Where were the protestors friday in Sebastopol?

After Trump announced the second Trump-Putin summit, I could no longer bare to not take more action. I call weekly, all my representatives and sign petitions so decided to go downtown today with my posters and was really surprised that hardly anyone was there. The older vets didn't even show up but really, how can they support a Russian operative and Bone Spur deferment "president" anymore with open acts of treason so visible?

Our community has a unique opportunity to get a message out to all the tourists that come here every summer to escape the oppressive heat, that our community will stand up to the face of fascism/authoritarianism and stand up for our values. If not now when? Yeah I had a few middle finger salutes to which I replied "hope you're learning Russian". Mostly many, many thanks and lots of thumbs up and cars honking in support.

:stoptheinsane:

I hope next Friday at noon I see more people exercising their rights to protest and saving our democracy. I will have extra signs and I hope you join me next Friday. #resist

I’m seriously asking, where do you get this statement?
open acts of treason so visible

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Posted in reply to the post by Damage:

I’m seriously asking, where do you get this statement?
open acts of treason so visible

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From paying attention and watching something other than Fox News..

Well if you are talking about treason, then:


When then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gleefully presented a plastic “reset button” to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to reset relations with Russia and the United States, as if the gesture undid all the wrongs Russia committed against the U.S. and our allies.

Then, there was March 2012. Obama promised then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have more “flexibility” on missile defense after being reelected.

“This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility,” Obama said.
“I understand,” Medvedev replied. “I will transmit this information to Vladimir, and I stand with you.”
Of course, Obama never intended anyone to hear this, but it was all caught on a hot-mic.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MNxEDomUlXw


During a presidential debate in 2012, candidate Mitt Romney called Russia our top geopolitical foe, only to be mocked by Obama — as well as other Democratic leaders and the media who said
Romney’s stance was “outdated” and “a throwback to the Cold War.”

Less then a year later, Obama showed his weakness once again when he did absolutely nothing after Putin annexed the Crimean peninsula.

Then there was August 2013 when Obama refused to enforce the so-called “red line” he had drawn with Russia-backed Syria against the use of chemical weapons.

so yes you are right, Obama and Hillary committed treason too. Where was your outrage then, I ask?

So I admit Trump may have committed treason, will you say the same??? I really want to know.

Russia is not our friend. With over 30 indictments and 5 guilty pleas where are you getting your information? You might want to check out the DIRECT connections of the Trump regime to Russia. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.067d61f0b7dc. Do a search and you will find an enormous amount of that documentation.

Trump was shown proof that the Russians had meddled and hacked our elections. He continues to lie because he is complicit. Occam's Razor. Cyber warfare is warfare. We no longer use bows and arrows for war. To deny that this was an act of war is trying to cover up the word "treason" that was and is being played out right now.

"Democracy isn't dying in darkness, it's being murdered in broad daylight." The GOP have been trying to cover their tracks by allowing foreign money (PAC's don't have to disclose their donations as of last week), they won't allow testimony (Nunes phony investigation), Trump refuses to fully impose sanctions on Russia that was passed in Congress with all but a handful of representative's voting for sanctions. I could go on for days as I do pay attention.

Go ahead, you know you want to yell "but Benghazi" or "lock her up". The Republican backed Steele Dossier claims it's all about the oil money and not one item in the dossier has been proven untrue and many have been proven. I chose country over party. Trump and his enablers just want to loot. If you view their actions in this light, it all makes sense. Hope to see plenty of people out next Friday.

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Posted in reply to the post by Damage:

Well if you are talking about treason, then:


When then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gleefully presented a plastic “reset button” ... (ed. ? Gleefully??)

Then, there was March 2012. Obama promised then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have more “flexibility” on missile defense after being reelected..... (ed. true, he would.)

During a presidential debate in 2012, candidate Mitt Romney called Russia our top geopolitical foe, only to be mocked by Obama — as well as other Democratic leaders and the media who said
Romney’s stance was “outdated” and “a throwback to the Cold War.” (ed. another true thing; he also pointed out that Russia's not top of much of any list any more.)

Less then a year later, Obama showed his weakness once again when he did absolutely nothing after Putin annexed the Crimean peninsula..... (ed. weakness? that's when a lot of sanctions went in. True, didn't go to war. )

Then there was August 2013 when Obama refused to enforce the so-called “red line” he had drawn with Russia-backed Syria against the use of chemical weapons.

so yes you are right, Obama and Hillary committed treason too. Where was your outrage then, I ask?

So I admit Trump may have committed treason, will you say the same??? I really want to know.

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Interesting that you'll admit he may have committed treason. I think it's possible too, maybe even likely, but I don't think it's obvious. I certainly don't think any of your, to use the current coined prase, "what-about-ism' regarding Obama or Clinton has any foundation at all. Pretty casual use of the term 'treason'. Trump's actions may rise to that, but the jury's not even out yet - it's still waiting on evidence.

