[AnkhMorporkian]

> Protesting in your city has little impact on the federal level.

Sure, if you're trying to effect change on a federal level. Do you think that marching in a small town in France or Egypt would have a different effect?

Marching in your town is worth it for changing laws in your town, or possibly your county. Protesting at the state capital would be effective for changing laws in your state. Protesting in DC would be effective for changing the laws in the country.

Is any of that surprising?

Edit: I suppose it is a little surprising as the US and Canada are the only two 'free' countries as big as we are that allow protesting in any real capacity. China and Russia are out of that category (China pretty much always, Russia for most of recent history.) It does make protesting more difficult than in smaller countries, but what's the alternative? Every single protest in every city should be recognized by the federal government?