Can someone please calmly explain how blocking a freeway across an ocean and a country on a different continent, is supposed to have any effect on a political issue in the middle east?

  • cleanandsunny@literature.cafe
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    1 year ago

    FWIW, this is one of the most common forms of protest in Seattle since BLM. It’s not necessarily newsworthy to us locals! And yes, to confirm, most people in the city get pretty annoyed with protestors when it happens. A lot of people late to work, missing medical appointments, stranded with kids in the car, etc.

    • Drusas@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Last time I was held up by these people, I was on my way to try to pick up my dog’s cancer medication. So no, I don’t sympathize with them.

    • verdigris@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      Hey guys, another local checking in to say protest is cool and effective protest is even cooler!

      You might even say that people being late to work is exactly the economic impact that such a protest is designed to create.

      • verdigris@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        Ambulances have dispatch to warn and redirect them, and sirens to force their way down the shoulder to an exit. Effective protest has to have an effect.

        • Drusas@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Blocking roads is not an effective protest, and rerouting ambulances is not as simple as you make it sound. I used to work dispatch, I would know.

      • cleanandsunny@literature.cafe
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        1 year ago

        No, we didn’t stop the war. I marched with 300k people in Washington (a lot of veterans) and we still didn’t stop the war. But I think the widespread and global protests of the Iraq war made it clear that the US was going to wage war despite its unpopularity, evidence, allies backing out, etc. A similar thing appears to be happening now with the backlash to Israel’s Hamas response.

        Here’s a good column about what those protests writ large “accomplished.” https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/20-year-anniversary-of-iraq-war-protests