General Discussion

petronius

(26,595 posts)

63. I agree: deliberately stopping traffic as the end-all-be-all of the protest is an

Tue Dec 9, 2014, 08:10 PM

Dec 2014

ineffective and counterproductive method of communication. Even simply lining the side of the highway would be better - more people would see and (perhaps) be receptive to the message if the traffic was flowing.

The underlying message I feel I'm reading in the posts supporting this tactic seems to be that being angry, being disruptive, is an end in and of itself. There's lip service paid to some notion of 'informing the people, sending a message'--with no real consideration of whether blocking a major artery is an efficient way of doing that--but it really seems that simply 'not being polite' is a considered a worthwhile goal in and of itself. Personally, I think that's facile...

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WOW! Incredible: Unbelievable picture from the Berkeley protests last night.... [View all] Playinghardball Dec 2014 OP

Love it!!! calimary Dec 2014 #1

Uplifting! AuntPatsy Dec 2014 #2

Unbelievable indeed. A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #3

It makes me think of the parents pecwae Dec 2014 #5

I share your sentiments though for a different reason truedelphi Dec 2014 #6

It is all that and so much more. A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #7

The protesters have made room for ambulances to clear dixiegrrrrl Dec 2014 #71

Glod to hear they have a lane for ambulances. truedelphi Dec 2014 #78

That's nothing compared nichomachus Dec 2014 #8

Short memory, eh? A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #9

I know Bush didnit, but I was talking about Obama nichomachus Dec 2014 #10

Oh for fucks sake. A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #19

Or a weekly professional sports game (seeing as how we're pulling in irrelevancies...). LanternWaste Dec 2014 #11

True and true of all presidents. JDPriestly Dec 2014 #13

No doubt, just wanting to get home is rather more a priority than social justice LanternWaste Dec 2014 #12

Ahhh...fuck it. A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #15

I am a 10 ++ year veteran of DU and i 100% disagree with your opinion. ret5hd Dec 2014 #34

Ahhh...fuck it. ret5hd Dec 2014 #66

So I suppose you don't hold much truck with the slogan KingCharlemagne Dec 2014 #20

On the other hand, Mr. "been around 90 days or less" A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #21

IOW: "Protest all you want, just don't inconvenience me." - nt KingCharlemagne Dec 2014 #22

In other words, "Don't completely piss off thousands who might otherwise be on your side" A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #23

"(B)ehind every syllable of every word, KingCharlemagne Dec 2014 #24

LOL. A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #25

A non sequitur to those who still think the American system retains KingCharlemagne Dec 2014 #26

Out of curiosity... A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #27

Someone who places free passage on the freeways above every other KingCharlemagne Dec 2014 #30

Shit. Ya got me. A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #44

You mean those that wanted their tea??? (after the boston tea party) ret5hd Dec 2014 #36

Love Carlin, and think he was a genius but... Ineeda Dec 2014 #47

Fair enough. A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #48

Ditto, a stupid thing to do! It hurts the cause as well as anyone trying to get to a hospital! Dustlawyer Dec 2014 #50

And yet people manage to get to hospitals despite daily traffic jams in America's cities pinboy3niner Dec 2014 #53

Really, I am sure that your argument is acceptable to someone needing the hospital right then! Dustlawyer Dec 2014 #57

Bingo! Curmudgeoness Dec 2014 #60

Seems to me that a good way to bring awareness to a bunch of apathetic, undereducated morons dixiegrrrrl Dec 2014 #69

True, but how will they be thinking about them? Throd Dec 2014 #70

I was referencing the post I had replied to. n/t dixiegrrrrl Dec 2014 #75

+1000 abelenkpe Dec 2014 #76

You made it! arcane1 Dec 2014 #28

Not the only frivolous alert in this subthread: Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2014 #31

LOL I'm surprised it isn't more :) arcane1 Dec 2014 #33

I'd like to thank the Academy...." A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #41

What about me? ret5hd Dec 2014 #35

Precisely. A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #42

And yet, I still ask what about the points I raised? ret5hd Dec 2014 #55

One of the stupidest alerts ever, Fixed for viewing alphafemale Dec 2014 #29

Other people cannot read your inbox...nt Jesus Malverde Dec 2014 #62

Hold on. alphafemale Dec 2014 #64

Makes me think of all the anger over New Jersey governor Chris Christie on DU. B Calm Dec 2014 #45

Hey, Chris Christie did it for selfish political reasons.. mountain grammy Dec 2014 #54

I thought he was protesting a democratic mayor. B Calm Dec 2014 #74

Huh. Rarely has a single post of mine generated such a large sub-thread. A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #61

I agree: deliberately stopping traffic as the end-all-be-all of the protest is an petronius Dec 2014 #63

Big Oil loves traffic jams seveneyes Dec 2014 #4

Glad it gets your goat RandiFan1290 Dec 2014 #14

Comments about keeping the freeways open for emergencies are well taken, however JDPriestly Dec 2014 #16

There's emergency lanes for that. alphafemale Dec 2014 #46

I don't find it uplifting, nor is it something to love. All Tuckered Out Dec 2014 #17

Do you think black folk being murdered might upset them as well? And you do realize it happens jtuck004 Dec 2014 #32

First, do no harm seveneyes Dec 2014 #38

Your concern is duly noted Kalidurga Dec 2014 #37

EarlG: The American tradition of inconveniencing motorists... pinboy3niner Dec 2014 #39

As this may in part be directed at the comments I have made in this thread..... A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #51

My "sympathy" lies with you. ret5hd Dec 2014 #56

How sweet A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #59

You don't have much in the way of "linguistic artistry", do you? ret5hd Dec 2014 #65

If I felt you deserved artistry, I would not have hesitated in the slightest A HERETIC I AM Dec 2014 #67

You mad, bro??? ret5hd Dec 2014 #68

who gives a rats ass? me. eom uppityperson Dec 2014 #77

Exactly. 99Forever Dec 2014 #73

Yes, social justice is inconvenient from time to time. Maedhros Dec 2014 #49

How do the first five people not get run over? ManiacJoe Dec 2014 #18

I look for it to happen. Lot of road rage out there B Calm Dec 2014 #40

holy cow *goosebumps* nt Quayblue Dec 2014 #43

I find it unfortunate, and perhaps justified. But uplifting? No. n/t lumberjack_jeff Dec 2014 #52

Howard Zinn would approve. n/t L0oniX Dec 2014 #58

Stupid assholes. tabasco Dec 2014 #72