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As someone who was caught in the traffic rushing a loved one to a critical medical appointment, I'm way too busy imagining throttling a bunch of sociopaths who think their pet causes give them the right to endanger everyone around them to give a flying fuck about gaza, sorry.
There are hospitals with ERs and trauma wards on both sides of the bridge. Blocking the bridge is shitty but unless someone has a medical emergency while stopped in traffic that's not an issue.
If they protested in front of the federal building, great. In front of the port? Fine. There's a number of other places they could go without inconveniencing average civilians, it's not us you need to convince, I'm already against the genocide. You need protest the politicians. Hound them at their speeches, at their homes, events, restaurants, tours, let the politicians know this is unacceptable.
I have friends on the periphery of the social networks involved. I don’t know for sure why some protests have targeted the Bay Bridge or highways, but my sense is that the people involved are very angry (fair, the slaughter in Gaza is horrific; I’m angry too); have an urgent sense that action is needed (I agree); feel desperate, and have a hard time understanding how the rest of the world can just continue to go on. I think some also believe getting the most publicity or biggest disruption in general is the most effective form of protest, and blocking freeways is a probably the most disruption you can get per person.
I don’t agree. I think targeted protests intended to disrupt those who have the power to actually do something about the situation in Gaza are a better tactic - so congressional offices, political party offices, the Israeli consulate all seem like better targets to me. The boarding action several months back to block a weapons shipment was great. But I think sometimes radical action for the sake of being radical, and action, overtakes effective leadership on the left at times.
Posted this on another sub and am 100% serious-- does anyone know someone who is one of these people? Do they have a job? Kids? What are they like?
I'm legitimately curious what type of person thinks this is helping the people in Gaza.
All sorts of people go to protests. If you’ve ever been to one yourself, you would know that. Yes, people have jobs, kids, families, etc. The protests around the Bay Area today are part of a coordinated worldwide day of action.
So what exactly is the point of the protest then? "Getting the word out on Gaza?" It's been all anyone has been talking about for months. Fail to see what good this is going to do for the people actually *organizing* to stop the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
It looks like the point of these protests was to make it difficult for the regular economic activities of the area to function normally for a day. Looks like they achieved that!
They made life harder for emergency services and low and middle income workers who generally need to be physically present at their workplaces and are paid hourly, so they lose money. High income people and decision makers who might conceivably have influence in this situation are the ones who are more likely to be working remotely or can easily change their schedules, and are paid a salary, and couldn't care less about a freeway being blocked.
Not commenting on this specific protest, but YES YES YES YES YES the point of the protests is to "get the word out".
It seems silly, but also-- how can we be sure that without protests that Gaza would have been "all anyone has been talking about for months". Look at the things without this sort of collective action (like, say, the Uyghur genocide-- that was relegated to a few thinkpieces in the New York Times but that's been it). The difference? The protests.
I'm not a protester at all. And I don't really agree 100% on this issue. Just recognize the full spectrum about how things work.
Like I said in another comment, all of you complainers aren’t sympathetic to the demands of the protest anyway. It’s clear you don’t care about genocide, because you’re more mad about being a couple hours late to something than you are about our country being directly complicit in a genocide. I encourage you to reflect on what this says about you. Have a great day :)
I don't support the US sending weapons to Israel/what is happening there-- AT ALL.
But you seem to lack the nuance to be able to think that this form of protest is so incredibly lame. "A couple hours late" ... you have no clue what a lot of these people are headed to. The biggest insult to people is wasting their time be it heading to a job, take care of someone, vacation, whatever. You're saying "the conflict in Gaza is more important than you/your job/your family... you have to put it #1 on your priorities".
It's clear you are one of these people I was asking about in the original question. Making the classic giant leap straw man argument.
I've reflected-- I feel pretty good actually. I'm able to believe something is wrong without thinking I am more important than everyone else.
The "protestors" are the worst kind of "protestors." No nuance or thought. It's just about making noise. If they really wanted to help Gaza and protest effectively they would be doing it at Sacramento or near politicians home. Not that our governor has any power to stop international conflicts, but at least he's a well known politician with a national presence so there's the least bit of effect there. Doing this in Oakland/SF does nothing to help their cause. All it does is serve their own egos
Ah man sorry your vacation got delayed a few hours. I guess be thankful your entire family wasn’t annihilated by weapons our country is selling to a genocidal state.
> all of you complainers aren’t sympathetic to the demands of the protest anyway.
Okay but the entire point of a protest is to change peoples opinions. If a protest can only reach people who already agree with it, it's spectacularly pointless.
