ImADifferentBird

Again, tell that to JB Pritzker.

That's silly. There are a bunch of ways to effect change other than begging 535 assholes in Washington to do it for you.

These protests can also reach state and local officials like mayors and governors, who can effectively resist and repel federal incursions like Pritzker and Johnson just did in Chicago. They can drive awareness by getting the attention of people unfamiliar with or apathetic to the issues at hand. They can enable people to network and lay the groundwork for future actions. Hell, at their most basic level, they remind those of us fighting this fight that we are still sane and we are not alone.

If you're going to just sit and wait for Congress to change things, good fucking luck with that, no matter which party holds your seats.

Who said these protests were to get the attention of House and Senate reps?

I mean, that's definitely a useful thing, but it's certainly not the only goal of a protest.

So how is that different for red states?

I live in a red state, and I plan to be at my local protest. But I take offense to the idea that protests in blue states are somehow too "safe" or not worth the time. The shit that has gone down at protests in Los Angeles should counter that notion pretty handily.

Honestly, the protests I've been to in my red state were way safer than the ones in LA, with way less push back from law enforcement. Probably helps that ICE isn't operating in my city either.

Yeah, that's the point of these protests.

And Trump does a lot of stupid.

Yeah, that's how a lot of "blue" states are. As anyone who's been to Bakersfield or Fresno could tell you.

And conversely, large cities are mostly cosmopolitan and filled with liberals and progressives, even in "red" states.

That's the big problem with the idea that we could just split the country up along state lines and wash our hands of each other in some sort of amicable divorce.

Chintzy gold leaf everywhere and crying eagle statues. Probably a gift shop selling "terrorist hunting permits" with his face on them.

Do you think federal control under the current administration will make that problem better, or worse?

That's not the part I'm arguing with you about. I mostly agree with you there.

I'm arguing with you about this:

Would you have been this upset if Biden suggested the federal government is taking the responsibility to fund the memorial? Would you have opposed ensuring the long term maintenance of it and eliminating the risk of financial issues in the long term?

Have you heard their proposal, or you're rejecting it only because it's GOP? You know a lot of republicans live in NY and a lot of them died on 9/11, right? You know nearly 3.5 million New Yorkers voted for Trump, right?

I don't need to hear the specifics of any proposal here to be against it. Trump is a lying conman, and I wouldn't believe anything coming out of his or any of his administration's mouths anyway. I've seen what he does when given control, and that's enough.

Take one look at what Trump has done to the White House and tell me you want him anywhere near the 9/11 memorial.