General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhich is more powerful, a Picket Sign or a Weapon?
Under the circumstances, I think a picket sign, or a marching sign, is more valuable than a gun. What we need now are millions of people saying "NO!!" in large numbers. Nonviolent but insistent push back against Donald Trump et al. He is clearly demented and drunk with power.
I was thinking about this as I realized that my stress reaction to seeing or hearing Trump is changing to really violent images. I don't want this for myself. I don't want to move on from picturing myself punching him. That's okay I think, not too bad, but the other stuff I'm picturing is not okay, for me. Then, I thought, I don't need to see that other stuff, anyway. I don't need a damned weapon, I need a picket sign and somewhere to go. So, I need to situate myself to be ready. We are not quite there, but almost.
We may need something more later, but right now, we haven't tested the military. We certainly have tested the Rule of Law, which doesn't seem to exist anymore, at least not for us. We had the Orange Turd dead to rights, but the stinking US not-so-supreme Court sided with the dictator, so the law doesn't seem to mean much, although we cling to it. But now, out of necessity, we are going to have to turn out, nonviolently, en masse in opposition, and hope whoever controls trump will see it just isn't working out for his continued dictatorship.
We did this in the 60s. We can do it again. It isn't nostalgia. It will be necessary. Leave your weapons at home, and pick up your signs. You didn't want to shoot someone, anyway. Just, get ready.

WhiskeyGrinder
(24,484 posts)There's also a big difference between the words "powerful" and "valuable." Big overlaps, too.
JanMichael
(25,518 posts)Alpeduez21
(1,915 posts)EndlessWire
(7,596 posts)there is always later. It does no good to pretend that we are going to form a militia to shoot our sons and daughters. Better to have the military feel they've had enough and go in and arrest them. Offer an alternative other than sitting on our thumbs.
usonian
(16,478 posts)The leadership circle has been silent.
Soldiers without leaders are disorganized rebels, easy to pick off.
I am checking out.
Will someone please take up
The Rally Page:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/13242483
The daily economic failure page:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/111699331
And the FAFO flags page:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219770873
We've been FAFO'ed!
We fucked around with absent, silent and cowardly leadership, with only a handful of voices speaking truth to power. And we found out.
Instead of leading the way, they handed over the country to a king and gave him the holy hand grenade.

Hey, cowards.
Go home and get your fucking shine box.


Ferryboat
(1,131 posts)As Gandhi demonstrated peaceful protest is a catalyst for change. I myself have a very convenient freeway overpass for maximum impact.
I also carry, it is very isolated. One way in and out with very little traffic. If someone were to object, it wouldn't be hard to double back.
With the opposition thinking it's perfectly fine to drive vehicles through crowds of protesters tactics need to evolve.
Be safe, but keep situational awareness.
Lefties cause property damage.
RW nutjobs kill the opposition was an old adage that I recall.
That is not the way. Massive turnouts in the streets will get the notice of the rest of the undecided populace We need to, as it used to be said, win the hearts and minds of those that think Trump is just swell. Control of the citizenry is what he needs to remain in power. Sooner or later he will call out the military, and we need to influence their thinking as well. They will follow orders, sure, but the rank and file follow their leaders, and those leaders may have discretion. That is why he is purging the ranks.
moniss
(6,766 posts)bdamomma
(67,695 posts)like the great Representative John Lewis said.