I was inconvenienced by protesters, again, tonight.

[Paendragon]

While crossing the San Mateo bridge at rush hour. Due to luck or bad karma, I've managed to get myself stuck at three of these events so far. I usually just get some tunes going and try to not be annoyed, because I tend to understand the anger and the need to protest. And that anything that can keep the conversation going can't be a bad thing.

There is a "but" coming here.

Stopping traffic in this way is a bad idea, for a few reasons. Mainly, these sort of protests are slowly turning public opinion against them . . . and in order for real change to occur, you need public support. But something else happened tonight that concerned me a bit more. Because of the traffic caused by the protest, there were several stalled vehicles, and one vehicle crash reported.

I can't speak for the severity of the accident, or whether there were any serious injuries. The only wreck I saw first hand was already on the tow truck, and had a smashed in trunk. If there was not serious injury tonight, and if there were I would assume mention of the incident would have been on the news, I'm concerned that there eventually will be.

There must be another way to make a point.

 

[Boxlicker101]

While crossing the San Mateo bridge at rush hour. Due to luck or bad karma, I've managed to get myself stuck at three of these events so far. I usually just get some tunes going and try to not be annoyed, because I tend to understand the anger and the need to protest. And that anything that can keep the conversation going can't be a bad thing.

There is a "but" coming here.

Stopping traffic in this way is a bad idea, for a few reasons. Mainly, these sort of protests are slowly turning public opinion against them . . . and in order for real change to occur, you need public support. But something else happened tonight that concerned me a bit more. Because of the traffic caused by the protest, there were several stalled vehicles, and one vehicle crash reported.

I can't speak for the severity of the accident, or whether there were any serious injuries. The only wreck I saw first hand was already on the tow truck, and had a smashed in trunk. If there was not serious injury tonight, and if there were I would assume mention of the incident would have been on the news, I'm concerned that there eventually will be.

There must be another way to make a point.

Maybe if enough motorists got out of their cars and beat the shit out of the assholes blocking traffic they would stop doing it. I would not recommend throwing them off the bridge though, unless it is the part that passes over land.

 

[Que]

I seriously doubt that many of the people participating understand the issues or have any sort of idea about what should actually be done. Make any one of them commissioner for the day, what would they change?

 

[Ulaven_Demorte]

Maybe if enough motorists got out of their cars and beat the shit out of the assholes blocking traffic they would stop doing it. I would not recommend throwing them off the bridge though, unless it is the part that passes over land.

I see, the First Amendment only applies to those who you happen to agree with, the rest should be beaten into submission or thrown off a bridge?

I seriously doubt that many of the people participating understand the issues or have any sort of idea about what should actually be done. Make any one of them commissioner for the day, what would they change?

You don't have to know HOW to fix something to know that it's wrong and needs to be addressed.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Let them protest! The more they show their asses the worse it is for the Democrats in 2016.

 

[RobDownSouth]

I see, the First Amendment only applies to those who you happen to agree with, the rest should be beaten into submission or thrown off a bridge?
You don't have to know HOW to fix something to know that it's wrong and needs to be addressed.

Grampa Kiddiefucker lives in a fantasy world where violence is always the first option. Vetty does too. Not that they'd personally have enough intestinal fortitude to be doin' the actual violence, nossir. They're OLD.

I seriously doubt that many of the people participating understand the issues or have any sort of idea about what should actually be done. Make any one of them commissioner for the day, what would they change?

Well they all can't be as schmott as you, #SchmottGuy.

And your "commissioner for a day" herpaderp is ludicrous. I know you like to dumb things down so that it fits on a bumper sticker, but some issues simply cannot be resolved in a day, your goalpost-moving notwithstanding.

 

[DesEsseintes]

Help out a non-US citizen here (I know. Shoot me.) - what are the protests about?

 

[Ulaven_Demorte]

Help out a non-US citizen here (I know. Shoot me.) - what are the protests about?

Police brutality and the general lack of accountability when there are officer involved killings for the most part.

 

[DesEsseintes]

Police brutality and the general lack of accountability when there are officer involved killings for the most part.

I see: thank you. Once the riots had stopped/died down we no longer heard about the ongoing reaction in the UK - I suppose on the 'If it bleeds, it leads' principle.

 

[FGB]

Wait until they meet road rage and semi auto's.

Then they will have a few martyrs.

 

[RobDownSouth]

Wait until they meet road rage and semi auto's.

Then they will have a few martyrs.

Rightwing Rambo fantasies aside, I seriously doubt we'll see much if any "road rage".

 

[Adre]

Always good to have a road rage promoter around.

 

[IrezumiKiss]

Wait until they meet road rage and semi auto's.

Then they will have a few martyrs.

Is this the devout Christian, church-on-Sundays side of you talking?