It looks like treason to many of us, including politicos who are alarmed by Agent Orange and his chumminess with Putin while throwing the United States (the CIA) under the bus. This takes hubris, but, more likely the truth of this reality is visible in plain sight by the man who is called our president who has been acting hostile toward our rule of law and many of our citizens. The deal with North Korea was a sham and so is Agent Orange's intention to prevent a nuclear melt-down with the Russians and the U.S. - Between the two powers, Russia and U.S. have 90% of the world's nuclear weapons; while Agent Orange has been pushing to build more! His motive appear to be more to do with profiting from weapons than concern for a melt-down and he likely touted this seemingly saving grace reason as a way to cover again his collusion with Russia for what we do not know as yet but can see, as plain as day, the treasonous act.

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Posted in reply to the post by O.W.:

...Our community has a unique opportunity to get a message out to all the tourists that come here every summer to escape the oppressive heat, that our community will stand up to the face of fascism/authoritarianism and stand up for our values. If not now when? Yeah I had a few middle finger salutes to which I replied: "hope you're learning Russian". Mostly many, many thanks and lots of thumbs up and cars honking in support.

:stoptheinsane:

I hope next Friday at noon I see more people exercising their rights to protest and saving our democracy. I will have extra signs and I hope you join me next Friday. #resist

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I'd like to return this thread to the topic of protesting downtown Sebastopol on Fridays.

I've always thought it was rather silly, more about therapy for the protestors than about accomplishing anything. But I confess I hadn't thought about the idea that tourists would also be exposed. I suppose that's another good thing about having tourists among us!

Do you think there is a point to protesting on the street corner? For that matter, is there a point to protesting at all that is short of a large-scale national protest, ala the Women's March?

I still think the most effective thing you can do is to work with Swing Left, Sister District, or Indivisible to elect a Democratic Congress! And come September (if not sooner) we need all hands on deck!

Dear friend Barry,
Protesting is far more than "silly" or "therapy." It was protesting that helped stop the American Wars on Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, as well as many other crimes. I was in the Army at that time, and I appreciate all those who protested, and woke we young soldiers up. Today's young women and men protesting against abuse also has an impact.

I consider protesting in the streets as important as voting. As a radical--by which I mean return to the roots--I do not expect much from the Democrats, except those like the 28-year-old Socialist Democratic woman recently elected to run on the Dem. ticket in the Bronx.

Yes to "Swing Left, Sister District, or Indivisible," as you say. It is my opinion that the American Empire is a sinking ship that will soon perish, as all empires do. Everything that lives perishes, which may soon happen to the aggressive American Empire, now lead by our worst president. May some of the American values of liberty and freedom continue.

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Posted in reply to the post by Barry:

I...Do you think there is a point to protesting on the street corner? ...

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My Dear and Honorable friend Shepherd,

Yes, protests were instrumental in stopping the Vietnam war. But those were large and well-publicised protests. What needs to change is Congress (until we can change the person that Putin installed)!

That means even changing minds of the few Republicans left in Sonoma County won't make a difference. We need to flip house and senate seats (and protect the vulnerable Democrats). Our representatives are already on the right side.

The same time & energy that it takes to hold up a sign and get honks or jeers... would be much better spent participating in a phone bank calling a flippable district!

When taking political action, ask yourself is it going to make a difference? How? Is this how I can be most effective? Or am I just stroking my own ego and getting support for my affinity group?

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Posted in reply to the post by Shepherd:

Dear friend Barry,
Protesting is far more than "silly" or "therapy." It was protesting that helped stop the American Wars on Vietnam, ....

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My response Barry, is we must protest, when genuine; it is always a good thing. Which doesn't mean not doing the things you have mentioned and continuing to find creative ways to intervene in the seating of the most audacious presidency of our life times, perhaps any life-time? Well, hopefully, we can turn-this-around-by any means we can employ within the parameters of our own personal sense of integrity. Anecdotally, some years back, a Jewish friend on our only date had asked me, what would I have done if I had met Hitler? He quickly answered for me, saying," You'd put a knife in-him wouldn't you?" I was struck by this man's utter stone cold deliverance and really, his passion for righteousness, and for the salvation of millions. We must do ever-thing we can do - to keep-on-with-the-keeping-on!

I must agree with Roberta. I believe this is the ultimate time to publicly express our boundaries.

We all feel so battered daily by current events, and overwhelmed. A week ago I think, I was driving in Healdsburg on the weekend and there were maybe a half dozen people with signs on a street corner. It was so encouraging, and uplifting, to feel the support and energy of like-minded people, taking a stand for our country and values, and it felt so good to be able to give back to them with honks and thumbs up. It gave me energy to keep going.

