cross-posted from: https://50501.chat/post/97685
Originally Posted By
u/Northwest_ThrillsAt2025-04-07 01:34:57 PM| Source
Remember kids nonviolent protests does not mean you can’t annoy the shit out of the people you want to change things. Don’t make the ruling class uncomfortable and they won’t bother with listening to you.
Earth Day, 1970. 200 million people in the USA then, so 10% of the country. And look where the earth is now…
That 3.5% number is of sustained engagement, not one and done. A single event with lots of people is the beginning of a movement. The work needs to keep going. But, the 1970s did see a lot of environmental progress.
Did you mean to reply to me on that? I was only talking about how crazy the earth day one was, not trying to make a direct comparison. The earth day one was absolutely massive, yet I don’t think the climate is in a good place now.
Regardless, I do hope Americans throw off fascism.
I did. It seemed you were saying that the Earth day 1970 protest didn’t do much to help the Earth. That isn’t so.
The US EPA was created in July of that year and the Clean Water Act passed in 1972. Banning DDT for Ag in the US in 1972 brought birds of prey lile the Bald Eagle back from near extenction. They were supremely successful at getting legislation passed. The focus was toxic chemicals and pollutants, not climate change as that wasn’t really on the radar then. So yes, the climate is in shambles right now, but it wasn’t really part of their platform. They mostly got what they wanted from that march and activism then the urgency faded away.
I’m so glad the George Floyd protests solved police brutality!
This is why protesting should only be treated as the initial rallying cry to garner support. Without the millions protesting willing to engage in direct action — like general strikes, permanent boycotts, etc — there will never be meaningful change.
I remember when Biden mocked the Defund the Police movement in his first SOTU, and then went on to accelerate the militarization of police. Now, we have cop cities.
At the end of the day, none of these people are going to vote differently than they have for decades, so nothing is going to change.
Coupling his Defund response with his backing of a far right wing genocide, and his absolute bed-defecation in the dem campaign for president, Biden is easily the worst dem president of my lifetime. And I’m not young. I hope history remembers him accurately.
but what about his brace leadership during the pandemic where he filled our hearts with hope by
by uh
uhh
i guess we got a stimulus check?
