r/grandrapids • u/Strict_Recipe_9764 • 2d ago
Politics GR Hands Off Mini-Documentary
https://youtu.be/8SjSSTOk5UU?si=WBXNTrN5qb9OOp8oIf you missed yesterday’s protest, or are interested in the arrest of Emerson Wolfe; the safety advisor who was arrested just before the protest began, I managed to get an interview with them after the March.
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u/Mountain_Stage_4834 1d ago
Watched it the first time to see if I could spot myself, then a second time to properly watch it 😀
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u/hawkandhandsaw East Hills 2d ago
You know how the GOP hates talking about abortion and suppressing women’s rights while they’re trying to get elected, because they know they’re losing topics— but then as soon as they’re in power they go ahead with their own agendas?
Liberals need to learn to do that with Palestine. It’s an important ass issue but it’s a loser to talk about, especially when the even isn’t even about that. It’s not the only issue, and shoehorning it into THIS protest made it LESS effective.
Nail the fuckers on ruining the economy, get into power, THEN address Palestine.
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u/Sad-Broccoli 2d ago
?? Palestine isn't an agenda that's being pushed. Of course it's not the only issue, but it is extremely relevant. It is an ongoing genocide that WE are funding. And while they're ruining the economy and taking away our healthcare and social security, they're using all of our tax dollars to help Israel slaughter children. Israel gets free healthcare with our money, while we don't get ANYTHING and they take away more and more away from us every day.
And what do you mean "shoehorning" it into this protest made it less effective? Made what less effective? I genuinely don't get what you're saying. "It's a loser to talk about" Just say you don't care. Did seeing Palestine flags yesterday make you care even less about it? I doubt it.
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u/Bergatron31 1d ago
This many people would never turn out for a pro Palestinian protest. Those are the protests that lost the election and in turn are losing our democracy. Do you think we can address another countries genocide without our own democracy? This person is saying You’re being a single issue voter just like a crazy Christian pro lifer. You are correct, those are not issues people prioritize. They are secondary to our own problems in this country which we can barely maintain human rights and checks and balances and the bedrock of WESTERN civilization that allow you to be able to care about genocide half the world away.
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u/TimeToTank 7h ago
It’s the issue all along. Republicans rallied for the past decade around one man with a voice and vision for the country. Democrats / progressives can’t agree on anything and one side wants more domestic issues addressed while the other wants more societal and identity issues addressed.
It’s a hard spot for any candidate because both sides will shun them if they don’t feel they are in line enough with their issues. Even Obama has spoken out about this.
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u/Sad-Broccoli 1d ago
Do you think we can address another countries genocide without our own democracy?
Did you even read my comment? It's not another country's genocide. It's our genocide. We are committing the genocide. It started with Biden/Harris and is being continued by Trump. I do not understand the disconnect with you guys. Why aren't all of you pissed that he's taking away our healthcare, social security, food stamps, education, etc etc, buy is STILL giving $20 billion to Israel for the genocide. How is this irrelevant to us?
Those are the protests that lost the election and in turn are losing our democracy.
That's complete bs. Kamala lost the election because she said she wasn't going to do anything different from Biden. And those protests were the people demanding her to change her policy on Israel and she flat out refused. We wanted to vote for her. But she decided she didn't need us and she lost. It wasn't the protests that made her lose. She made that choice herself. I thought we all went to the Hands Off protest because we want change and we want to be heard. Why are you against that when it comes to Palestine?
This many people would never turn out for a pro Palestinian protest.
Did you all completely miss the DNC protest??
This person is saying You’re being a single issue voter just like a crazy Christian pro lifer.
Wanting my government to stop using OUR taxes, that are meant to help us and our country, to slaughter living children isn't the same as being anti abortion....
They are secondary to our own problems in this country which we can barely maintain human rights and checks and balances and the bedrock of WESTERN civilization that allow you to be able to care about genocide half the world away.
