Non-violence works when you are a minority because people look down on violent uprisings by minorities. Violent uprisings by minorities aren't very persuasive to independents or established privileged powers. For example, look at how Haiti has been treated over history versus how the US has been treated or France. America was FOUNDED on violent revolution against authoritarianism. Revolution by white people. It is celebrated daily in national anthems, flag-waving, and education. Don't forget that the loyalists were also purged and a lot of that was also violent. Like people being tarred and feathered. Many of those people fled to northeast Canada. White people running around with guns saying the second amendment protects their rights--okay. Black Panthers running around with guns and copies of the Constitution--terrorists. At least to aforementioned people. When President Obama was President, remember the thugs running around with guns to townhall meetings saying, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Where are all those people now, except supporting the Dictator and his agenda, but to be open, there is something very legitimate about the words.
Which brings me to the point... meeting violence with violence isn't wrong and stopping an authoritarian isn't wrong either, but we've been Othered. We've all been made out to be The Other, whether we're atheist, LGBTQ, deranged leftists, or other minorities. So even though violence in the response not wrong, ultimately it wouldn't be effective and I think it would be playing right into Hair Furor's hands. He's been using assassination attempts and things like that to consolidate his power faster. That's the reason he is starting a war with antifa. He wants violent responses he can propagandize.
So honestly, I think the most effective thing right now is call yourselves the Sons and Daughters of Liberty. Put on a parade with drums and revolutionary era garb. Hold banners like "Down with Tyranny!" and "No Kings Day!" and "Democracy" But be non-violent. Wave American flags. March right through when they are being violent, let them take you down but hold up the flag.
That's really what non-violence is about. It's about teaching the violent assaulters (and everyone else watching) that they are wrong. And that does involve violence, just by them.
The problem here is that there needs to be something in answer.
And the fact is that trans people remember that stonewall was a riot, and most of the younger generation saw this threat coming.
Lots of gay and trans folks are armed, and understand the core of what was only heard as rhetoric by the 2a crowd.
This war will either be waged against the American people in the form of camps, or bloody stands, and they will focus on justifying the one with the other, and neither should be capitulated to.
The issue is that none of the truth of the peacefulness of the moment will be televised, put on the cable, or seen on the twitter or the YouTube or the tiktok...
It just won't be seen.
If America thinks that Minneapolis is in ruins, they will think the things that allow it to be put to ruin.
I will watch all of this happen and document all of it, what happens in Minneapolis, here, because RayJ is amazing and the US authorities cannot disappear this site, though they could end my access to it.
My point is that it doesn't matter anymore what you think should be done; it only works your way when it's seen, and the power of the press is gone.
My city is about to be fucking occupied by ICE.
Do you understand this?
They are going to destroy the beautiful downtown streets with heavy vehicles.
They are going to ruin the businesses of the downtown area.
They are going to fuck up our traffic with checkpoints.
Do you not understand this?
And the result will be what is televised, as if it was always that way.
And I knew this was going to happen some time early LAST year, and expected to happen some time earlier than it has, thank fuck.
So what the fuck do you want?
Capitulation?
