Comments | filkertom: SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE SO FUCKING DUMB

filkertom

SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE SO FUCKING DUMB

Oct 11, 2011 15:25

Responding to questions about massive arrests of peaceful protesters overnight, Boston mayor Thomas Menino said this:Civil disobedience doesn’t work for Boston; it doesn’t work for anyone.
In Boston. He said this in Boston.

So much WUT I DON'T EVEN.

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cwaa, activism, politics

Comments 17

talonvaki October 11 2011, 19:37:23 UTC

*sigh* Oh, Mumbles...

I think he took the same American History class that Sarah Palin did.

jeffr23 October 11 2011, 19:39:25 UTC

While I doubt he thought it through this much, the (original) Tea Party wasn't Civil Disobedience.

If you're doing anything to avoid arrest, what you're doing is not in any way civil disobedience.

alverant October 11 2011, 19:59:12 UTC

He may want to check out the civil rights marches in Dixieland about 50 years ago.

ext_815884 October 11 2011, 20:04:57 UTC

The mayor may well be right.
Peaceful civil disobedience may not work in Boston.
The town has a much longer and more effective history of rioting.
This history goes back to the colonial days, and is featured in the 'Boston Massacre'.
But these days most people try the nicer civil disobedience route first.
It has been too long since Boston had a good non-sports related riot.

diego001 October 11 2011, 20:08:50 UTC

I didn't think of it this way. Thank you.

johnridley October 11 2011, 21:28:21 UTC

You're right. By squashing these protests, he's sending a clear message to the protesters. Riot, cause trouble and break things, THAT'S how you get things done there.

pandoradeloeste October 11 2011, 20:30:17 UTC

A friend of mine said that when peaceful protest is met with violent action, the only logical response is to double down and keep going, because you're halfway to winning. Of course that's easy to say when I'm across the country and my body isn't on the line, but I like the sentiment.

redneckgaijin October 11 2011, 21:20:34 UTC

Your friend needs to look at Syria, Yemen, and especially Iran.

Peaceful protests only work in systems where the government needs to pay attention to public opinion, either at home or abroad.

We've known for decades now that America doesn't give a rat's ass what people in other countries think of us... and our political system hasn't looked all too concerned with what the voters actually want in quite some time, either...

Unless the Occupiers get political, I don't think the protests will accomplish much.