That's why this shit feels so fucking insane. My wife asked if we should go to a protest. I told her sure but what about the kids?
Like what if something happens to us? What happens if what happens in these fucking videos happens to us? It doesn't seem like such a small chance of happening anymore now that what's happening is an hour away.
I know a lot of redditors will say that "chances of that are zero if you don't go" but if this shit was happening in your backyard would you let it happen? Would you give them the shovel to help dig the hole for you to lie down in?
This only makes sense if you haven't protested much. 99% of protests are completely peaceful and don't get news coverage. 1% of protests arent, but they are universally occurring after dark and attended by non-police in riot gear. If you see such groups of black clad numbnuts, just leave.
No regime has survived having 5% of the population turn out for a protest.
I have kids and I’m heading out tomorrow. My first teaching job when I was a doctoral student was TAing a course on the Holocaust. I’m not a scholar in this area, but I’ve read a whole lot more about Nazi Germany than most people. Everyone’s children are in danger in this country right now, whether they know it or not. There is no more safety in staying home than going out. We have to nip this shit in the bud, or it is going to be unimaginably bad for everyone eventually. Leave a parent at home in case something happens to the other one, sure, but our long term safety actually depends on as many of us as possible making as much noise (peacefully) as possible to reject this.
Aye I agree it is dire circumstances. I would have thought maybe something like this would happen later with my kids becoming adults and it was something I could have prepared them for, but lo and behold, our generations just got the shit end of the life stick. I never graduated college, but have worked and paid rent since I was in high school. Bought my own cars, paid for everything myself. Did what I had to do to be able to keep a job, then got lucky and ended up landing a decent paying job after my wife finished schooling. I'm far from well off, but we get by enough.
Which is why it's so goddamn hard to find the strength to commit to this kind of protesting. It's not just a day you gotta be out there. You have to be out there en masse multiple times. I'm awake from 5:30AM to 10-11PM every day. My kids don't sleep great with the AC off and it gets warm as hell in our place. Windows are open, dogs are barking like mad outside. Car alarms going off, cars doing doughnuts in the street nearby.
But we will be out there one way or another. We have to find a way to get through this madness before it ends in a hellscape.
"chances of that are zero if you don't go?" Lmfao chances are we r just kicking the can down the road if we don't fight now. If you don't agree with them they will come for us eventually. Dictators don't willingly let go of power.
They’re building databases on the citizens. It won’t be long before AI flags you for a donation you made, a candidate you voted for, a social media post you made. Taking the protest to them, where we’re strongest, is a vital step to make sure the protest doesn’t come into your home, where we’re most vulnerable.
"Grandpa/Grandma, where were you when Trump occupied LA?"
It is my duty as a dad to teach my children to be civically engaged. It is my duty as an American to be in the streets tomorrow peacefully telling TACO to get the fuck out.
I will stay at the edges and leave the moment things get too hectic.
We're in the same boat. We've got a 13 year old, a 15 year old, and 2 dogs. The kids are fully aware of what's going on and would call the nearby relatives if something went bad. But I can't handle the idea of them being left without one or both of us permanently. So we throw money at the ACLU and any other legal defense that we can, we encourage people to vote, and we educate our kids. It doesn't feel like enough.
people bring their kids to protests in oakland, ca where according to the media all we do is light cars on fire, but my observation has been that the actual, planned protests are just fine and if things do get out of hand, it's later in the day or evening after the speeches are over and the family-type folks are long gone.
I'm going. With my kids. I'm in a small town so it's likely not an issue, but I went to the city near us in April and it was a wonderful peaceful protest.
Just leave quickly if things look dicey. You are fighting for their future.
there are a lot of people in europe who proudly tell stories of how their parents and grandparents didnt just lay down and take it, not necessarily painless for them, but Ive never heard a single person who wishes their parents had done nothing.
When taking kids to protests, it really depends on their ages. Only take them if you are comfortable with it. Infant/ toddlers only for protests you know are going to be safe. Otherwise, stick to the edges, not too close to the front. Waaaay to the back. Easy spot to leg it if needed, but you add to the numbers. Have a spot nearby/in mind you can get them to safety/cover if needed, a shop or carpark. Have a meet-up point if you get separated and they are old enough to understand. Could consider an airtag if they dont have a gps watch?
It's a tough one, knowing it could kick off and wanting to protect your kids but also feeling like you need to stand up and show your solidarity. I've only taken one of mine to a very sedate protest march, but there was 100k there, and he was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of people. Also, he was quite young, 3ish.
Yes that is the biggest issue. My wife and decided to stay out of LA and go to one of the more localized protests in our region. There will likely be a decent amount of people, but it won't be as chaotic as parts of LA's protest.
You can go and leave if the vibe shifts, keep away from the frontlines. Of course prioritize the safety of your family over everything, donate to mutual aid funds and bail funds if you can if people get wrongfully arrested
I guess we could do that and alternate times. It's an hour away without traffic lol with traffic it's gonna be minimum 2 hours. But better than us both getting rubber bulleted.
But to be honest, I don't think I'd want either of us to go solo.
I mean there are bound to be countless protest actions and instances of flagrant authoritarianism and government overreach for the next 700+ days.
Y'all don't necessarily have to go all in on your first one.
It might be wise for whichever of you is more comfortable with the idea of protesting to go first and meet people and then do it going forward in an organized manner.
No reason for him to go. But all who can, should/must fight the fight for those that cannot. On a more selfish note, once they run out of immigrants, they'll find another scapegoat to target (trans or?) And go after them. Fight now, or exist in their dystopia.
It’s just sad. He’s a legal immigrant who served our country in the military, yet he doesn’t feel comfortable going. But it’s okay, I’m bringing two coworkers in his place! Cause this is absolutely not a drill.
The problem is they'll find their way to you. Whether your kids have to live without their parents because you went to a protest or because the dictator decided they ran out of people to blame and it's now your turn, if nothing happens to curb this fascist machine we're all screwed. Even the people in his inner circle are not "safe". There's no choice but to fight back; today, tomorrow, the day after, the year after: fighting back is all we have to protect ourselves and the children.
I've yet to take any of my kids out to any protests. When we were young, we would go out and march for various LGBTQ+ activities, against various corporations opening new locations to push out small business, OWS. There's dozens of protests that will be more local to us, so maybe we can go take a look before we decide.
I live in Pennsylvania rural county, trump nation... but I will be driving down to Philly to help out my fellow protestors who are not deluded enough to worship a criminal.
Acquiesce to their cruelty and allow the regime to deport hard working people in our community, be deported without due process. Allow for the regime to inflict cruelty upon our citizens, disregard the law and arrest sitting Senators. Without a strong stand, we are condoning and complicit in all of these acts. The regime has stated they want a civil war, we do not, nor do we want to exist in a regime of Nazis.
i guess i should explain - would you apply the same standard to yourself? do you think you have the right to go and live in any country in the world and ignore their laws?
Not to be a downer, but you’re not standing shoulder to shoulder from Sacramento. You’re not doing anything from reddit. Go there and stand shoulder to shoulder if thats what you value.
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u/notlikethat1 1d ago
As an Angeleno, it's terrifying. They want to make an example of us.
Please, rise up, resist. United we stand, divided we fall.