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I am not looking to be flamed, but I am going to ask about something I don't understand.
What is the point of a protest march?
I marched against the war in Iraq. I have marched in the "Take Back the Night" demonstrations. I have marched to help keep women's choices about their medical decisions private, and I have protested against Bush while holding a Kerry sign when the SOB came to my town to talk to the Republicans. In the latter case, I got it: we were showing support for Kerry to the cars driving by us.
But in the first three, I'm really not sure what we accomplished, or what the REAL message we were trying to send was. Frankly, on at least one of those occasions, it simply seemed like we were walking in circles for no reason. And it was cold! (smile) So I'm asking:
Are marches / protests supposed to be telling the politicians something?
Maybe --
"WE CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND WE VOTE."
Or --
"WE CARE ENOUGH TO STAND HERE SO YOU CAN SEE US."
Or Even --
"WE ARE GOING TO GIVE OUR MONEY AND TIME TO YOUR OPPONENT IF YOU DON'T MAKE US HAPPY."
What is the REAL message a protest / march is supposed to deliver?
I watched the mainsteam media pretty much completely dismiss a million protesters in New York during the Republican convention. Those folks came from all over the country -- and there was barely a mention of them on any of the main stream media outlets. They were invisible people; it did not seem to me as if the Republicans were afraid of them or the "power" they represented at all. (Given the fact the election was rigged, I understand why, but still....)
There is going to be a march in Washington on September 24, 2005. I expect a million people will walk around in circles there, too. I don't expect it to get much attention unless the government starts shooting some of the pissed off people if they try to break into the White House for a good "tar and feather" party, at which point the main stream media will shake their collective heads at the "silly" crackpots.
They don't get it. I'm not sure I do.
Is there some "we will each give a dollar to the campaign of any member of Congress who starts work on impeaching this SOB" pledge that I'm not hearing about? Is there any reason anyone in Washington should take this thing seriously?
Can someone explain it to me?
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