John’s always been a real one
Shame this ‘movement’ isn’t.
How so? To me it is normalizing standing up
It has no clear unified goals or message, it is scattered and people are doing their own thing, they have no goals for after.
It will therefore fail.
Edit: Or to put it another way, as someone else did: https://aus.social/@aby/115397380345754883
I hardly speak for everyone, but I though the objective was pretty clear: attract cameras and control the narrative for once.
The first round was intentionally scheduled so that the news would publish pictures of massive protests alongside Trump’s pathetic military parade. I’d speculate the date for the second round was chosen in anticipation of a deadlock over the appropriations bill (it was selected by August 23rd).
Optics aren’t my thing. I’m not good at them, and I care a lot more about direct action. Nevertheless, I still think seizing control of the narrative is important work. Trump relies on image projection and promises of power to corral Republicans, after all. Put him on the defensive, and the image falters.
Honestly I disagree. Calling it a movement may be the wrong title, but it isn’t going to necessarily fail. They have been gaining traction every month and getting people even in rural areas to get out and protest. The normies are joining and that is a good thing. It may need a goal eventually, but for now it is setting the groundwork for actually getting people out. We should not be discouraging people from getting out there. Hell, even the person quoted in the link says that they are not trying to tear it down. Doing so is trying to fight apathy with more apathy
I don’t have much hope if they don’t actually build a foundation and have actual goals. But I hope that they gain those things and soon.
Otherwise it’ll be the tea party all over again.
I appreciate both of your perspectives. I’m going to hold out hope still that what is being done mobilizes people that wouldn’t normally, and allow for the development of solid goals that protect the most amount of vulnerable communities to carry this movement with longevity. The most I will expect is that we attempt to show each other and ourselves more kindness and grace through this process. Tearing down the walls we’ve built between us is a goal I’ll vote for. We’re more similar than we are different.
