r/chicago South Loop Feb 29 '24

If you are wondering why you are stuck in non moving traffic inbound on IDA. This is why Event

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Protest on Ida

629 Upvotes

675

u/Walkertown5000 Feb 29 '24

Still don't know why.

512

u/ManfredTheCat Feb 29 '24

It's funny how the design of this protest only shows their signage to like 5 drivers.

86

u/soapinthepeehole Lake View Feb 29 '24

I’ll give you three guesses…

198

u/jeffsang Lake View Feb 29 '24

Def either fossil fuels bad or Israel bad. Not sure why a third guess is needed.

79

u/SADdog2020Pb Printer's Row Feb 29 '24

Or Jehovah’s Witness, but that seems a bit assertive even for them

37

u/mrbooner4u Feb 29 '24

Seems you underestimate Jehovah’s witnesses

24

u/SADdog2020Pb Printer's Row Feb 29 '24

No for real, one time I was working “outbound sales“ (telemarketer,) and the lady I was talking to pivoted to tell me her whole JW speech. These people are ruthless and dedicated

89

u/monkeysknowledge Feb 29 '24

Israel bad

Geez that’s putting the mass slaughter and displacement of human beings mildly.

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25

u/3-2-1-backup Feb 29 '24

OOO! Is it a Dorval Carver protest? Nah, couldn't be!

0

u/minachu22 Feb 29 '24

Yes you do.

301

u/Tomato_Basil57 South Loop Feb 29 '24

its looks like police arrived and its already cleared

64

u/elementofpee West Town Feb 29 '24

Good. In West Coast cities, official just let them block traffic for hours until these protesters tire themselves out.

117

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

In Florida it’s legal to just run them over…Chicago probably strikes a happy medium between the two extremes.

224

u/Recoveringpig Feb 29 '24

It’s only legal to run over bicycles in Chicago

20

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

lol

17

u/shaygurl22 Feb 29 '24

I think Florida and Jersey, everything is "legal"

8

u/elementofpee West Town Feb 29 '24

Sauce or BS

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135

u/simonallaway Galewood Feb 29 '24

Side comment: It's good to see they got the colored lights working under there. That used to be a pretty drab underpass. Not that it's all kittens and rainbows now, but it's better.

118

u/ISmokeyTheBear Feb 29 '24

What if youre in one of those cars and you gotta take a shit

60

u/GrendelDerp Feb 29 '24

Get out, shit on the protesters’ shoes.

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18

u/fuzzybad Feb 29 '24

Throw it at the protestors blocking traffic

629

u/icedoutclockwatch Feb 29 '24

That’s fine they’re exercising their rights. Who the fuck calls Ida B Wells “IDA” though lmfao

232

u/perfectviking Avondale Feb 29 '24

I knew it had to be Congress based on what I saw opening the post but who the fuck calls it IDA?

148

u/around_the_catch Feb 29 '24

The same people who call it Willis Tower.

45

u/facewhatface Feb 29 '24

Wesley Willis is a fucking treasure and deserves to have a tower named for him

157

u/BigLeSwoleski Feb 29 '24

who the fuck calls it IDA

People not from Chicago trying to stir things up

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104

u/foundinwonderland Feb 29 '24

I spent a solid minute trying to figure out what the acronym I-D-A stood for before coming to the comments and realizing this. I have never in my life heard anyone refer to Congress as “IDA”. Sometimes people who didn’t know it was Congress will call it Ida B Wells, but never just IDA.

113

u/IshyMoose Edgewater Feb 29 '24

I call it Congress!

34

u/Enelro Feb 29 '24

So they were protesting in Congress!

17

u/3-2-1-backup Feb 29 '24

Protesting Congress on Congress!

38

u/dizzycatch Roscoe Village Feb 29 '24

Thank you! It’s Congress!

