Shame on Americans

[angrychair]

People in London and other major cities of the world are doing sustained protesting and other legal actions because of what the Mango Mussolini regime is doing, they are protesting by the tens of thousands in London alone but the vast majority of Americans couldn't be troubled to even just cancel their Disney+ account much less take the streets to protest mass kidnapping and torture of immigrants.
Seriously, Americans are, as a generalization, feckless, entitled crybabies (no excuses. If they can do it so can we).

[Irish_Dem]

1. Greatest moral collapse in US history.

Same people who act holier than thou as they break every commandment.

[angrychair]

5. It's more embarrassing

For so-called Republicans and conservatives.
They have spent years beating their chests about pedophiles but when it actually comes time to do something about it they crumble. It was just politics, a way to stir up the base. Once rank and file Republicans realized it included some of their own people, including Dear Leader, suddenly they want us to forgot about it and move on.

They have screamed about "freedom of speech" for years but apparently they meant the freedom for them to speak, not everyone else.

They foamed at the mouth about gun rights and the need to fight a totalitarian regime.
Now that they are face to face to one they are cowards. Morphing from gun waving anti government "alpha" males ready to fight the overreaching government to sycophantic bootlickers, willing to twist themselves into any knots needed to excuse the cognitive dissonance.

Republicans met the real enemy and decided the only thing they can do is lick their boots.

[Irish_Dem]

8. The PutinGOP/MAGA use the laws to enrich and protect themselves.

And to control and punish everyone else.

Yes who knew all the MAGA males would be total snowflakes with such sensitive fee fees.

[ananda]

12. Snort. It's like they want a pity party over every little thing...

like wanting to kill and harm people and saying so out loud
all the time to many people, while at the same time whining
that they can't find these people to work for them any more.

Right.

Poor babies.

[Irish_Dem]

16. 6th graders have more sense and maturity than the MAGA adult males.

[Fiendish Thingy]

2. Well there was the No Kings March over the summer...

And the next one is October 18.

Maybe America can redeem itself in your eyes.

In the meantime, folks are doing their best to get by.

[angrychair]

6. So two protest

Months apart and little else. While hundreds of thousands march in our name all around the world.
We are not worthy of the mantle "greatest country in the world".

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. There have been weekly protests in some places and more than two large ones. . . . nt

[angrychair]

15. I am in Washington

And the first No Kings protest was huge, over 5000 people. Likely the largest protest in Olympia in over 20 years.

The next one maybe had a couple hundred people at most.
Protesting is pointless unless we can sustain it and show a real movement.
France, London and Nepal has had hundreds of thousands of protesters and strikes and other actions but most Americans cannot even bother to vote, much less protest.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. Correct, it must be sustained and through the colder months. But whatever, if it gets bad enough

If conditions (economic and societal) get bad enough protests and resistance will grow from some point unknown without decrease.

The independent spirit of Americans is not dead.

[angrychair]

21. I hope you are right

In that assessment. I want to believe that. I just haven't seen it yet.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

23. People tell me there are troops with helmets and rifles roaming Washington. Not a factor in suppressing demonstrations?

[angrychair]

27. Absolutely

It's the whole point in him deploying troops.

That envelope has yet to be tested. It will be interesting to see what side the military will choose but I unfortunately think they will choose the dictator over the people. Time will tell but I no longer trust the military to act in the best interest of it's citizens.

[Exp]

48. Many Americans are dumbed down, complacent, maybe too comfy, think all gov'ts are corrupt, politically self-neutered,

lack critical thinking skills, too busy to care, don't care.

[Fiendish Thingy]

17. I guess it's too bad folks don't measure up to your standards

The average American can’t afford a publicist to post endlessly on social media about all the ways, big and small, everyday people are resisting.

BTW, IMO, America has never deserved the honor of “greatest country in the world”.

I’ve rejected American exceptionalism since I was in elementary school in the 60’s.

That doesn’t mean America doesn’t have some very exceptional people, as do most countries.

[Tree Lady]

14. I have been going to the kings protests

But see very little young protesting. It's their world that needs to be saved, most of us are seniors here.

[angrychair]

25. Agreed

That is what I've seen as well. Some young people but especially here in Washington, a lot of the people were older...me included 🤣

[Tree Lady]

28. I am thinking when we were young

Women were just starting to work fulltime in numbers, there was no internet or cells to take up time, kids played around the house or at neighbors not a million planned dates and activities.

I am thinking the young are addicted to gaming or busy running after kids activities. Most not involved in politics, a lot don't vote. I think my generation was awake because of Vietnam being drafted and the possibility of death.

[Deep State Witch]

3. But The Kids!

A lot of people have D+ subscriptions so that their kids can watch Disney content all day. They're probably worried about the kids having a meltdown if they don't see Lilo and Stitch for the 100th time.

