Thread by @rosejudson

Yesterday prior to the @WomensMarchLondon, a group of us stewards were approached by a @BBC producer who wanted to put some of us on air. I couldn't go (I didn't bring photo ID), but she asked a me question I've been thinking about ever since.
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2/ The question was "Do you think protesting will have any impact on policy?" There's only one answer to that: No. Absent something like a general strike, even a protest 4x as big as yesterday's wouldn’t impact politicians' decision-making, especially those at the very top.

3/ We saw this in 2003 prior to the invasion of Iraq, when London witnessed a march that literally was 4x bigger than yesterday's, along with immense protests throughout the US (I attended one in Chicago).

As you may have noticed, that didn’t work. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/2765041.s…

4/ So no, people going out into the streets with placards—no matter how hilarious they are—almost never drives politicians to change things. I know this, but I went anyway. Why?

5/ Well, I'm a US expat. I’m a politically aware person, though I claim no expertise—I’m what you might call a "politics noticer". Watching what’s going on at home fills me with a toxic brew of rage and despair, leavened with a fair amount of horrified fascination.

6/ In fact, being a US expat in the UK right now is like being repeatedly forced to watch the scene from season 5 of Game of Thrones where Stannis and Selyse burn their only daughter alive at the stake in order to win a war.

7/ Obviously, Stan and the Mrs are the US and the UK. Poor crispy Shireen is liberal democracy, the trans-Atlantic alliance, 60 years of progress in civil rights, women's rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, environmental protection, etc.

8/ Melisandre is a composite. She's Putin, but she’s also Steve Bannon, Fox News, Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson –anyone whispering sweet nationalist nothings in the ears of our right-leaning leaders. (I probably didn’t need to unpack this analogy to this degree, but I’m on a roll.)

9/ Anyway, both my countries' ruling parties are keen to burn down an awful lot that's good so they can consolidate their power in perpetuity. That is, to say the least, not very democratic. (It’s also ultimately self-destructive: see below for one example of many.)

10/ In the US, we have an administration elected by a minority of the public in place, rife with nepotism and personal corruption. It is trailed by allegations of a deeper corruption which could call into question its legitimacy, full stop. lawfareblog.com/russia-indictm…

11/ In the UK, we have a ruling party trying to execute a fantasy policy that will supposedly bring back the Shire but more likely turn us into Mordor—a policy promoted by a group which appears tied to the same bad actors under investigation in the US. theguardian.com/politics/2018/…

12/ Both governments I pay tax to are pandering to the basest instincts of my fellow whites, with life-shattering consequences for POC citizens, immigrants, and refugees. I love both these countries. It infuriates me to see them causing harm in my name. washingtonpost.com/news/post-nati…

13/ I call my representatives in the US. I post on Facebook, for what that’s worth (not much; I may as well write manifestoes on the leaves of a hedge). But I do that alone from my flat, and all my small individual efforts seem to vanish into a large void.

14/ So I welcomed the opportunity to go down to London to be with people consumed by the same restlessness. Particularly other women. And it was good. I met several smart, funny people. I was able to have a few words with @DemsAbroadUK folks about midterms GOTV organizing.

15/ I feel a palpable sense of relief knowing that I'm not alone in my anger. I feel heartened that there are so many other people working to change things via efforts small or large, and that my help is welcome, even wanted. I also had fun.

16/ Pink hats and hilarious placards don't shame politicians into serving the people they work for. But they do stiffen the spines of the people with the hats and placards. Protests do something better than changing politicians’ minds: they change people. qz.com/901411/politic…

17/ Changed people will do the work of running for office, using their votes, and becoming allies for others who are marginalised. Changed people will reverse this backsliding into darkness and put us on the path toward something better—not just restoring the status quo ante.

18/ The reason to go to a march is not to influence (or irritate) any one single politician. It’s to gain confidence using your voice when it really matters, when there isn’t safety in numbers. If you’re feeling despair, I highly recommend you go to one.
#BringTheNoise
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