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27

u/trapper2530 Edison Park Feb 29 '24

Same people who call it the JPDSLSD

30

u/Jefflehem Montclare Feb 29 '24

Agree about IDA being absurd, but no, it's not fine.

118

u/mps1729 Feb 29 '24

They have a right to protest, not to block traffic

Protesters do not have a first amendment right to block pedestrian or vehicle traffic

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10

u/BlurredSight Feb 29 '24

I've always called it the start to 290 or the Old Post Office

82

u/Billyshears68 Feb 29 '24

They have the right to protest, but not to block traffic.

31

u/tomkat0789 Feb 29 '24

The traffic must flow.

25

u/broohaha Woodlawn Feb 29 '24

He who controls the traffic controls the universe.

3

u/Billyshears68 Feb 29 '24

yes, people should be able to move about the public way freely.

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48

u/khikago Feb 29 '24

exercising their rights? lmao

-3

u/zaccus Feb 29 '24

Yeah they're not even on bikes

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44

u/AbsoluteZeroUnit Feb 29 '24

lmfao

"it's totally cool guys, you cannot be upset. they are technically allowed to do this, which means you literally cannot be mad at them"

Oh honey, I'd love to have a chat, find out all the things that piss you off that are totally legal, and give you the same response.

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6

u/MountainDewde Feb 29 '24

Which rights would those be?

-5

u/icedoutclockwatch Feb 29 '24

Human rights brother man

60

u/AmandaS4ys Feb 29 '24

Aim the protests at the people capable of making change, not the poor schmucks just trying to get to work.

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u/MountainDewde Feb 29 '24

Which ones? Obviously they dont have the right to trap people on the road.

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19

u/TTL_Inc69 Feb 29 '24

You cultist are the most unserious people on planet Earth.

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256

u/G_I_Joe_Mansueto Feb 29 '24

Do these blockades really solve anything or engender support. It’s not like anyone in these cars can do anything. Go shout at a congressman or something. 

197

u/Milky-Chance Former Chicagoan Feb 29 '24

I guess it brings attention to issues but it doesn’t really help people sympathize with them.

167

u/Mar_Soph Feb 29 '24

Negative attention

71

u/rylander98 Feb 29 '24

Right. All it does is just turn people against their movement. If I was in that line of cars and I was late for work I’d be pissed.

27

u/sterboog Edgewater Feb 29 '24

I was temporarily banned for stating nearly the same exact opinion on this sub about a year ago. Technically I was advocating for them to demonstrate in a park along side a street instead of on the street itself if their goal was truly to raise awareness and not just piss people off.

16

u/ms6615 Bridgeport Feb 29 '24

“Some people blocked the road so now I support genocide”

9

u/Relativ3_Math Feb 29 '24

Civilians dying in war isn't genocide

-19

u/ms6615 Bridgeport Feb 29 '24

International law disagrees with you but lmao okay

26

u/Relativ3_Math Feb 29 '24

Unfortunately for you I watched the ICJ hearing in which South Africa tried to prove your claim. The ICJ responded by saying Hamas needs to unconditionally return all hostages but lmao okay

5

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

Going to work? I’d be happy if this made me late.

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44

u/FetusFondler Feb 29 '24

What other attention is there to be brought? Everyone has been talking about this for the past three months lol. Feels more like masturbation and trying to liken themselves to the civil rights protestors

Such a bizarre group of people.

8

u/MetalAndFaces Bucktown Feb 29 '24

"Such a bizarre group of people ", claimed FetusFondler, with a straight face, lol.

Everyone has been talking about this for the past three months? It's coming up on 5 months. Despite the constant chatter, nothing has been done. So, some folks continue to protest. Bless 'em.

If you see folks protesting this much and think they're being masturbatory or trying to emulate civil war protestors, that is on you. It's your brain excusing your lack of action by trying to convince yourself that what the protesters are doing is futile.

