Does the 'majority' have the ability to organize and protest?
By 'majority' I mean white/Christian/hetero/men - those who throughout our American history have had the most privilege.
One of the things that really stayed with me after the Women's March was my conversation with two elderly women - they were there to protest, both used walkers and both were so committed. And this wasn't their first protest in their lifetime. The more I learn about history, the more I am shocked at how much I take for granted - being able to vote, worship (or not) freely, being able to go the post office (I could not believe there was a time when women had to have men open their correspondence and send it out), getting an education - even being able to read in public.
But women and minorities had to fight for every one of these things and more. I am amazed at how quickly spontaneous protests are organized at grass roots level - no one busing in or paying protesters.
It seems like whenever those with the most privilege feel like their rights are being taken away they have two responses: if their rights are being taken away by those in power (other white/hetero/Christian men) they accept it - for example losing the right to privacy under the Patriot act. But if they feel that the "other" is somehow involved: women, non-Christians, immigrants, African Americans, etc then the response is violence - either in their rhetoric or actual violence. And they react in such extreme ways - through bullying, changing laws to restrict rights, and using money to buy influence (or pay people to show up at their speeches). There is rarely a conversation - just anger and violence.
I have seen people ask here and on other forums - what would it take for Trump supporters to turn on him, or what happens when they realize that he is screwing them over.
I don't think they will do a damn thing - because they can't conceive of someone who looks like them being wrong. They never had to fight to get where they are - everything was handed to them or the system set up so that they win. When Jim Crow laws came about and literacy tests were required to vote, since so many poor whites were illiterate they were grandfathered in and didn't have to take the tests.
Trump whined about paid protesters - because that is the only way he can imagine someone protesting. He is projecting what he would do. And it made me think - his supporters won't turn on him ever. He can take everything away - even their guns, and they will be ok with it.
** I do want to add the disclaimer that not all white hetero Christian men are Trump supporters and that not all Trump supporters are white hetero Christian men. I realize that I made some generalizations in this post.