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We haven’t yet grappled with the fact that there were 10s of 1000s of people in the #seattleprotests, & now we’re down to a few 100.
We need to talk more about how the state successfully pacified and distracted 1000s.
We need to talk more about how the state successfully pacified and distracted 1000s.
Reminder of our demands:
1. Defund SPD 50%+
2. Put this $ in black communities
3. Amnesty for all protesters
4. No new youth jail
5. Recall Mayor Durkan
These may have been met by existing power structures w/10,000+ in the street. But we’ve plateaud at a few 100
1. Defund SPD 50%+
2. Put this $ in black communities
3. Amnesty for all protesters
4. No new youth jail
5. Recall Mayor Durkan
These may have been met by existing power structures w/10,000+ in the street. But we’ve plateaud at a few 100
Our current numbers are insufficient for the broad pressure by demonstration tactic we’ve been employing. We are being ignored.
Therefore we have a couple options:
1. Reactivate people/ get more in the streets
2. Change tactics
Therefore we have a couple options:
1. Reactivate people/ get more in the streets
2. Change tactics
Both should be focused on. How to do each is something we should ALL be thinking about and discussing together. I believe the People’s Assembly is one existing structure that could be the right forum for this (in small breakout groups)
As for option 1. Reactivating people, we must ask why they stopped coming. Things I can think of:
1. Council members stated they would meet demands. People trusted them
2. People were turned away by negative media
3. Distraction/national narrative shift
4. Burnout/Trauma
1. Council members stated they would meet demands. People trusted them
2. People were turned away by negative media
3. Distraction/national narrative shift
4. Burnout/Trauma
Some possible solutions to each:
1. Make people more outraged their council members lied to them. (DO MEDIA)
2. Counter negative stories about protests/antifa. (DO MEDIA)
3. Refocus people (DO MEDIA)
I may be a bit opinionated about the solution lmao
1. Make people more outraged their council members lied to them. (DO MEDIA)
2. Counter negative stories about protests/antifa. (DO MEDIA)
3. Refocus people (DO MEDIA)
I may be a bit opinionated about the solution lmao
For problem 4. Burnout/Trauma we need to continue to establish mutual aid/community support as has been happening at shelterhouse. We need to refine this and PA. We’ve been collectively doing things without a lot of collective planning before or processing after.
Anyway for the other option of 2. Changing Tactics with current numbers I’m all ears but quite frankly we need more close knit affinity groups if we’re going to try anything drastically different
I made this thread to lay out my assessment of our current situation. Sorry if you came here looking for better answers but I don’t have em. I’d love to talk about them with you all, though.
A quote that helped me focus some of my thoughts on our dilemma:
“We aren’t outnumbered, we’re out-organized” - Malcolm X
“We aren’t outnumbered, we’re out-organized” - Malcolm X
