Posted on 04/29/2020 3:52:07 PM PDT by ProgressingAmerica
Have you ever explained to a friend of yours how fun protesting is, about how important it is, how its right in the constitution because the Founders wanted us to be protesters - only to be met with irritation or a belief that protesting is somehow a "left wing thing"? Or, the worst one of all is this one: "Yeah well protesting never solved anything". Honestly, I think this one could be just as bad: "I have a job", as if somehow being active and involved is beneath you and apathy is virtuous.
I have news for you, because you may think that marching in the streets with signs you made with a sharpie is a waste of time, but if you thought that you would be wrong.
You ever heard of the ERA - Equal Rights Amendment? Yeah. The establishment thought they had that in the bag. The media called it a fait accompli in their news coverage. The Democrats led the charge. The republicans were on board. Then, out of nowhere, she showed up:
And what did she do? Well, she did a lot to move mountains and get people involved but otherwise? Look at that picture. She's out in front of the White House. Yes, that's right. Phyllis Schlafly was not only a successful protester, but she was a winner. Here's another, this time not in front of the White House:
So the next time someone scoffs at the notion of the importance of protests, remind them that one of the most important conservative leaders of the 20th century was a protester. And remind them that she beat them all. If they want to tell you protests don't work? Tell them to piss off. Facts are stubborn things. Protesting was in fact a part of the formula that halted the ERA.
Yes, protesting is in the Constitution. Yes, protesting is loads of fun. Yes, protesting makes you more powerful than the media - their words, not mine.. Yes, for these reasons protesting is important but above all: protesting is necessary because protesting is a successful formula to achieve desired goals. Make sure you bring your kids, so they can see you doing it. This part cannot be overstated. Teaching our kids that apathy is acceptable is a recipe for failure.
Protesting only fails for two reasons. One is small crowd size and two is failure to keep the pressure up. If you're only going to show up once and then five years from now wonder why that didn't work, well what exactly did you expect?
And for those of you who "have jobs", you're probably the worst of all. Ask any small business owner you like what would happen if they only showed up to(or called) their small business once every two years. The answer is that said small business owner would reasonably expect for their small business to be out of control. Well, Mr. I have a job, if you only show up to vote but then you're silent for the next 729 days, then you should expect an out of control government.
That is a reasonable expectation.
As for me I'll continue to protest because protesting works and has a track record of working.
Protesting is part of how the left has been winning. We have to be out there, pushing an agenda of specific reform or at least defunding of leftist groups of experts in and out of the government, and put them on defense, instead of just reacting to leftist protests.
There is some truth to this, that protesting is a part of how they have been winning. But that’s only true because we gave them a monopoly over protesting.
I can’t entirely figure out why. Did progressives ask nicely? Did they do something to earn it? Just about anybody will tell you that nature abhors a vacuum. So by not protesting ourselves we necessarily elevate the power of the protests that progressives conduct.
Thankfully since the Tea Party era that monopoly is tenuous and seeing coronavirus protests I hope that they won’t be the only ones anymore. We simply can’t afford it.
There is too much to gain here to not be involved while it is all being taken away.
The protests got every governor to begin planning the end of the lockdown.
It’s interesting to review the history of Phyllis Schlafly and her actions to stop the Equal Rights Amendment.
The proposed amendment was approved by the required 2/3 vote in both House and Senate in early 1972,and was ratified by 30 of the required 38 states by early 1973. Ratification seemed like just a matter of time.
Against that backdrop, it was seemingly a miracle that Phyllis Schlafly was able to mobilize the opposition and defeat the ERA.
That was when the democrat party was still somewhat patriotic, and before Newt took the house.
Thank you for sharing this.
As a reformed leftist, the problem with the right and protests is simply that, until recently, the right felt protests were beneath them. It’s really that simple. The good part, speaking from my experience, is since President Trump’s rallies, protests by the right are being seen in the same light as the left: the author here says they’re fun, and the right is seeing it more and more in that light. My leftists associates are starting to regret the protests they’ve attended over the Wuhan Flu because a lot of these folks organizing them are on the right and learning from the left!
Now, if we can only get a grip when it comes to community organizers and activism, but I’m kinda hoping the Wuhan Flu coming and going puts that in a new light, too.
I read a post in the Reopen California group on Facebook today that called on supporters of the lockdowns to fill balloons with paint and throw them at the cars of the protesters. This could have been posted by a troll, but given the Left’s fear of the protesters, it might have been for real.
I dare them. It will not work out well for those idiots.
Check my Freep Page. She has been a hero to me my whole life.
Protesting is a numbers game. If we don’t show up, we can’t get the numbers. They matter. Speaking of which, there is always time for a phone call if you can’t show up. Contact INFO: https://www.usa.gov has info on locals, all the way to the top. Get involved.
Perhaps so, except in California where Gruesome Newsome has unilaterally suspended the 4th Amendment with an executive order and has outlawed protests (though like much of what the boy says, many people just ignore him as evidence by an "unpermitted" protest scheduled this Friday at the state capitol in Sacramento.)
Though he did "begin planning the end of the lockdown" ... except without any dates or even a timeline. If he wants the DNC to select him as their presidential nominee in 2024 (he's Pelosi's nephew, thus it's "his turn" to be in high national office), he must keep California locked down as much as possible and for as long as possible through October ... and he has all the America/liberty-hating Leftists along the coast staying locked up, wearing their masks and cheering him on.
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