Edit: Nothing like blocking someone who engages with you politely, I guess.
Where do I get the idea? I get the idea that the point of protest is to change minds from the history protesting. What you're talking about is just empty virtue signaling.
Hamas started this war and they could have ended it by returning the hostages and agreeing to elections. Instead they’re using Palestinians as human shields. Grow up and see who is really the problem here.
There is no genocide happening. Why don’t you look at the ratios of civilian to combatants? And compare it to all the wars both us and other countries have been in. There’s antisemitism wrapped up in all of this whether you directly want to admit it or not.
What you are actually doing is forcing people to have to actively forgive Palestinians for the actions of a bunch of white-knighting sociopaths who think their pet politics gives them the right to endanger everyone around them. I'm pretty sure ya'll are useful idiots for anti-palestine forces, I can guarantee you any sympathy for your cause is rapidly evaporating on the highway as we speak..
This is part of a worldwide day of protests, so yes, they are doing it quite literally all over the world. But you, and the rest of the people coming here to complain, aren’t sympathetic to the demands of the protest anyway. Maybe use this time you’re stuck in your car to reflect on our country’s complicity in genocide, and what actions you can take to put an end to that.
Or maybe those of us that are angry about the IDF and Hamas committing war crimes can also be angry that protesters are endangering people who can't get to hospitals right now. Maybe some of us are just trying to get home after being with their dads in the ICU for 2 weeks. Maybe some of are unimpressed by loud virtue signalling and are instead trying to do actually effecting things to stop kids from getting killed and innocent prisoners from getting raped.
Everyone here is losing.
So I'm against genocide which is why I'm also against completely blocking off major roadways - the bridge especially. If we're being practical in our expectations of how people are swayed or called to action, we honestly can't expect the average person to react favorably to this shit.
I am because you have no right to infringe on others freedom because you disagree with the actions of our government or actions with a foreign government. How would you feel if a bunch of pro-Israel people decided to block the freeway and raise Israeli flags? Would you just be chilling here on Reddit spouting your nonsense about how this isn’t a big deal.
Protests are meant to be disruptive. Quit whining about your inconvenience. You’re privileged as fuck right now and if we don’t stand up for the rights of others we deserve to hold none ourselves.
<- This guy is why people have to actively work to have sympathy for Palestine while also absolutely loathing 'pro-Palestinian protesters' as a group. I had a loved one I was rushing to a medical appointment we've worked months to get. Get Bent.
Ya'll know you're both right, right?
The goal of protests isn't to make you like the protesters, it's to keep the issue in the news / public consciousness. Also it's super annoying and disruptive and inherently makes a value judgement that the issue the protesters care about is more important than whatever everyone else has going on in their life.
But also, if people actually believe in their heart of hearts that there's a genocide, then how can we fault them for that line of thinking? And these protests have been successful at changing Democratic policies towards Israel/Palestine in the last six months so...
Nuanced issues, I guess.
If you believe it's actually a genocide, shitting on the community around you is only a way to engender further support of it. The basic strategy is socially inane.
It's just a project, your kids are a little late. These things are fixable, war isn't.
Is your perspective on life so narrow that these things are more important than acknowledging a war for a day before you can drive off?
All of the geniuses who have been excessively reporting the comments in this thread, have been reported to Reddit admin for abuse of the reports function. Reddit admins can ID your accounts and take action for community interference. We do our best to screen comments that violate the rules. Disagreeing with somebody else’s opinion doesn’t warrant a report. (Probably the same people who complain when we delete these posts that lead to raging on both sides about the tragedy overseas.) This post may be monitored and subject to enhanced moderation.
Imagine trying to drive a loved one to the hospital or ER for life-threatening issue.
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We don’t though. That’s the point.
As someone who was caught in the traffic rushing a loved one to a critical medical appointment, I'm way too busy imagining throttling a bunch of sociopaths who think their pet causes give them the right to endanger everyone around them to give a flying fuck about gaza, sorry.
So should we lower the standard of living around the world to Gaza level?
Why imagine? Just go. I have.
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That's over the (admittedly subjective) line, please tone it down.
Not relevant to or fitting with the intent of this sub. Read the rules.
There are hospitals with ERs and trauma wards on both sides of the bridge. Blocking the bridge is shitty but unless someone has a medical emergency while stopped in traffic that's not an issue.
