square versus whole city blocks jam packed of people shoulder to shoulder. I’m sure Portland of San Francisco have more than 100 people, even more than 100 non-Republicans.

                • Perhapsjustsniffit@lemmy.ca
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                  9 months ago

                  Just look at the stadiums on Sundays. Full to capacity in every major city. Broadcast live for everyone to see. Forget about your lives we give you modern gladiators. Now rejoice and pay us money!

    • TommySoda@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      One thing to keep in mind is how geographically huge the US is comparatively and it makes it a lot harder to organize massive protests. Serbia is about the size of Wisconsin which is a relatively medium size state. Add that into the fact that the US is a very car dependent country where some people live 2 - 3 hours away from their capital or even a city. I’m not using this as an excuse, just a possible reason why ours in the US aren’t big yet. I went to a couple in my state and I was extremely happy with everyone there but also extremely disappointed with the turnout. And I had to drive an hour and a half just to get there. I can’t imagine how difficult it is for others in the bigger states.

      It could be a lot of cope on my end, but I can’t just assume everyone is just giving up. The last thing the US needs right now is apathy.

      • dust_accelerator@discuss.tchncs.de
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        9 months ago

        I feel this is a lack oft creativity. Protests need to be peaceful, but disruptive. In a car based society, protest by car? If 5,000,000 cars “meet up” in any given metropolitan area, that areas productivity goes to zero, those in power won’t even have any recourse, there aren’t enough police/towtrucks to counter this, and if so it would take days or weeks. Only coordinated driving and parking/traffic jam required.

        Effective protest should instill fear in those in power - the message is, with the sheer number of people right outside your building, could easily crush you if they so choose. A few guards can not offer protection in this case. The idea is, with this realization, that violence is not a good escalation, as in the end the powerful few will never come out on top.

        This only works if the powerful few actually believe the masses will go as far as needed to effect the demanded change.

        From outside, it appears the US protests favor comfort over conflict, thus are viewed as lacking credibility and therefore, pose no danger to the power class. As long as the individual prioritizes their selves before acting as a collective, including taking the risk of collective punishment, the protest remains unbelievable, therefore ineffective and easily ignored.

      • Perhapsjustsniffit@lemmy.ca
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        9 months ago

        You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m sitting here in Canada preparing for the unthinkable because the citizens of the country closest to us in every way can’t be bothered to take a day off work or get from behind the screen. Need apathy? If you haven’t noticed they’re full on into it for decades already.

        • WarlordSdocy@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          I mean the problem is the people who are being worst affected by Trump are the kind of people who genuinely can’t afford to take a day off work without being fired and being thrown into homelessness. There are protests in the US but due to the lackluster worker protections we have people generally either can’t make it to them or are well enough off that they just really don’t care enough to go out. So they end up being much smaller then the one in Europe. Also add to that fact that a bunch of people here are dumb enough to like Trump and what he’s doing and the result is much smaller protests.

          • Perhapsjustsniffit@lemmy.ca
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            9 months ago

            Ok. Point taken. I am disabled since extreme cancer a decade ago. I’m 50 years old. My 5 person family lives on less than what is considered extreme poverty for a single person in my province. Yet here we are preparing as best we can to fight back and organizing to resist an economic and possible military invasion that is completely unwarranted and based on many outright lies from a neighboring country who’s own people will not stand up to the tyranny they face daily. Why? because…oh my god…they have to go to work.

            This involves me dusting off old skills as a paramedic and restocking all my kit. I don’t have money for that but here I am…doing it. I loaded rounds for the .303, a new lighter stock is on the way and when it gets here I will alter it so I can carry again. The garden is going in earlier in case I have to leave. Food storage is getting built even bigger. Everything American is getting wiped from our electronics and cupboards. The kids are learning things at 10 years old they shouldn’t have to ever learn and they’re doing it while missing out on lots of things they’re accustomed to and in some cases even need because we need to prepare to stand up for those who won’t or can’t.

            Quit the fucking excuses and stand up already. If I can manage you can too.

            • WarlordSdocy@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              I mean I went to a protest today in my city, so I’m not making excuses, I’m just explaining why it’s hard for people to go out and protest especially in America. Some of it definitely is attitude and apathy that needs to change but there is a good amount of it that it down to either poverty or lack of real community in most places in America.