And I've got to say, that with the legitimizing of disrespect and vilification of others that the current regime has promoted, I've and others I've known have experienced outright acts of aggression - my sister having her car pounded on and profanities shouted at her about her Hilary bumper sticker as she drove through a parking lot, my Bernie-stickered car keyed by the driver of a truck sporting an over-sized US flag, among other things. I think that any public demonstration of holding high the value and respect of others is to be applauded and appreciated. As well as gratitude to those making calls to representatives, being active in groups, and getting out the vote in November.

Going back to O.W.'s post that started this thread, I am going to do my best to join her and others this Fri. at noon in downtown Sebastopol at the intersection of Highways 12 and 116. She indicates that she will bring extra signs and we can even bring some old-fashioned signs that we have used in previous years. It is important to exercise as many of our democratic rights as we can, while we can, in my opinion, as the American Empire continues to bleed and go down.

I feel inspired when I see Cavarley, Maureen, and others holding their love signs on that corner, reminding us that appropriate protesting and demonstrating are valid and help preserve our rights. It is my opinion that we need more, rather than less, such street actions.

Many thanks to all comments here. As an old protestor of the Vietnam War, it all started with a few people and grew larger and larger over time. Yesterday our "president" told us all to not believe anyone but him. By being out in numbers protesting the attack on our free speech and democracy maybe others will start taking another look? I refuse to normalize Orwellian attacks on my country.

With that said, I have to miss this Friday due to previous commitment but I will be there for the next few months because I do believe we make a difference. I'll get my signs to anyone who wants to take my place this Friday. I'll make more for Friday August 3rd. I'm determined. And yes Barry, it makes me feel like I am doing something besides signing petitions and calling my representatives on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. The latest polls have him in a dive and every person who is out there is helping.

I do not think there will ever be an adequate democratic front again the Dems have DEMostrated the ability to be scattered in a million directions by dog meat. and the whole Hillary/Sanders fiasco will be repeated with Green party split vote fiasco,with the good ol' electoral College coming in to decide the rich guys won (again) boring ,I vote but I'm not surprised so many don't ,wage slaves.

"just throw them the "Putin bone" and the (pardon me)Idiots with all scramble after it

meanwhile T,Rumposuar has done many actually illegal things that just get swept under the rug.

Russia is not our "enemy" and Putin good or bad is at least an intelligent rational being in charge of a huge country full of friendly well mannered and kind folk who make great food,play a lot of music and just want to farm and eat and have not colonized half the world and only saved our ass in ONE world war. We owe them immensely for that.

if there was a demonstration/actually a general strike,demonstration and full occupation that was missed it was the one for the great Nyne !! lie ,and the fallacy that somehow by hook of crok Kennedy's assassination was a mystery of some sort..and that in 1946 the atomic bomb was legally dropped on Japan for reason of necessity. Patriots oh guardians of our founding fathers give me a break.

if we swallow all that next next we'll be eating fake food thinking it's real! oh oops we already are...

there has been only one genius statement about people and politics ,and that was P.T. Barnum "There's a sucker born every minute" only maybe he was wrong ,maybe now it's every second.

So YEAH let's PROTEST but how about the whole damn LIE, and oh not to forget the banks etc stealing all the money that was OK too?

just give us our beer chips and tv and go shut up

or if you want real news maybe go to projectcensored.org ? I just want to go live in a cave

Nicofrog, Yeah, I get the cave thing. It's pretty hard when you pay attention and see the big picture not to want to run and put a blanket over your head or escape to a cave. Cynicism only gets you so far and removes you from alot of valuable interactions and thoughts. Yes I agree with your point on general strikes. The French know how to do it and shut down the whole country, get things changed right away despite the politicians and their donors.

Each Friday we are picking up a few more people to come stand Friday at noon downtown Sebastopol. The Vietnam War protests started small and we brought down the administration and stopped a war. It started on street corners JUST like Sebastopol. Can we count on you?

I am making several new signs for people who want to join the growing group doing something and not being arm chair patriots. It's a good experience and gets others thinking about what they can do to. And yes, it feels good to know that there are many others who feel the same way. You'd be surprised at all the people from all age groups, diversity groups and economic groups who thank us for getting out there. I was delightfully surprised.

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Posted in reply to the post by nicofrog:

I do not think there will ever be an adequate democratic front again ... I just want to go live in a cave

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I wish I had been downtown Sebastopol on Friday! I've been wiiped out with a virus recently from the smoke of rising fires, even though not as bad as last year, the smoke has affected my respiratory system and condition of asthma!

I'll be there soon! Keep-on-with-the-keeping-on! The good fight must go-on! It is our civic duty to protest Agent Orange and his band of reptilian aliens screaming out an agenda against the core values of majority of people living within our country and outside of our country as well! Peace-out!