[worker767424]

Regarding Australia's limits on protest during the Sydney covid lockdown, one official basically said "people can exercise their freedom of speech other ways, like writing a letter to the newpaper or sending an angry email" (paraphrased). I think he seriously thought these circular-filed complaints carry the same weight as a protesters in front of government buildings.

[908B64B197]

> "people can exercise their freedom of speech other ways, like writing a letter to the newpaper or sending an angry email" (paraphrased).

That's what the founding fathers did, ironically. Didn't work either.

[lurquer]

> I think he seriously thought these circular-filed complaints carry the same weight as a protesters in front of government buildings.

They do carry the same weight.

They are both useless.

Standing around holding signs and marching and chanting has never been effective.

Having the crowds filmed and broadcast, on the other hand, is effective. If the media isn’t making a story out of it, it means nothing.

In the 60s and 70s people began to believe marching and protesting en mass was effective. But, it was only effective because the media, for their own reasons and agendas, decided to broadcast the Freedom Marches and anti-war marches and all the rest.

I don’t believe that prior to the 60s, anyone would have considered milling around in front of govt buildings effective at all. To be sure, having mobs tearing down the buildings was effective and happened frequently.

You could assemble a million protestors in DC and, if it’s not shown in CNN, you might as well have stayed home.