Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Giving up is unforgivable.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

The only way through is to slog through the muck one step at at time.

If you voted for Trump, you don’t get to speak about ethics, morals, or rule of law.

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

Baby steps, because the Republican Party is full of angry babies.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

The Giant Orange Man Baby is having a bad day.

Our messy unity will be our strength.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

The desire to stay informed is directly at odds with the need to not be constantly enraged.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

They are not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

“Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.”

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Everything is totally normal and fine!!!

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

You come for women, you’re gonna get your ass kicked.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Staying Safe! (Open Thread)

Staying Safe! (Open Thread)

by | 35 Comments

This post is in: ,

We’ve had multiple requests for the link to Adam Silverman’s previous posts about staying safe while protesting.  I believe the post below is the latest version of that from 2022, so here it is.  To open the post, click on “33” below (the number of comments on that post) and it will take you there.

Staying Safe While Protesting Redux

The times they are a changin’, so Adam may have more to say about staying safe, but in the meantime, here’s the info that several of you have asked for.

 

Reader Interactions

35Comments

  3. 3.

    Trivia Man

    And at some point i am certain there will be injuries and death. Ask the survivors of the American Civil Rights protests. Everyone needs to decide for themselves what they are willing to risk and how much they will personally sacrifice. But do it on purpose – eyes wide open.

    Yes, death is potentially on the table.

  7. 7.

    WereBear

    We’ve already had martyrs.

    From the LAST time he got power. All the Proper Authorities scolded us for noticing.

    So uncouth.

    We’ve got Miller and Wife visiting the border to gloat over the brutal arrests. And give interviews emphasizing that they had no empathy, none, didn’t feel a thing.

  8. 8.

    RevRick

    I will decidely not play it safe at public demonstrations. I will go wearing my clergy robe and vestment. I will go boldly. We all live with fear, but I won’t let it give me directions when it comes for standing up for what is right.

  10. 10.

    sixthdoctor

    I just called my representative because yesterday I saw video on the Baltimore reddit of 15-20 ICE agents walking down MY block yesterday slowly like they owned the place. One had a tactical shield, all had vests, and were wearing T-shirts and cargo shorts.

    I have not seen any news about who they were seeking, what came out of this, but, yeah.

    As for the protest, I’m committed to the Baltimore Pride parade on June 14th but all indications are that while not officially a NO KINGS protest, there will be a LOT of signs and expressions along those lines.

  11. 11.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    Apparently the latest brain storm from Trumpsters is to kidnap the protest organizers because that way they can get at the funding and they can track down the secret cabal behind this all. Sounds like outright projection from the Right.

  12. 12.

    Redshift

    Knowing your risk tolerance and good guidelines for keeping safe are important, and I appreciate Adam’s list. But sometimes these topics end up including absolutes that are posted as truth just because lots of people are saying them, and I’d appreciate it if we could avoid that.

    Like there was one recently where “don’t sign up for protests you’re going to, that just gives them a list of protesters.” And there have been plenty of others on social media that amount to “throw away some of your most effective tools for organizing because they put information where the authorities can get it.”

    Obviously, use secure channels and not social media or web forums if you’re going to talk about anything illegal (legitimately illegal, not just “they might start arresting people.”) But for everything else, there’s not a blanket “never do this” for everyone; use your own judgement and risk tolerance. We live much of our lives online, and trying to go back to organizing through hand-distributed photocopies is going to severely hobble anything we’re doing. There are risks, but being part of a gigantic movement may reduce your individual risk more than never showing up in their searches at all.

    (And btw, signing up for protests helps organizers with things like how many porta-potties to rent, as well as letting them know the event won’t be a flop.)

  14. 14.

    WereBear

    I will be wearing my PINK “Cat Ladies for Kamala” shirt. Because I couldn’t wear it to vote. :)

    Front runner for sign will be something about Epstein, which was always the most obvious and damning thing about the fool, at least those with access to NYC based press as he began his rise.

    Three words.

  15. 15.

    WaterGirl

    @Omnes Omnibus: You could have written that in response to any of the comments.  Interesting that you chose to respond to the person who plans to be bold in spite of fears.

  16. 16.

    surfk9

    Just bought a California Bear Flag to carry Saturday. My wife will be carrying an American Flag.

  17. 17.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @WaterGirl: I don’t want people to feel shamed because, for whatever reason, they are not in a position to be bold.   Also see my comment along the same lines in the thread below.

  18. 18.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @RevRick: As an ex-army officer, I would say that no one should take unnecessary risks.  Of course, the question that everyone needs to answer for themselves is “what is an unnecessary risk?”   This is why shortly after the election I suggested that people think about where their personal lines in the sand were and what they needed to do if those lines were crossed.

  20. 20.

    Trollhattan

    Our paper has an article about rights to demonstrate in California. Sans Donny declaring it all null and void. Some key points:

    According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, the First Amendment protects your right to organize a protest, express your opinion and take pictures of events while on public property.