I cancelled ours this morning. Yes, I will miss the Star Wars and Marvel content. But sending a message is more important than that.

[Martin Eden]

4. I've been to 8 protests so far

They've all been well attended, especially at Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago.

[angrychair]

7. A couple hundred people

Protesting for a couple hours will change absolutely nothing.

[Martin Eden]

13. There were tens of thousands at Daley Plaza for NO KINGS

No doubt you're referring to protests over the Jimmy Kimmel cancelation.

I was replying to the general notion in the OP that Americans are not protesting.

[angrychair]

18. I meant both

Yea, that one protest but most subsequent protests have been significantly smaller, if they existed at all.
When we can sustain that movement, when we can put hundreds of thousands of people in the street weekly, not just every couple of months, when we can do rolling general strikes by business sector (trash pick up for a week, teachers for a week, train operators and truck drivers and longshoremen for a week and so on) then we will have a movement that can actually get something done.

[vapor2]

10. Many of us also cancelling Disney/ABC advertisers etc

I feel we should be protesting but next event is 10/18

[ZDU]

11. Don't shame me

I am an American too. And I have served my country in uniform, and I have protested too. Place your blame upon those who have caused this: Republicans, Tea Party asshats, MAGA fuckheads... Focus your judgement. Thank you.

[angrychair]

20. I want more

Than the bare minimum. When we regularly have more people protesting in other countries in our name, it greater numbers and with more enthusiasm, then we are here.
It's not about individual actions or people that are part of DU but the wider general population.

[ZDU]

22. Don't shame me

Honey or vinegar?
I'm watching & listening & reading your words. Honey or vinegar? Don't shame me. Boundary.
p.s. I don't own a television.
Long ago a bumper sticker read:
KILL YOUR TELEVISION

[iemanja]

34. Why make this about yourself?

Your sensitivity does not matter more than authoritarianism

[Gimpyknee]

40. This fellow veteran says great response!

[ZDU]

44. Thank you

[progressoid]

24. They have the advantage of only having him on their soil for a few days.

So their response will seem a lot stronger.

Regarding the lack of protests by those of us who hate what's going on. I had a convo with someone recently about why she and her family no longer protest. Among the things we covered:
Some of us are afraid for our safety.
Some of us are tired - We did it for 4 + years during his last reign and it was exhausting.
Some of us are demoralized.
Some of us put our lives on hold to fight this the last time and have no more time to give.

I'm sure there are lots of other reasons too. No argument that we are as a generalization, feckless, entitled crybabies. I'd add that most Americans are also apathetic and ill-informed.

[Keepthesoulalive]

29. Americans with a brain are exhausted

We poured our hearts into getting madam Harris elected, some of us are not putting our bodies on the line because the majority of Americans voting for a felon and child you know what, was more than we thought would happen. I am cleaning this up for public consumption. People are working to exhaustion trying to keep up with the bills. A lot of people are looking for employment. Many people are stunned because they believed the fairytale about how great and wonderful our country is.
Financial boycotts take longer but they are very effective, so let’s come at it from different angles and applaud people who are aware and doing the best they can with crap coming at them everyday.

[ancianita]

30. That's your first reaction to London protests? To shame Americans? You have no idea of what Americans have been doing.

ACLED tracks political violence and protests, has provided monthly updates on demonstration events...
-- February 5 2025 protests against Trump and Project 2025 in all 50 states with major rallies taking place in cities including Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Sacramento.
-- Pro-migration and pro-LGBTQ+ demonstrations more than doubled in February 2025 and continued into March.
-- March 2025: 1,509 US demonstration events:
-- March 4, over 100 protesters gathered outside the U.S. Capitol as President Trump delivered an address to a joint session of Congress, targeting Elon Musk and his company DOGE, organized by a grassroots group known as the 50501 movement
-- March 8 International Women's Day demonstrations.
-- April 2025: 2,220 US demonstration events, an increase of 12% from the previous month.
-- July 2025: 1,513 US demonstration events, a 44% decrease compared to June.

-- Carnegie Endowment'a Global Protest Tracker shows [only] 159 significant anti-government protests worldwide over the past twelve months

-- April 5 2025 "Hands Off" anti-tariff protests: over 1,000 protests took place across the country to demonstrate against new tariffs announced by Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
-- June 9, 10, 12, and 13 Anti-ICE protests: Following a series of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in early June, particularly in Los Angeles, thousands took part in protests against the raids and deportations. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) reported at least 2,112 demonstrations against ICE between January and June 2025
-- June 14 2025 "No Kings" anti-Trump protests: an estimated 5 million Americans participated in "No Kings" protests in over 2,000 cities and towns across the nation. The protests were organized by a social media movement called 50501 to demonstrate against "strongman politics and corruption".
.-- September 1, 2025 Labor Day anti-Trump protests: An anti-Trump movement called "Workers Over Billionaires" with rallies were planned in over 1,000 locations across the United States.The goal was to raise awareness of social program cuts, cuts to funding for education and healthcare, and corruption within the Trump administration.
Organizers also announced the creation of the Department of Class Solidarity (DOCS), a "war room" to track the wealth and political contributions of billionaires.