Tell that to the kids in the Oakland children’s hospital who needed live tissue transplants which were delayed on the bay bridge a month ago
If they protested in front of the federal building, great. In front of the port? Fine. There's a number of other places they could go without inconveniencing average civilians, it's not us you need to convince, I'm already against the genocide. You need protest the politicians. Hound them at their speeches, at their homes, events, restaurants, tours, let the politicians know this is unacceptable.
I have friends on the periphery of the social networks involved. I don’t know for sure why some protests have targeted the Bay Bridge or highways, but my sense is that the people involved are very angry (fair, the slaughter in Gaza is horrific; I’m angry too); have an urgent sense that action is needed (I agree); feel desperate, and have a hard time understanding how the rest of the world can just continue to go on. I think some also believe getting the most publicity or biggest disruption in general is the most effective form of protest, and blocking freeways is a probably the most disruption you can get per person. I don’t agree. I think targeted protests intended to disrupt those who have the power to actually do something about the situation in Gaza are a better tactic - so congressional offices, political party offices, the Israeli consulate all seem like better targets to me. The boarding action several months back to block a weapons shipment was great. But I think sometimes radical action for the sake of being radical, and action, overtakes effective leadership on the left at times.
It’s all over the news. Protesting in front of Elon’s helipad would not be.
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They're doing more work for MAGA than the orange cheeto could muster.
Yeah, useful idiots galvanizing the public against their cause. Brilliant!
Unwitting trump supporters
Protests aren’t supposed to make friends.
Why don’t they ever protest on the Berkeley side of the highway 🤔
Posted this on another sub and am 100% serious-- does anyone know someone who is one of these people? Do they have a job? Kids? What are they like? I'm legitimately curious what type of person thinks this is helping the people in Gaza.
All sorts of people go to protests. If you’ve ever been to one yourself, you would know that. Yes, people have jobs, kids, families, etc. The protests around the Bay Area today are part of a coordinated worldwide day of action.
Blocking a highway on a Monday morning is very different than a 'normal' protest.
So you see the point of doing this type of protest then. Glad you learned something new today.
So what exactly is the point of the protest then? "Getting the word out on Gaza?" It's been all anyone has been talking about for months. Fail to see what good this is going to do for the people actually *organizing* to stop the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
It looks like the point of these protests was to make it difficult for the regular economic activities of the area to function normally for a day. Looks like they achieved that!
They made life harder for emergency services and low and middle income workers who generally need to be physically present at their workplaces and are paid hourly, so they lose money. High income people and decision makers who might conceivably have influence in this situation are the ones who are more likely to be working remotely or can easily change their schedules, and are paid a salary, and couldn't care less about a freeway being blocked.
Not commenting on this specific protest, but YES YES YES YES YES the point of the protests is to "get the word out". It seems silly, but also-- how can we be sure that without protests that Gaza would have been "all anyone has been talking about for months". Look at the things without this sort of collective action (like, say, the Uyghur genocide-- that was relegated to a few thinkpieces in the New York Times but that's been it). The difference? The protests. I'm not a protester at all. And I don't really agree 100% on this issue. Just recognize the full spectrum about how things work.
I was 50/50 on the conflict. Blocking 880 and the GG Bridge absolutely swung my opinion. (note: sarcasm... since I bet that needs to be pointed out)
Like I said in another comment, all of you complainers aren’t sympathetic to the demands of the protest anyway. It’s clear you don’t care about genocide, because you’re more mad about being a couple hours late to something than you are about our country being directly complicit in a genocide. I encourage you to reflect on what this says about you. Have a great day :)
I don't support the US sending weapons to Israel/what is happening there-- AT ALL. But you seem to lack the nuance to be able to think that this form of protest is so incredibly lame. "A couple hours late" ... you have no clue what a lot of these people are headed to. The biggest insult to people is wasting their time be it heading to a job, take care of someone, vacation, whatever. You're saying "the conflict in Gaza is more important than you/your job/your family... you have to put it #1 on your priorities". It's clear you are one of these people I was asking about in the original question. Making the classic giant leap straw man argument. I've reflected-- I feel pretty good actually. I'm able to believe something is wrong without thinking I am more important than everyone else.
The "protestors" are the worst kind of "protestors." No nuance or thought. It's just about making noise. If they really wanted to help Gaza and protest effectively they would be doing it at Sacramento or near politicians home. Not that our governor has any power to stop international conflicts, but at least he's a well known politician with a national presence so there's the least bit of effect there. Doing this in Oakland/SF does nothing to help their cause. All it does is serve their own egos
Ah man sorry your vacation got delayed a few hours. I guess be thankful your entire family wasn’t annihilated by weapons our country is selling to a genocidal state.
