Stinky The Clown: Are the protests/protesters helping or hurting?

[dutch508]

Stinky The Clown (53,663 posts) http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027682211

Protesters at Trump Rallies: Good or bad? Helpful or unhelpful? Worth the effort or not?


On the one hand, they are saying what many people are thinking: this man is dangerous, evil, crazy.

On the other hand, they give him and his moron minions specific targets for the hatred.

On the one hand they show the world there are people willing and ready to stand up to him.

On the other hand, they give the media ever more reason to justify their broadcasting of everything that comes out of his vile mouth.

I could go on with Trumpian yins and yangs, but you get the idea.

Are the protests/protesters helping or hurting?

jberryhill (42,204 posts)
7. How was it working? Well, let's see, his net negative rating was skyrocketing without the protests in the rallies. It seemed like he was doing a fine job of making sure he doesn't win the general, all by himself.

Outside the events is one thing, but I don't see what good is accomplished by protesting inside the event.

RCP Average   2/19 - 3/6   --   Trump: 36.0   Cruz: 21.8    Rubio: 18.0   Kasich: 12.0   Trump +14.2

Star Member randr (6,251 posts)
3. His rallies should be surrounded by chanting masses

Not to support a Democratic candidate but to express disgust at all who would attend his Klan rallies.

Bragi (7,621 posts)
15. I respectfully disagree, here's why

Like many others, I too fear the rise of Trump's brand of thinly-disguised fascism.

That said, do you know what is already an important difference between the rise of Hitler in Germany, and the rise of Trumpism in America?

It is this: As of Friday night in Chicago, there has now been more open, visible public opposition by Americans to Trumpism than was ever the case in Germany during the whole pre-war period.

That is a point worth savoring. As Hitler seized power and implemented his Nazi agenda, we know that too many sensible Germans waited it out, doing nothing, convinced that Hitler would eventually self-destruct, or that sensible people would eventually do something stop him.

As of now, as of last Friday's events in Chicago, it appears this won't be happening in America.

For that, I am immensely gratified. That's why I think the demonstrations around (around, not inside) Trump events must continue, stay peaceful, and hopefully get larger and larger.

flamingdem (32,967 posts)
22. I say protest, the protesters are not coming off badly, he is

And they're learning how to do it, very good experience to have.

Someone has to put their body on the line or it's just talk.

That said they need to have a plan and avoid physical entanglement
with Trump goons or the police.

Stinky The Clown (53,663 posts)
24. That's my feeling too.

Inside the venues, they have little or no 1st Amendment rights to free speech. Presumably, Drumpf paid for the use of the venue. That makes it private. On the outside, no such prohibition exists.

Inside the venues, the protesters become targets. If you watch him today, he gets to strut around the stage yelling to get them out. His moron army gets to yell and scream. The media shows the protesters in a bad light.

Outside the venues, the protesters are free to do whatever they wish, except to violate laws (which in some cases means they have to stay some set distance from venue exits). They can then yell, picket, taunt at will. Surround an entire venue after his moron army goes in. Then come out of the shadows and march around the venue in a continuous circle. Keep moving. In that way you violate no laws and make a strong point. If you get as many people outside as in, that's powerful.

I understand the power of getting into the events, but consider, too, that you become his personified "enemy", his scapegoated "other". It seems to me better to take that power away from him.

[thundley4]

Star Member randr (6,251 posts)
3. His rallies should be surrounded by chanting masses

Not to support a Democratic candidate but to express disgust at all who would attend his Klan rallies.

Be good little fascists and intimidate the opposition. If verbal threats don't work, attack them physically.

[USA4ME]

The political left has always been violent and the history of their demonstrations prove this to be so. It won't matter if they quit protesting from the inside (which they won't, they can't help themselves) and only protest from the outside, they'll still get both verbally and physically violent with those who are leaving the venue. It's what they do.

.

[Patriot Guard Rider]

Be good little fascists and intimidate the opposition. If verbal threats don't work, attack them physically.

Part 2: Then attack those defending themselves as the instigators. The media has their back.

[I_B_Perky]

Far as I am concerned the leftist are showing their true colors.  That may backfire on the leftists.  Lots of people hate trump.  They do not want to seem him silenced though. Throw in the OWS, BLM, cops getting assassinated in the street, illegals overrunning the US  and you got ordinary folks not liking what they see.

For the bestest smartest people on the internet something like this has happened before.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/03/14/donald-trump-rallies-violence-protests-blacklivesmatter-column/81728752/

History... those who do not know it are doomed to repeat it.