blinding me with science oh wait no it was glitter

[blackjedii]

The Problem With the March for ScienceHundreds of thousands of self-professed science supporters turned out to over 600 iterations of the March for Science around the world this weekend. Thanks to the app Periscope, I attended half a dozen of them from the comfort of my apartment, thereby assiduously minimizing my carbon footprint

Comments

[golden_bastet]

I'm sorry - I thought that the march was about the utter disregard that the current US administration has for any science, not about the definition of science.

[blackjedii]

I know it is. But... The thing I guess that concerns me is "and then what?' Were there specific policy demands? Was there threats of primary challenges for anti science reps? Was there ANYTHING that could inconvenience the current administration in any way?

In comparison look at the local town hall meetings. It has had an immediate impact on how certain Republicans have viewed repealing Obamacare bc they are scared shitless.

Like don't get me wrong. Protests are good and make your voices heard. But they have to be part of a plan, not just show up one day and say good job everyone we sure showed them!!

[golden_bastet]

But they have to be part of a plan, not just show up one day and say good job everyone we sure showed them!!

Yeah, but that's not my experience of the marches.

The March of Science I went to, through a major research university, was actually filled with kids. It wasn't so much for the adults but to get the kids involved (and it was advertised as family-friendly). I think it pretty much lived up to that.

The Women's March I went to was very much about making contacts, meeting others, and making plans on next steps. There were a bunch of business cards being passed around, the speakers talked about opportunities to continue and connect, and the organizers sent out follow-ups about activities in the area. It wasn't a box-checking activity in any sense.

I don't have any stats, but I would bet some of the activity around the town halls was reinforced by people getting out there in January.

There always has to be a starting point. No, one march isn't enough; but a protest is far from the worst way to start.

My experience; YMMV.

[hikerpoet]

I definitely see why people have mixed feelings about the marches. As the leader of a non-profit, I admit I was a bit snobby about all of them at first. Like, "Yeah, you johnny-come-latelys go have fun while we do boots on the ground and boring but vital behind the scenes but highly effective shit". But then I saw how much they got people *talking* with some good dialogues happening, and either way, it got SO MUCH attention. Even negative buzz gets people continuing to talk. I actually did participate in the women's march (despite its flaws) but not this one, but may have if not for a prior commitment

[moonshaz]

I've been to a fair number of protest marches and such, and for me, a lot of the value is the experience of being part of a crowd of people who share my passion for the issue we are demonstrating about. I can't express how wonderful it has felt, in these dark days since 45 moved into the White House and took us all on this nighmare carnival ride that is his so-called presidency, to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with other people who find him to be as loathsome and terrifying as I do and know that they are as determined as I am to fight against the evil things he wants to do.

Case in point: on 4/15, I took part in the Tax March in Chicago, the chief point of which was to protest Trump’s refusal to release his tax returns and make it clear, despite his insistence that no one cares about his taxes, that lots and lots of peopke DO care, and that he's not fooling anybody--that we know there's something in those returns that he doesn't want peple to know about, and that pretending otherwise is NOT okay. Talk about an exercise in