Organized protests from the internet

[HamiltonHabs32]

Just wondering if anybody knows these types of numbers off the top of their heads?

- the Number of members and unique hits DU has?

- The number of left wing bloggers and blog readers on the internet?

- the number of hits websites like media matters, guerrilla news etc.. get?

Think maybe next time there is a massive rally being planned like the presidential inauguration or the RNC or the WTO. Do you think large sites like the ones just mentioned could work together in organizing a rally. Every time you see a rally its so disorganized and sometimes the protesters just look silly. If for just one protest the activism world (peaceful people) could try working together and creating a large organized rally, it might get some respect and maybe turn heads get people talking again.

If Little Johnny is sitting down watching fox news will his old man, and images of a protest show up as usual it shows two guys with bandannas tied around their faces and gas masks on tight, flipping a car then getting beat up by riot police. So Johnny turns to his ma' and pa' and asks "Why is he getting his there ass whupped" and his parents say "ooh he hates the president and god". Thats it case closed, Johnny looks back at the TV and the reporter is literally saying "Yes folks, as you can clearly see that man has a gas mask, probably because he hates the president and god"

The best way to get at the media is to give them a show, if you have a large protest with thousands of the media expects violence its what the cameramen are instructed to shoot, its what the journalists prepared to report that day (yes prepared to report, as in before the story happened) Its the only reason they are there to get violence to report on tv.

I know the largest groups of peace activists are all just a couple clicks away from each other, they are all over the internet. A frequent visitor on DU could be a neighbour with a frequent visitor of MichaelMoore.com and they may never know. They probably both go to the same rallies and fight for the same causes and don't even know it.

Problem is the same people who would rally against the WTO are the same people who rally against the war one drugs, separation of church and state, anti-abortion, families of WTC victims, Iraq mothers etc... all these people show up to a WTO or whatever rally and they section off with the group they are affiliated with.

Large internet communities should co-operate, we are all generally fighting for something, why not combine our forces like Voltron and rally together. Gay people did it, and look how far they have progressed in the past 10 years.

Any and Every group that goes to Rallies generally has a website, I'm sure if you read DU you probably read other sites that are associated with your main area of concern, whether you fight for the environment or against the Republicans there are other websites out there with large followings following these issues daily. I'm sure the leaders of media matters are aware of DU and I'm sure the members of fark.com know about Guerrilla news. Like I said were all just a click away, but we are all searching for something the boob tube does not provide. Answers maybe?

So Gay people started having parades and look where it has got them, In the news, whether its viewed as positive or negative they have caused an impact. Personally I think it is positive, I think being afraid of gays is just up-surd. Being young I thought it was just the thought of two dudes going at it that makes straight guys wanna hurl as the reason for blocking gay rights. I always said to myself "well I do like watching lesbians, and what goes on between two dudes in their bedroom is none of my business, who am I to stop two people from being happy."

Everybody likes parades look at the thanksgiving day parade it attracts thousands of people and media coverage from EVERY top network, what is the Macy's parade? Usually a big commercial, a march of different corporations, I haven't watched a parade in the past few years but the last time I did floats were being sponsored by generally large Corporations. Now just picture the Macy's day parade but you replace the Pepsi float who's main theme is "Everybody Loves Raymond" with the DemocraticUnderground float who's main theme is "Gannon-gate", or the Media Matters float whose main theme is "Fox News" add in an environmental group with different floats about saving the earth etc... You get the picture.

Naturally you would want your entry in the parade to be witty, you could have the adbusters who's main theme is "no blood for oil" entry as a large marionette bush crushing an oil drum and laughing. Imagine with a few dozen people marching behind it with signs and slogans. Then a parade commentator saying to the home audience "Well here are the adbusters, wow thats a beautiful float they have, it was hand crafted by 20 hearty volunteers from Oregon" Then he describes the cause they are fighting at the rally. Did I mention activists groups usually have the best artists out there?

Now Generally the point of a rally is that it ISN'T organized, many would be happy with just thousands of people walking down the street, thats all fine and dandy however there are people at those protests who sometimes want more attention on their issue and thats when a McDonald's gets set on fire. By having a parade it may not stop these people but by having a grand extravagant parade from different freedom fighting groups around the nation people might take notice. If for once a large organized protest can look like a parade of peace maybe left wingers could get some more credibility.


- SO you take a scene like this, you get all the people off the streets and onto the sidewalks, You let a bunch of floats go by from diffrent peace organizations and cheer them on loudly, when the parade is done you fill back into the street and follow.