London's protests -- only at the point of one trump visit, at that -- show they're in solidarity with Americans.
This shaming OP is nowhere near a fair comparison between London protesters and Americans.
It should be beneath us Democrats to shame their fellow Americans, imo.
Numbers give perspective. No matter how sincere, perception, anecdotal memory and feelings are not perspective.

[angrychair]

35. Outside of

The June No Kings Rally and a couple others, the vast majority have been much, much smaller in size.
Plus, I wasn't just talking about the most recent protests in London but as I have mentioned in other replies, the size and scope has to be sustained and significant to matter and that had not been the case.
I mean this administration is actively kidnapping people and sending them to foreign torture prisons and we cannot sustain national protests of the same size and scope of the protest in France for just increasing the retirement age by a year. It the protests in Nepal that lead to the overthrow of their government, all started because people got tried of seeing politicians kids living like royalty.
We have all those issues and much, much more. Yet we have 4% of the population, much less 20% or more.
I've literally tired to convince coworkers and others to go to protests, people that say they are so upset by what is happening but when I mentioned protest they can't be bothered or make an excuse.

Not sure what it will take but I have no confidence anything will matter. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[ancianita]

37. Well, how about just adding up all the protests, give the low estimate of 2 people per protest, then add that

to the 5 million at the No Kings, and you can still see how far off you are in shaming Americans. You're off by millions. Even if that whole number participated in more than one protest, they did because they're committed to standing up against all that is incompetent, cruel, broken, destroyed or killed.

Seriously. We have to stop beating ourselves (or others) up after the last election loss, because doing that unnecessarily saps the energy we need to get on with saving this democracy.
Inside the party we must do better, try harder, to unite in solidarity. The only way to win is to get fellow Americans to know, at scale, that it's better to be united than divided. They've already shown us they're on our side. Now we just have to convince them that we're worth voting with in solidarity.

What builds confidence is competence. We each have our gifts, and it's invaluable that we use them for the common good.

[Mblaze]

31. "Americans are, as a generalization, feckless, entitled crybabies"

That's how we got Trump in the first place.

Where I live there are regular anti-Trump (No Kings) protests that are fairly well attended. In the UK, they saved it up for Trump's visit.

[ancianita]

32. What a crock.

Last edited Thu Sep 18, 2025, 09:34 PM - Edit history (1)

No, it's not. How we got trump is a whole mix of factors and Americans voted for him for reasons that have nothing to do with feckless, entitled crybabies
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/06/26/behind-trumps-2024-victory-a-more-racially-and-ethnically-diverse-voter-coalition/

[Mblaze]

38. Ouch

I stand corrected.

[Trueblue Texan]

33. Have you been protesting?

Because a lot of us have. How about some encouragement to those folks who are working their asses off to protect democracy and holding fascism at bay? When you shame "Americans" you are shaming a whole lot of folks who are doing their very best. Can we be more thoughtful about the words we use to vent our frustration and try not to slam the ones who are already worn out working the resistance. I agree there are a lot of spoiled Americans, but there are also a lot of courageous Americans who work tirelessly to preserve what's left of our Democracy.

[angrychair]

36. That is why

I specifically said it as a generalization.
Also it's a very small percentage of the population doing all the heavy lifting. That was my point. Those people will, eventually, burn out mentally or physically or both and they need help that does not appear to be coming anytime soon.

[ancianita]

43. Sorry, but that "generalization" doesn't change the words of character smear on a huge percentage who have actually

been protesting, in numbers you still don't want to believe.

Admit it. You've been gravely mistaken both about American protest numbers, and Americans' fortitude and endurance.
It's not a good idea to stand your ground on this one. And you know why.

[Trueblue Texan]

47. yes, they will eventually burn out and words like yours speed things along. nt

I heard nothing in your words that pointed out there are SOME Americans who do not meet the generalize description--that would have been encouraging. If you can't help, don't make things worse.

[Gimpyknee]

39. Well said.

[Ohioboy]

41. I'm trying to do my part, but I know what you mean

There are certain things even the Magats should be protesting.

[ancianita]

45. It's all anyone can ask. thanks

There are certain things even the Magats should be protesting.

Well, just for the sake of clarification...

They have been -- at the over 130 town halls Democrats have held across 50 states. Our congressional Dems know the mood of the communities they've met with. The whole Kirk and his groyper shooter situation has shown what fissures already existed in MAGA before our congressional Dems even did those town halls.

[biocube]

46. We had the largest protest in American history

this year.

Have Democratic leadership give unprecedented effort to stop Trump and Republicans? Nope.