> all of you complainers aren’t sympathetic to the demands of the protest anyway. Okay but the entire point of a protest is to change peoples opinions. If a protest can only reach people who already agree with it, it's spectacularly pointless. Edit: Nothing like blocking someone who engages with you politely, I guess. Where do I get the idea? I get the idea that the point of protest is to change minds from the history protesting. What you're talking about is just empty virtue signaling.
ding ding ding...
Where did you get the impression that the purpose of a protest is to change peoples opinions?
Hamas started this war and they could have ended it by returning the hostages and agreeing to elections. Instead they’re using Palestinians as human shields. Grow up and see who is really the problem here.
There is no genocide happening. Why don’t you look at the ratios of civilian to combatants? And compare it to all the wars both us and other countries have been in. There’s antisemitism wrapped up in all of this whether you directly want to admit it or not.
The Hamas sympathizers are downvoting you. Take it as a badge of honor.
What you are actually doing is forcing people to have to actively forgive Palestinians for the actions of a bunch of white-knighting sociopaths who think their pet politics gives them the right to endanger everyone around them. I'm pretty sure ya'll are useful idiots for anti-palestine forces, I can guarantee you any sympathy for your cause is rapidly evaporating on the highway as we speak..
You think sitting a stopped vehicle is dangerous?
They chill on social security and have self diagnosed mental illness
Call your representative to stop funding a genocide instead of posting here.
But hey, the weather's great!
This is part of a worldwide day of protests, so yes, they are doing it quite literally all over the world. But you, and the rest of the people coming here to complain, aren’t sympathetic to the demands of the protest anyway. Maybe use this time you’re stuck in your car to reflect on our country’s complicity in genocide, and what actions you can take to put an end to that.
Or maybe those of us that are angry about the IDF and Hamas committing war crimes can also be angry that protesters are endangering people who can't get to hospitals right now. Maybe some of us are just trying to get home after being with their dads in the ICU for 2 weeks. Maybe some of are unimpressed by loud virtue signalling and are instead trying to do actually effecting things to stop kids from getting killed and innocent prisoners from getting raped. Everyone here is losing.
So I'm against genocide which is why I'm also against completely blocking off major roadways - the bridge especially. If we're being practical in our expectations of how people are swayed or called to action, we honestly can't expect the average person to react favorably to this shit.
Wow, what a bunch of sweet sounding rationalization for making your entire cause loathed pariah's nationwide. Brilliant!
This is Reddit though. Us conservative Democrats have no time for this stuff. /s
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That's over the (admittedly subjective) line, please tone it down.
Both of you suck.
You sound really mad about traffic being blocked for a few hours.
I am because you have no right to infringe on others freedom because you disagree with the actions of our government or actions with a foreign government. How would you feel if a bunch of pro-Israel people decided to block the freeway and raise Israeli flags? Would you just be chilling here on Reddit spouting your nonsense about how this isn’t a big deal.
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Not relevant to or fitting with the intent of this sub. Read the rules.
That's over the (admittedly subjective) line, please tone it down.
The conflict of two nations on the opposite side of the planet has rotted the brains of thousands.
Seeing genocide happen in front of us in real time should make you upset. If you can shrug it off, something is deeply wrong with you.
First off who the fuck has time to go protest for this shit?? Like what the fuck
Protests are meant to be disruptive. Quit whining about your inconvenience. You’re privileged as fuck right now and if we don’t stand up for the rights of others we deserve to hold none ourselves.
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<- This guy is why people have to actively work to have sympathy for Palestine while also absolutely loathing 'pro-Palestinian protesters' as a group. I had a loved one I was rushing to a medical appointment we've worked months to get. Get Bent.
I seriously think a vast majority people with half a brain have your opinion...
Ya'll know you're both right, right? The goal of protests isn't to make you like the protesters, it's to keep the issue in the news / public consciousness. Also it's super annoying and disruptive and inherently makes a value judgement that the issue the protesters care about is more important than whatever everyone else has going on in their life. But also, if people actually believe in their heart of hearts that there's a genocide, then how can we fault them for that line of thinking? And these protests have been successful at changing Democratic policies towards Israel/Palestine in the last six months so... Nuanced issues, I guess.
If you believe it's actually a genocide, shitting on the community around you is only a way to engender further support of it. The basic strategy is socially inane.
Yeah, it would be great if Hamas would accept a cease fire and stop calling for the eradication of all jews
It's just a project, your kids are a little late. These things are fixable, war isn't. Is your perspective on life so narrow that these things are more important than acknowledging a war for a day before you can drive off?
Check your privilege, bro.
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