A long time ago, the powers that be would make you martyrs by putting you in front of a few lions if you didn't forsake your faith. How times have changed once you're not the ones dying for what you are, eh?

 

[oggbashan]

Some years ago I was driving in Central London near the area where an anti-capitalist demonstration had been staged.

Some of the demonstrators were running across a Thames bridge to get away from the Police. They were all wearing hoodies and face masks.

But they paused to kick the bodywork of any moderately expensive car held up in the traffic e.g. BMW, Lexus etc.

My ancient rusty Vauxhall, that I had bought for daughters to learn to drive in, was given a thumbs-up and left alone.

 

[phrodeau]

I see: thank you. Once the riots had stopped/died down we no longer heard about the ongoing reaction in the UK - I suppose on the 'If it bleeds, it leads' principle.

We're led to believe that peaceful protests will make a difference, but only the violent ones get airtime.

 

[DesEsseintes]

We're led to believe that peaceful protests will make a difference, but only the violent ones get airtime.

Yep. Same thing happens here, over and over again. Miners, Iraq War, student protests - peaceful demos ignored, one violent incident and it's suddenly front page news. Almost as if there's an agenda in the media.

 

[RobDownSouth]

Yep. Same thing happens here, over and over again. Miners, Iraq War, student protests - peaceful demos ignored, one violent incident and it's suddenly front page news. Almost as if there's an agenda in the media.

No kidding.

There was a good article yesterday about the governor of South Carolina wanting to shut down "Black Bike Week" because of three serious violent incidents in the past three years....

They point out that the annual Clemson-South Carolina college football game easily manages to have 5 or 6 violent incidents each year but nobody talks about shutting THAT down.

Of course, that game doesn't attract a lot of #ThosePeople

 

[DesEsseintes]

No kidding.

There was a good article yesterday about the governor of South Carolina wanting to shut down "Black Bike Week" because of three serious violent incidents in the past three years....

They point out that the annual Clemson-South Carolina college football game easily manages to have 5 or 6 violent incidents each year but nobody talks about shutting THAT down.

Of course, that game doesn't attract a lot of #ThosePeople

Ah...<nods sagely> them. They sure do cause an awful ruckus, don't they?

 

[RobDownSouth]

Ah...<nods sagely> them. They sure do cause an awful ruckus, don't they?

They're.....not like us.

KnowhatImean?

 

[contrifan32]

I see, the First Amendment only applies to those who you happen to agree with, the rest should be beaten into submission or thrown off a bridge?

Are you suggesting that the First Amendment allows for a mob to slow or halt traffic cause property damage and potentially endanger lives?

 

[domroger]

There must be another way to make a point.

Would you be happier if they shot some commuters or cops ,

 

[phrodeau]

Are you suggesting that the First Amendment allows for a mob to slow or halt traffic cause property damage and potentially endanger lives?

The right to peaceably assemble is in the First Amendment, yes.

 

[Que]

The right to peaceably assemble is in the First Amendment, yes.

So parade permits are bullshit? Needing a permit for a loud-hailer is bullshit? They should just do what they want when they want under the banner of freedom of assembly?

Freedom of assembly means you are free to assemble together with whomever you wish in a space that you control. It does not give you the right to assemble on someone else's property or even in the public square if it is an impediment to regular order.

The concept of non-violent resistance used to good effect in the civil rights era was useful, but not lawful. Hence the arrests.

 

[Sean Renaud]

So parade permits are bullshit? Needing a permit for a loud-hailer is bullshit? They should just do what they want when they want under the banner of freedom of assembly?

Freedom of assembly means you are free to assemble together with whomever you wish in a space that you control. It does not give you the right to assemble on someone else's property or even in the public square if it is an impediment to regular order.

The concept of non-violent resistance used to good effect in the civil rights era was useful, but not lawful. Hence the arrests.

According to the constitution yes parade permits are bullshit. This like many other cases is why the Constitution is hundreds of years out of date and needs to be rewritten to fit with the modern world.

Any public place should be just fine and no where does it say it can't interfer with other people. We've kinda common sensed our way around the Constitution but we shouldn't.

 

[Que]

According to the constitution yes parade permits are bullshit. This like many other cases is why the Constitution is hundreds of years out of date and needs to be rewritten to fit with the modern world.

Any public place should be just fine and no where does it say it can't interfer with other people. We've kinda common sensed our way around the Constitution but we shouldn't.

So in a "modern world" you would rewrite the Constitution to favor liberal causes? That is kind of convenient. Let me guess the Skokie decision should not stand because the constitution should allow disruptive protests against cops and "1%ers" but should proscribe peaceful protests with bigots spewing inciting hate-speech?

Your right to free speech does not include to the right to shout down other people engaged in free speech. Your right to peaceably assemble on a freeway does not include your right to prevent others from peaceably assembling at work.

So yes to stopping traffic, no to blockading abortion clinics?