I think you are missing the point of @clay_pidgin’s reply.
This is about achieving critical mass. This type of protest can carry significant costs to the protestor: job loss, being targetted, etc. Achieving a critical mass is to get a protest large enough that either makes those costs worth it, or removes those costs (it is easier to fire one person than it is to fire 100000 people).
I think you are missing the point of my reply to clay_pidgin’s reply.
“Is this backed by any big groups?” is a weird way to ask what they and you have now clarified what was the point of the question. “Who’s organizing this protest?” or “Do you have any more information?” is accomplishing the same purpose, without a subtle bias in favor of the idea “Maybe this isn’t organized by a ‘big group’” or “I shouldn’t go to a protest that isn’t organized by a big group” or “I might lose my job if I go to this protest, unless I make sure that it’s going to be attended by at least 100000 people.”
Actually, a big protest is probably less safe, in my experience, since it’s more likely to escalate into something that leads to excitement which leads to charges, arrests, and so on. The protests so far have been small, and as far as I know it’s been surprisingly calm. The BLM protests were absolutely historic, and among other things a bunch of people got killed. The bigger they are, the more shit pops off, which is to a certain extent the point.
Then add to this all the nonsense I talked about in https://ponder.cat/post/1638711/1864149 about unnamed knowledgeable friends telling people that a protest was a “false flag” or other general suspicion-raising innuendos, and you can see why I might have some questions about someone who’s reacting not with “hell yeah I’m glad we are protesting, stay safe, tell me more so I can decide whether to go” or something along those lines but instead with “oh no! a protest! well, is it one of the safe kind? because it might be the other kind in which case I won’t go” or something along those lines.
Am I overreacting? Yeah, maybe. clay_pidgin was the first person who I have asked the question of, who actually clarified what would be a good type of protest to go to, which is good. The other people weren’t that interested in publicizing any protests, just in de-publicizing the 50501 protests, because people had assured them it was the bad kind of protest.
Is this backed by any big groups?
Why would it need to be?
Which groups could it be backed by? I’d like to get more involved with protest movements if there are some that like to publicize events like this.
I think you are missing the point of @clay_pidgin’s reply.
This is about achieving critical mass. This type of protest can carry significant costs to the protestor: job loss, being targetted, etc. Achieving a critical mass is to get a protest large enough that either makes those costs worth it, or removes those costs (it is easier to fire one person than it is to fire 100000 people).
I think you are missing the point of my reply to clay_pidgin’s reply.
“Is this backed by any big groups?” is a weird way to ask what they and you have now clarified what was the point of the question. “Who’s organizing this protest?” or “Do you have any more information?” is accomplishing the same purpose, without a subtle bias in favor of the idea “Maybe this isn’t organized by a ‘big group’” or “I shouldn’t go to a protest that isn’t organized by a big group” or “I might lose my job if I go to this protest, unless I make sure that it’s going to be attended by at least 100000 people.”
Actually, a big protest is probably less safe, in my experience, since it’s more likely to escalate into something that leads to excitement which leads to charges, arrests, and so on. The protests so far have been small, and as far as I know it’s been surprisingly calm. The BLM protests were absolutely historic, and among other things a bunch of people got killed. The bigger they are, the more shit pops off, which is to a certain extent the point.
Then add to this all the nonsense I talked about in https://ponder.cat/post/1638711/1864149 about unnamed knowledgeable friends telling people that a protest was a “false flag” or other general suspicion-raising innuendos, and you can see why I might have some questions about someone who’s reacting not with “hell yeah I’m glad we are protesting, stay safe, tell me more so I can decide whether to go” or something along those lines but instead with “oh no! a protest! well, is it one of the safe kind? because it might be the other kind in which case I won’t go” or something along those lines.
Am I overreacting? Yeah, maybe. clay_pidgin was the first person who I have asked the question of, who actually clarified what would be a good type of protest to go to, which is good. The other people weren’t that interested in publicizing any protests, just in de-publicizing the 50501 protests, because people had assured them it was the bad kind of protest.
Because I want there to be more than just you and me at the protest!
Which big groups should I be looking for protests from, instead?
The ones I know are Moveon and Indivisible. The 50501 protests were decent too.
Unions.