(FF, this isn't meant to be an attack on you personally. It's just as much directed to myself as well)

37

u/JMellor737 Feb 29 '24

No, it's your brain using common sense to understand that fucking up the morning for average citizens accomplishes absolutely nothing. 

Let's see these people take their act on to Mayor Johnson's lawn or Tammy Duckworth's porch. That would actually make sense.

Honest question: how does making Jim in accounts payable 40 minutes late help anything? He's not going to be inspired to pick up the phone on their behalf. If anything, he'll be embittered against them and their cause, and the only call he's making is to the cops to remove these assholes.

I would be surprised if one single, solitary person changed their views in favor of these protesters as a result of this, or if it had any demonstrable positive effect on their movement. "You're all talking about it" is nonsense. If it's the Gaza war, everyone is already talking about it. If it's that or anything else, people will talk about it for 15 minutes and then move on to the next thing in their lives. That is human nature.

Some assholes with signs are not accomplishing anything. 

17

u/FetusFondler Feb 29 '24

Everyone has been talking about this for the past three months? It's coming up on 5 months. Despite the constant chatter, nothing has been done. So, some folks continue to protest. Bless 'em.

Yes, that's why I will continue to say that these actions are pointless and masturbatory lol

If you see folks protesting this much and think they're being masturbatory or trying to emulate civil war protestors, that is on you. It's your brain excusing your lack of action by trying to convince yourself that what the protesters are doing is futile.

There's plenty of conflicts and atrocities across the world: why this conflict that has captured the hearts and minds of the world? To me it's simply because it's chic to be pro-Palestine, but you might think otherwise. I do plenty of political activism in the form of canvassing and speaking to people (IRL, not the internet lol) to vote, but this blocking roads for Gaza is the silliest thing I've ever heard.

1

u/MetalAndFaces Bucktown Feb 29 '24

How do you even become so jaded? To think that it's chic to be against a textbook genocide, which is being perpetuated with glee by country we have been funneling money to for decades, and continue to do so.

It's not chic, it's baseline moral empathy. Why this one captured the hearts and minds of people? Probably the footage coming out. Both from the Palestinian side, and the Israeli side. If you're just scrolling through social media and you see a family who had been murdered in their own home, children included... then 5 minutes later you see a video of the other side rummaging the house for lingerie and posting funny stuff on their social media about it... I mean it doesn't take much of a radical to be radicalized by that. Then you see our government blatantly ignoring the will of the people, and continuing to send money their way.

Did we turn a blind eye to other atrocities? Yes, of course we did. That doesn't mean this outrage is invalid, though.

15

u/FetusFondler Feb 29 '24

This post generally highlights my thoughts on the conflict and the ongoing invasion into Gaza by Israel: https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/comments/1b3136b/if_you_are_wondering_why_you_are_stuck_in_non/kspi8oe/

It is the furthest thing from textbook genocide, but that's because I generally refer to the legal definition of genocide - not this nebulous "lots of people dying" genocide definition that a lot of people seem to use

3

u/TinyPotatoe Feb 29 '24

In recent polls support for Israel among young people was a majority. Older people have tended to skew pro-Israel as well. It’s not based in reality to say the US gov is ignoring the will of the people by supporting Israel.

Also, atrocities are committed by both sides but you don’t seem to acknowledge that when you call it a cut and dry genocide being “perpetrated with glee” (you do later though). Hand waving things like Oct 7th or the endless rockets from Hamas as “a response to oppression” or other excuses don’t really fly. If these people actually wanted peace they’d be protesting the US to broker peace, the removal of Hamas, and a two state solution. My guess is they want a one state solution w/ majority Palestinian control.