If no network will cover (and they wont) A website could be set up to feature a live web cast, you could have the host of Democracy-Now and the dude from TruthOut doing commentary as the floats go by (ala Regis and Kelly). People would flock the net looking for more information, as oppose to tuning into Everybody loves Raymond.

Little Johnny is sitting down watching fox news with his dad, when a Fox News reporter does a quick blurb about a protest on TV "Well Bob, it looks like this Violent display of anti-Americanism has suddenly turned into a parade, as over 10,000 marchers on the street suddenly stopped and lined the sidewalks clearing the road..Now floats, visual masterpieces I cant describe" Johnny's father quickly turned off the TV, Johnny however being accustom to the ticker on the bottom noticed a web address fullparade.com he went to the computer and there he was able to watch the parade in full...no ads, just a bunch of links to the organizations involved


We don't want the situation to get worst then it already is do we? The evidence is pilling up and sometimes I think only people who use the internet know the real news. Nobody up here that I speak with knows about Jeff Gannon, few people know that Iran and Syria are an alliance, Few down south know that no WMD were found, few even know what a workers union is and think shopping at Wal Mart is good, some still think that Global warming is a hoax, hell some still believe the world is flat.... But they know the price plans of every cell phone company off by heart.

Just an idea, everybody loves a parade.

/or were all too lazy

[Jamastiene]

1. There are SOOO

many different little groups of liberals. I have often thought the same thing you are thinking. If there was a little more organization of all the different organizations it would make a HUGE impact as opposed to looking quite so rag tag. I'm not knocking the ones who do go to protests. I'm just saying that there is no coherent theme. I've been thinking it would be great to get ALL or as many as possible together, pick a date, and protest outside one of those morning shows where they have the window behind them on television and average people gather around and get to be on tv. If they used war photos large enough to see on signs, it would REALLY make an impact. Just an idea.

[HamiltonHabs32]

2. morning shows are small beans

I say go for the big ones. If you could get all small liberal groups on the same page and have a festive parade during a large protest.... just think

Float entries
- Media Activists
- Anti War activists
- Environment activists
- War crime activists
- Corporate activists
- anti gun people
- gay activists
- human rights activists

so many progressive topics all being fought as we speak.

so many diffrent topics the best way to get the messege out during a protest would be to give each topic a moment on the parade route, they would pass thousands of protesters who are essentially the crowd watching the parade, the crowd would naturally be holding bearing their signs of choice waiting eagerly to see their protest topic float go by :D Once the parade passes you, you join in right behind.

[Jamastiene]

3. Morning shows

have viewership. Translated: Most of the time the protests aren't aired on anything but CSpan as far as television goes. No matter how large the parade is, it'll make you think of the age old question about the tree falling in the forest and no one being around. Don't get me wrong. I am not knocking the parade idea at all, because I think it is a good idea. I just think it would be a better idea to do it where more people can see what is happening. Most of America isn't big cities, so it would reach more people who would normally have no idea about the protests at all. And there are those who have no idea that they are happening. I've met some of them. I was just thinking of a way to make it reach more people. Macy's Day Parade? Could it be possible to do it as a block then?

[HamiltonHabs32]

4. I hear ya

right I guess any protest is a good protest whether its during a morning show or a WTO conference. Blocking the Macy's day parade hmm never thought about that... however I doubt it would work since people would be pissed, never try to piss off the general public.

At a WTO conference they expect protests and usually let them march and atleast in Canada they get decent air time, But I'm talking about a full fledge parade, sure it will only get tablescraps on mainstream media but it's giving them more to work with instead of just a march, this looks more media friendly easier to diagnose, literally displaying your issue for the world to see... thats why broadcasting it online comes in, if those intrested dont get the coverage they want on CNN or Fox, they can log online and find a live broadcast of the event from activist news reporters.

[Jamastiene]

5. Why not

form an alliance of the different organizations and officially enter the Macy's Day Parade if possible? That was what I meant by block, like as a group. Trust me protests piss off some people no matter what. If you can piss off the right people...Then you got something.

[HamiltonHabs32]

6. nice one

I hear what your saying now, haha that would be hilarious! That would probably piss off alot of people thats for sure.

The idea I presented was meant to show the activists of all nature have solidarity with each other, and we are a much larger organization when we all pool our resources together.

[Jamastiene]

7. I believe it is a very good idea

It is something I've been thinking would work for a while now. We seem to be thinking alike. :)

[FogerRox]

8. <wink>Yeah this is the Macys thanksgiving day parade, how can I help you--

Yeah I want to apply for the Parade?

Yeah Ok, fill this form out.

Hmm Ok---ohh its says I got to have a ballon--

YEah thats right, a big one yeah know 20 guys with ropes takin it down the strret--


Nevermind