    Public property includes streets, sidewalks and parks. “You don’t need a permit to march in the streets or on sidewalks, as long as marchers don’t obstruct car or pedestrian traffic,” the civil rights organization said. If your rally is in response to breaking news, the American Civil Liberties Union said, police cannot deny a permit to protest simply because you did not apply early enough.

    “A permit cannot be denied because the event is controversial or will express unpopular views,” the organization said. “If the permit regulations that apply to your protest require a fee for a permit, they should allow a waiver for those who cannot afford the charge.”

    “The First Amendment and the California Constitution protects your right to expressive speech,” Chessie Thacher, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, previously told The Sacramento Bee.

    “That means that you have the right to say what you want to say, but with exceptions,” Thacher said. These exceptions include true threats, defamation, harassment and obscenities.

    If you’re in a public space, you have the right to take photos or videos of anything you can see.

    Free speech activity is typically not allowed on private property without the property owner’s consent, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California.

    “Private property owners can set rules for speech on their property,” the organization said. “The government may not restrict your speech if it is taking place on your own property or with the consent of the property owner.” However, the property owner can set rules related to photography and videos if you are protesting on private property.

    https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article308311540.html#storylink=cpy

    Guessing this weekend in California going to to be the biggest set of demonstrations here since the Women’s March in 2020.

  22. 22.

    Ohio Mom

    @They Call Me Noni: I just checked the weather and it looks like it might rain here. I’m going to search for a clear poncho (we might already have one) so my No Kings tee shirt will be visible.

  24. 24.

    columbusqueen

    There’s a No Kings protest at the corner of N. Broadway & Indianola from 12-2 Saturday.  Be there or be square!

  26. 26.

    RevRick

    @Omnes Omnibus: The thing is that if I think I can hide, that horse has left the barn years ago. I have left a trail of opinions and comments all over the place on the internet. I cannot retreat. I must advance.

  27. 27.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @RevRick: That’s fair.  And think that people need to take that role.  As a member of the clergy, it might almost be expected of you.  It’s just that people need to know that not every soldiers

    is on the front line, but the doesn’t mean they aren’t helping the effort.  Same with resistance.  The important thing is to say no, not how loud you say it.

  28. 28.

    Lyrebird

    @Omnes Omnibus: Don’t know if you’ll see this, but I definitely appreciate your providing that perspective.

    IIRC your folks brought to protests when you were small, and I think that totally rocks.  I had a twinge (eta: while I was commenting) up in the next thread saying why I won’t bring mine, thinking of your parents’ great example, and that really adds weight to your (eta: expression of) understanding.

    Half my family is made up of immigrants, and some of them are already having deportation nightmares.

  29. 29.

    Ruckus

    @rikyrah:

    Make it make sense. 

    In politics?

    Surely you jest.

    Politics is to some, only a power play. In a democracy politics should not be only a power play, but then humans are involved, so all good bets are out the window. Take shitforbrains – please! He did this for the good of all? He never has and is far less likely to now. He likes power. If for no other reason than it protects him. He’s gotten himself into so many asinine positions over his lifetime that he should bray when he opens his mouth. But of course he is human. Not that it makes him any good at human, but as I always say “Never forget it takes all kinds, good, reasonable, bad, not in any way rational and pure shit.” He’s in category #5 now, moved up from #4.

    Fasten your seat belts folks, it is going to be a serious ride. And I doubt that it will be fun.

  31. 31.

    lowtechcyclist

    @rikyrah: ​

    How the hell does Terry Moran get fired for telling the truth about Stephen Miller, but Jake Tapper is still employed — and celebrated — at CNN after slandering Joe Biden nonstop?

    Make it make sense.

    I believe ‘sense’ has abandoned this space-time continuum.

    For all the time Jake Tapper spent making a BFD over Biden’s alleged mental state during his Presidency (when it no longer mattered anyway, and the mental state of the current occupant was clearly visible on ‘Truth’ Social) I occasionally wonder: did he ever mention a single decision of consequence that the Biden Administration bungled on account of Biden’s alleged dementia? Because I sure can’t think of anything.

  32. 32.

    Nancy

    I tried to get Android Paranoid just now and learned that my phone is too new. FYI.

  33. 33.

    Ruckus

    @Lyrebird:

    Many, likely most of us have immigrants in our families if we go back far enough. If you look at the population of this country you don’t have to go back real/very far for most of us, but especially the current seniors. Many of us in the 65 and up category have immigrants in one or very few generations past. I do. And that’s not at all to diminish those that came here recently who are one or not any generations past. This is a country that used to welcome immigrants, hell that’s how it grew like it did. But that was then and this is now. But to treat them as less than human? That is bullshit, pure and simple.

  35. 35.

    Divadias

    There is much good information about safety and helping others at riotmedicine.net.

Comments are closed.