The Atlantic actually had a good article six years ago? Amazing!

"In fact, government responses usually amount to little more than rhetorical appeasement, and certainly no major political reforms."

I've never felt the kind of 100% conviction that the government was so at fault it needed to be overthrown entirely. I've had grievances, as I'm sure many do from time to time, just not enough for me to have such convictions that would lead me to stand behind a movement that promoted them.

I was in college in NY when 9/11 happened. There were mass vigils that I attended. There were also protesters that took to the streets to protest war. I'm against "promoting" war. When asking my friends why they were attending I wasn't given much at all to go by. Some were avid Bush haters that were basically just going because of that, a few were going because it was an excused absence to get out of class, and there were some that felt the protest might help sway the prospect of war. When I asked how, the answers were vague.

In the end, I didn't participate in the no war protests. There were too many things I didn't know. Is going to war necessary? Are there going to be more attacks if we don't? If I didn't feel comfortable just being a "body" without having solid thinking into it. If that makes sense.

I was also a member of LBG back in college. (When there was no other letters) We didn't protest, but we did do events like Drag night (a few members of the football team came out for one and it was a blast) and went to other campuses to speak with professors and government leaders. Gay bashing and other types of hate crime were prevalent in some communities. While I don't feel someone should be made to believe homosexuality is ok. I do think tolerance is important. But, we also didn't protest religious groups, or force different ideologies on people. This experience gave me a better understanding of much of the gay community.

I have friends and family who are a part of the feminist movement. I don't understand it at all. I feel rights have been achieved, and I don't understand the push to drive men out. It's confusing. So, I've never been a member or have attended protests. Honestly, I actually have a fairly negative impression of some of these protests I've seen. They seem disjointed, anti men, and pretty cringe imo.

COVID lockdown protests rubbed me the wrong way, initially. First, I've been all over the map when it comes to health and saftey and measures needed etc. It's been a roller coaster. I didn't know exactly what was necessary and what was overboard until recently. I have a slightly better picture after seeing places like Victoria and states like California. Plus, the double standard of lockdown protests vs BLM has caused me to loose faith in Democratic opinions of my health. They can preach "Mask, Sanitation, Social Distancing" till their blue in the face imo. It means nothing. I could see myself actually attending a protest if conditions really do get bad enough. As for currently, I feel our country has enough on its plate and doesn't need extra complications in the street.

Black lives matter. Yup. They absolutely do. I think the majority of the world can say this. There are always going to be those who may think differently. If levels of discrimination are still so deep to warrent protest, then this would be a movement I'd get behind 100%. So, I did some looking into it (because I'm an overthinker first and a person of action second). I'm not supportive of an outcome of a complete abolishment of our government. Regardless if protesting can actually lead to such drastic measures, I'm against it.

So, as a never protester, I can only speculate. The little results I've seen range from nonsensical (renaming my maple syrup) to idiotic (defunding police). Neither end goal would be something I'd take to the streets for.

Ironically, I may have participated if they hadn't needlessly subgrouped their movement so specifically. Race, sex, and other categories aren't relevant to the police. If there are specific units and police that need a light shined on them, you should look at the entire pool of people and communities they work in. Unions, government officials, multiple offenders, mental health, and many more factors come into play. Racism, however, is not.

So, based on my own views, I think protests can be effective in causing change. It may not be the kind of change protesters are aiming for, however. Shoving their ideology down my throat is more of a turn off than a moment that makes me compelled to follow. The end result is a gradual hatred for the movement, which can lead to a complete shut out rather than tolerance. This is just my opinion, however, others may feel differently..

Fashionable is right, same as the 60's "radical chic" Disco will make a resurgence next week....Nutty Americans and nutty society.