Do We Continue to Whine, or Do We March?

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

I am just as devastated by the results of this election as everyone else, am saddened at what America could become under the fascist leadership of Donald J President. Sleep since November 8th has been fitful at best as I watch the Orange Menace self implode right before the eyes of his cheering minions...SCARY TIMES.

That said, at some point we have to pick ourselves up, dust off our bottoms and get down to work. This though saw me this morning realize, that "We the People" can take the spotlight off of Donald J. Trump on election day with a 50 State "Day of Mourning" Protest, millions of Americans taking to the streets all dressed in black who share one big hashtag, #notmypresident. I laid out in my blog the idea. If you are ready to get back in the race, hope you will give it a read here.

Excerpt

We The People Can OWN Trump's Inauguration Day!

Sometimes, to make things happen, you just have to THROW IT OUT THERE, and let Social Media take it viral, "We The People" as one connected community saying, "Let's DO THIS". So with this post, throwing my idea out there onto the World Wide Web hoping that individuals, groups and organizations all come together to breath a dream into reality on Inauguration Day.

The Concept...Inauguration "Day of Mourning" Protest across all 50 United States as we take the attention off of Donald J. Trump and instead shine the spotlight on "We The People" who will be most affected by his administration.

1. Make a protest sign and dress ALL IN BLACK.
2. Show up at one of the below SUGGESTED LOCATIONS, or become a leader and organize a group and location in your town or city. Proposed starting time is 11:00 AM Eastern Standard Time.
3. PEACEFULLY start walking/marching IN SILENCE...this is a Mourning Protest, so lets make it a silent National Vigil, a mass of humanity all in black marching in protest, our signs delivering our message to the Media.
4. Swamp Social Media...bring your Cell Phones, live Tweet, upload pictures and/or video from your march in REAL TIME.

The Vibe of Protest

Think a New Orleans French Quarter funeral protection! Bring your instruments, dance, sing appropriate songs, and celebrate what makes America Great..."WE THE PEOPLE"

[EffieBlack]

1. We need to do more than march. Much more.

Marching without a strategy and specific action is just a self-indulgent temper tantrum that means nothing and goes nowhere.

Relying on marching and social media is a recipe for continued irrelevancy and further defeats.

Stop marching and tweeting and GO DO SOMETHING!

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

3. Do me a favor

and tell all those that helped to end the Vietnam War their marching/protests were nothing more than a self-indulgent tantrum that meant nothing. Perhaps if we had been demonstrating Trumps Electoral College win with boots in the street since November 9th we would have more traction.

Go do something?...where do you get off pre-judging me, or anyone else with such a bold assumption. I have been doing something my entire adult life...IE, I took on the NRC and US EPA back in the 90's over 600,000 tons of Low Level Radioactive Waste illegally dumped into a wetlands, and given away as construction fill. When the dust settled was successful in getting over 200 homes re-mediated, and a $70 million dollar clean up of the site. (Google Shieldalloy)

Based on your pictures, you look like you should know better than to judge a book by its cover, but you've proved looks can be deceiving.

Have a nice day.

[EffieBlack]

5. It sounds like you have experience with exactly what I'm talking about

The work you've done was effective because it wasn't limited to just marching - the same reason the anti-war and civil rights movements made a difference. They weren't based just on marches - in fact, marching and protests were only part of it - an important part but only a part. Marching without a clear-minded legislative, political and legal strategy has little impact.

I am very worried that we are focusing too much on the marches and protests and are not doing the harder work of organizing and strategizing. Marching is well and good, but then what? What's the political strategy? What's the legal strategy? How is the marching going to leverage and drive the strategy and vice versa?

So far, I'm not seeing much thought going in to those questions. Sorry if you feel that raising these questions and saying that people need to do more than just march and tweet is a personal attack on you - these questions need to be asked and we need to get our sh*t together or else we'll just be making a lot of noise with no results.

My question stands - marching is great, but THEN WHAT?

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

9. I don't disagree

that more needs to be done. Also agree that sending up tweets, and signing various and assorted online Petitions does not an activist make. Marches/Protests...not an end all by any means, but truly believe mass media would have been forced to pay more attention to those who are feeling disenfranchised if we had put lots of boots on the ground in every major city in America.