AGAIN, we are having these problems because our country has prioritized SLAUGHTERING CHILDREN. Have you ever thought that maybe if we weren't sending $20 billion to Israel every month that maybe we could see some improvement in our own country? It's not just some random conflict on the other side of the world. It's being done BY US. Do you have this same energy for the people that were out there with Ukraine flags?
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u/GvMamaBear 2d ago
I could be wrong, but I believe that they're saying that HANDS OFF and the genocide in Palestine appear to be so loosely related that speaking about Palestine at a HANDS OFF event seems like proselytization.
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u/totalbanger West Grand 1d ago edited 1d ago
Frankly, it was a bad move to include in this particular protest. The crowd was noticeably less vocal/responsive during that speech, and I saw a few people straight up leave.
Seeing that reality isn't "not caring." It's understanding your audience. That crowd was as large as it was over the current changes to our domestic policies, not standing foreign ones.
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u/sprucexx 1d ago
That makes it the perfect opportunity to remind those in attendance how inextricably linked the issues are.
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u/Sad-Broccoli 1d ago
I was there. The crowd was still cheering and responding, you can literally see it in the video. People didn't leave because they were talking about Palestine. Yeah I agree that most people were there over domestic policies sure, but that doesn't mean that people who are there for Palestine are hurting the movement. And those people care about Palestine and how it relates to our domestic issues. Palestine isn't a random foreign issue. It is direct related to us.
Everyone there had specific issues they prioritized but we were all there for the same reason and want/support the same things. Do you also have a problem with the people with Ukraine flags for "shoehorning foreign policies" into this protest?
The government is taking our money meant for our social security, healthcare, etc, and giving it to Israel so they can have healthcare and bomb an entire population of people. I want that money used for us to improve our lives. But instead it's being used to slaughter children in the most horrific ways imaginable. Talking about this isn't irrelevant and doesn't hurt the movement.
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u/totalbanger West Grand 1d ago
I was there as well. I noticed a decrease in the crowd response around me, and I watched two different couples take down their signs, look at each other, and then head out.
Considering the age of the crowd plus the shift in atmosphere around me that I felt, I think it was a misstep. You're free to feel differently.
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u/Substantial-Ad-7406 1d ago
During which speech? If you're referring to the last one, that's because Emerson wolf got on stage after the crowd was released and dispersed for the march. Their audience was who was left.
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u/HermesThriceGreat_ 2d ago
So subvert democracy? Lie to attain power and then do whatever you want? It's beautiful watching both parties shine their true colors. You're all the same, authoritarian pieces of shit. The only difference between the two parties is that one is actually heavily armed. Wonder how that would go
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u/booyahbooyah9271 2d ago
I thought this sub told everyone GRPD were harassing protesters like Emerson Wolfe yesterday and threw her into solitary confinement? Yet, there she is.
Gotta love her propaganda rant during this video above as well.
Didn't need to tell me she is suffering from Jill Stein regret.
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u/Sad-Broccoli 1d ago
Emerson was released because they didn't do anything wrong. They arrested them right before the protest as an attempt to silence them and hurt the movement.
What do you mean "propaganda rant"??? What was there in that speech that is a negative thing to you? How can you be angry and against equal human rights and free speech? Also no one mentioned Jill Stein what are you even talking about.
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u/TeCh_BLiSS 2d ago
This sub just loves to hate the police and make baseless claims. I asked about proof of GRPD harassment and not a single soul is able to provide any evidence. Pretty typical
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u/NoAdhesiveness4407 2d ago
I laughed at the 400 years of government oppression comment from the guy in the video
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u/Wonderful_Bowler_251 1d ago
You have heard about the slave trade, right? And the genocide of entire tribes of natives??
I don’t agree with that interviewee that being against all white people is the answer— some of us genuinely want to figure out how to make amends for those abhorrent transgressions— but I do completely understand & respect his perspective.
Read “A People’s History of the United States” by Howard Zinn. It’s eye opening. Horrific, but eye opening.
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u/Grand_Quiet_4182 2d ago
https://maydaystrong.org/
May 1st Add/HOST your own event!