politics

The mentality that protests are effective?

Please do quote where I said that. I never did and never would. Because it's been very effective in my state. We lost an elected Pro Palestinian Congress person. Now I would say that has as much or more to do with them having been a week candidate in the first place. But you cannot argue that that is not an effect.

No the mentality I spoke of was the one you so elegantly demonstrated just now. A complete lack of introspection, or genuinely trying to engage with those that disagree. Arguing past people with strawmen. Assuming them to be, and making them the enemy and not a potential ally.

Everything we do has an opportunity cost. We can't do "everything" we have to pick and choose where our attention and effort goes. As an anarchist I believed protesting is generally good and should be disruptive. And that everyone is free to decide where and how they do it. I'm also free to point out the issues with it. But I can be honest and acknowledge that some protesting and actions are better and more effective. Which certain people can't.

I like the fantasy that all Americans are secret hard core leftists. They aren't unfortunately. Most barely approach center. And that all protest is equally effective and good. It's not either.

The people screaming at presidential candidates. Haven't accomplished anything. They can show no causation between their efforts and Biden stepping down. The fact that he was replaced not with a better more Palestine friendly candidate. But someone from his own administration. His own VP and current running mate. Really speaks to the opposite. That they are still ignoring a lot of these protests.

And why wouldn't they? This model of protesting is a lot like protesting Coca-Cola still operating in israel. By standing out front by the Pepsi Bottling plant and yelling at the people inside. It is entirely possible that Coca-Cola Executives might see it and decide that maybe they should stop just so they don't have to deal with that themselves someday. Or they might just ignore it. Which as long as they're making money would be the most likely outcome.

The president at best has leeway to choose how to implement congress's plans where it is not specified. But Congress can still rebuke and override the president at any point they want beyond being stopped by the Supreme Court. Pick out the best profalestinian Advocate you can think of. And now assume they somehow got elected to the office of president. As president realistically they would have a very little influence or control over us aid to Israel. And will be overridden in a heartbeat by our Congress full of Zionist Pro Israeli members.

Because congress, the thing we've largely been ignoring. Has always been the problem. Not specifically the president. Yes Biden should hold Israel's feet to the fire as much as he can. He should have done better. And I have hope that Harris will do better. But it was always for not if we didn't fix Congress. And I get it. People hate being told that their efforts were misguided and ineffective. Worse to feel like or find out that they have been manipulated. But it's really sad to see so many self-professed people on the left behaving like magats. Unable to accept criticism and doubling down irrationally.