              • Perhapsjustsniffit@lemmy.ca
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                9 months ago

                So I am preparing my kids for no dad, even though I and my family had no say in the outcome of your citizens decisions and they get away with it cause they’re poor and no one wants to help organize or teach them because you all couldn’t be bothered. Gotcha.

                The apologists are as bad if not worse than the instigators. Find a way.

            • WagyuSneakers@lemm.ee
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              9 months ago

              Were trying our best

              Are you out protesting every day? Otherwise you’re lazy apparently. Lol.

          • NewSocialWhoDis@lemm.ee
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            9 months ago

            It’s also worth mentioning that there WERE mass protests when Trump was elected the first time, and people have been standing up against MAGA for a decade at this point. And none of it has kept MAGAts from continuing to put him into power. I think Americans are pretty justified in thinking the protests won’t accomplish anything.

            I think places you can look for American resistance at the moment are in the courts, boycotts, and in the townhalls yelling at their representative. There are some people protesting, but most liberals are giving a lot of thought to what is strategically effective at this point.

            • WarlordSdocy@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              I mean I think even the mass protests we did have are nothing compared to the size of protests in Europe. I think that’s a mix of general American attitudes both with people’s general apathy and the extremely individualistic ideals that Americans tend to have pushed on them from a young age. As well as a mix of the lack of worker protections like I mentioned before. I think if we could pull off the kind of numbers we see in Europe in even a couple of big American cities they would be very effective. Protests are the kinds of thing that can help build community since while you’re there you can talk to people and find groups to join to push for what you believe in. And I mean compared to the other forms of resistance you mentioned two of those, courts and town halls, effectively are protests as you’re going to a town hall to protest your representatives or you’re going out and protesting to tell the court to do more to stop this. That’s why I think we need to focus on building up communities to help breakthrough the apathy and the intensely individualistic attitude people here tend to have, as well as setting up things like mutual aid to provide more of those safety nets that the government is abdicating on right now to help those who normally can’t afford to come out and participate. So that when there’s a push against something it doesn’t just take the form of hundreds of people showing up at something but is thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of people showing up like what you’ve seen in Europe. Of course that will take time and at least from what Ive seen the number of people being involved in community groups has gone up but definitely not as fast as the number of people angry at Trump and I think trying to funnel those people into groups to help organize is gonna be the big thing that actually lets us fight back and oppose what’s going on right now.

      • Sergio@slrpnk.net
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        9 months ago

        I can’t just assume everyone is just giving up

        But if people really are just giving up, we need to recognize it.

        I think a lot of people are unhappy but don’t know what to do. Just going to a general protest doesn’t seem like enough. And there’s no obvious leader to the opposition.

        This is the stage of the conflict where we try to minimize the damage until the next election. That’s not a very motivating message, but that’s where we are. I suggest you pick an organization and do what you can with them. There are others, but personally I picked Indivisible:

      • Showroom7561@lemmy.ca
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        9 months ago

        Better to simply call them “the states”, because unity evaporated a while ago.

        • jenesaisquoi@feddit.org
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          9 months ago

          Don’t let them arrogantly misuse the name of the continent for their country my Canadian friend.

            • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              North and South America are both continents. As a USian, seriously, don’t let us keep the term American as our own. We don’t deserve it.

              • Perhapsjustsniffit@lemmy.ca
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                9 months ago

                See to me America is a slang word. It’s used to mock and degrade. Fucking 'murica. It does not get the power you all seem to have given it. That’s been lost long ago and only propped for the last several decades by the constant barrage of American exceptionalism from your ever present media telling us all what to think. America is like a curse word here. It’s used with vitriol now though it used to be used with mocking humor.

                Now please go fight your elected fascist dictator before we all have to.

                • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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                  9 months ago

                  I’m calling my representatives, senators, and organizing as much as I can. Believe me some of us are terrified of him, and those that support him.

    • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      There are huge protests in NYC practically daily. Most protests around the nation are at major cities or state capitals, so the numbers are far smaller.

    • Rose56@lemmy.ca
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      9 months ago

      They gonna post hundreds of posts about their political problems before they protest.

      • Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works
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        9 months ago

        Search the other replies on this thread and you’ll see plenty of protests.

        Stop believing everything you see (or don’t see) on the news. You’re making the same mistake brainwashed conservatives are making here in the US, and they are the core of the Trump problem.