Moving forward...think the Democratic Party and the various factions within it need to come to a few basic truths...there is not one special interest group within our party that can deliver a win. We need to work with, embrace and include ALL PEOPLE. Also think we need to realize that a major tactical mistake was made in ceding the White Male vote completely to the GOP. Like it or not, they make up a substantial part of the voting pie, and it never made sense to be giving Donald J. Trump that big of a lead out the gate.

I voted for Hillary Clinton, voted a straight blue ticket, but did feel dismissed, did feel as if our (white male) issues did not matter, did feel as if the Democratic Party was speaking to/listening to every other group but us. Not all White Men are angry, but a lot of us are hurting. I'm 60, I am out of work, and am struggling to get by until things turn around, which they will, and think sometimes the party (not necessarily purposely) is so focused in on other important issues and groups in need, that we got left behind, were not really included in the process. This to a great degree was born out when Van Jones did his Town-hall Meeting with Trump voters, some of whom had voted for Obama in both 2008 and 2012. they came out and said, "no one is talking to us, feels like they just don't care. White voters still make up about 65-70 percent of the vote...about half of that is men...we need some serious outreach to bring those votes back home.

Moving forward...think there needs to be a bottom up instead of a top down approach to rebuilding the party. Would also like to see the party bringing in a lot of FRESH FACES, and supporting some candidates who are just normal hard working Main Street Americans. There is something wrong when most of the House and Senate, as well as the White House and Cabinet are run by the Uber Rich. Most of us feel as if we have no voice at the table which in turn contributes greatly to the apathy that abounds when it comes time to cast our votes. Many of us think...why bother, those running are already bought and paid for, are owned by special interest or worse, are the special interest. Be nice to go vote and feel like my vote was not being cast for the lesser of two evils.

Apologize for taking offense at your original post, but it felt as if you were denigrating protests...a lot of raw nerves abound right now, a lot of our party hurting, and feeling betrayed. I'll work at checking my emotions at the door, and not perceiving attack where none was intended.

Have a great day...hoping for a miracle here when the Electoral College votes, but knowing realistically I have better odds of winning the Power Ball Lottery.

[Mike Nelson]

2. March...

...protest, resist, join...

[Rex]

4. Already marching.

Let the whiners cry, that is all they are good fer.

Tonight, we ride.

[crazycatlady]

6. Organize

And get involved with your LOCAL Democratic Party and help rebuild it at the local level.

[EffieBlack]

7. This

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

10. Getting involved in

local party is a good thing. That said, a lot of those local parties are run by old timers that are not overly welcome to new young faces coming in and wanting (from their perspective) to rock the boat. I am 60, have to admit that I am now officially part of the old crowd, but some of the people entrenched in the top spots locally where I live are well up into their 70's and have no intention of surrendering so much as an ounce of their power.

Think a lot of Baby Boomers are having a difficult time realizing that the time for a significant changing of the guard is upon us, and that we have to welcome the Millennials (and their ideas) with open arms...THEY ARE THE FUTURE.

[crazycatlady]

11. I've been on the receiving end of it before

I'm a borderline millennial (born 1980).

I've noticed that in elections this year too. It seems that millennial primary challengers lost by landslides. I haven't checked lately, but as of 2 years ago there were more members of Congress born in the 30s than the 80s.

My (GOP) congressman was elected at 29 (he's now in his 60s). I don't think anyone could win this district at 29 now. For one thing there's a new 55+ community popping up every day.

I'm back at this forum after a long hiatus. Part of the reason I left in the first place is that I felt unwelcome here and thought that it should be renamed to Baby Boomer Underground. My generation has been screwed 7 ways to Sunday by the boomers and they're yelling at us for not growing up and buying houses.

[The_Voice_of_Reason]

15. Not sure it's fair

to say Baby Boomers. Fact is, the Uber Rich and Congress has screwed both of us...IE, Social Security...Congress basically stole money from Social Security, left IOU's that were supposed to be paid back, then further down the road said, "Oh, we cannot afford to pay back those IOU's. Put that money back into the system, and Social Security would be solvent for many many decades to come. That money was ours...Baby Boomers, Millennials, all who by mandate pay into the system each every payday.

Think all of us need to stop fighting/arguing with each other, and focus all of our attention on the TOP OF THE LADDER.

Welcome back.

[oberliner]

8. Marching is basically the same as whining

At least to some extent.

[Paladin]

12. And Trump's reign promises to be a lot like a fascist dictatorship.

At least to some extent.

[oberliner]

13. We should do everything in our power to prevent that from happening

Whining and marching included.

[Paladin]

14. Couldn't agree with you more. (nt)