I determined authorities were only too happy to use violence. Per that John Lennon quote. And once there's any violence, whatever message or intent is immediately lost.
So I turned to activism, lobbying instead. That seems more fruitful.
Independent of everything else, because I do have a lot of opinions, I am delighted by two developments since.
The peaceful women's march was really remarkable. I wish I knew how they avoided or short circuited the backlash.
I'm so heartened that the BLM and adjacent issues went mainstream this time. (I'm less impressed by the bored frat boys LARPing as Antifa in places like Portland. After WTO, I personally intervened to stop such nonsense where I could. Like I said, I have opinions.)
I guess I have one more opinion. I wholeheartedly support people's right to protest, march, speak, whatever. So I have zero problem with Trump supporters doing their thing and think it's fantastic we live in a place that's encouraged. Civil disobedience, rallies, occupy, whatever. I support it all.
But goddammit cut out the violence. Violence only begats more violence.
Police forces have been pushing left-wing protestors to use violence in order to justify crackdowns for decades.
If leftwing protestors were more violent they wouldn't need to use such techniques.