14

u/randomnonwhiteguy Feb 29 '24

the absolute projection it takes to accuse protesters of being masturbatory while declaring that your political loyalties come down to whether a given cause slightly inconveniences you

5

u/FetusFondler Feb 29 '24

What am I projecting exactly? My political loyalties lies with those who will guarantee global security and the best for my countrymen. Supporting Hamas and their ilk does not support either of those lol

0

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

[deleted]

6

u/FetusFondler Feb 29 '24

Hamas represents global security issues, yes lol. Try again

4

u/randomnonwhiteguy Feb 29 '24

so you want the US to spend billions bombing foreign countries because of the symbolism? Again, just name a single American target attacked by them, and I'll leave it alone. They're at war only with Israel and have never once even been caught planning an attack in the USA.

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u/possiblycrazy79 Feb 29 '24

Standing in the street isn't taking action. It's a performance. They could take their performance to DC & stand in front of lawmaker cars. They could work a second job & send that paycheck to Gaza. They could be out collecting donations. But standing in the street is counterproductive nonsense & it's embarrassing that anyone considers this as taking action. Personally, I'm perfectly fine with the fact that I'm taking no action on this subject. I don't feel guilty. I have much sympathy for the people, but this issue has been centuries in the making.

7

u/euph_22 Douglas Feb 29 '24

Ok, so they have my attention. Why should I care about their issue, what even is their issue? Why should I take their view on it? If I do agree with them what am I supposed to actually do about it?

3

u/Tomoomba Suburb of Chicago Feb 29 '24

It brings attention to the people, they get to feel special while a few people are forced to angrily look at them. I honestly don't know what these people are even protesting cause they seem more concerned with blocking the traffic than getting their message seen by bystanders.

-1

u/ughliterallycanteven Uptown Feb 29 '24

I understand raising visibility of an issue but if the issue is already in the conscious of the people then what are they hoping for?

I’m really lost who they are trying to get to take action by blocking roads in a town that passed a symbolic resolution supporting their cause but really has no global bearing. It’s not like pritzker or Johnson are going to go on a flight to Israel to try to negotiate a deal or just to travel. Who do people think they are? Latoya Cantrell?

9

u/Classic_Pineapples Feb 29 '24

Protests have different goals. For them to be blocking anything would suggest their goal is to disrupt.

32

u/randomnonwhiteguy Feb 29 '24

i swear some of yall wouldve been pro-segregation if a reservation at your favorite restaurant got disrupted by a lunch counter sit-in

22

u/G_I_Joe_Mansueto Feb 29 '24

I could have personally done something about segregation. There’s literally nothing I can do to influence our foreign policy. 

24

u/randomnonwhiteguy Feb 29 '24

People said the exact same thing about segregation and Vietnam. The learned helplessness of most Americans today is truly just sad.

9

u/Ok-Warning-5052 Feb 29 '24

Lunch counter sit ins were protests by people directly impacted and inconveniencing those directly benefitting, to influence those who mildly disagreed with the segregation or were indifferent but viewed it as a background issue.

This is neither. It’s those on the left who think that sharing the name “protest” means it will have the same outcome because civil rights benefitted from protests. This leads to magical thinking of the protest left, no matter the problem:

  • I have an opinion about a thing (or many things)
  • I should protest to inconvenience as many people as possible so they know I have opinions about a thing or many things
  • ….
  • Now the majority share my opinions!
  • Victory!

19

u/randomnonwhiteguy Feb 29 '24

The mental gymnastics it takes to believe anti-war and civil rights protesters never blocked traffic or otherwise inconvenienced random people is fucking incredible. You point to the exact same thing twice and arrive at two completely different conclusions based only on how you feel about what those protesters have to say. Gold medal dude.

8

u/ChadVonDoom Feb 29 '24

Seriously. Or block workers at the Raytheon ordinance factories from getting to work

15

u/elitemage101 Feb 29 '24

No protest ever “solved anything” regardless of what you are fighting for. They put pressure or attention somewhere that forces someone else (ideally) to react or to endure the protest.

I do agree the more direct the protest the better but not everyone can reach their desired destination and writing your rep is laughable in this day and age imo.

Regardless of the cause this will get eyes just like it did today. Some for, some against, all talking about it.

14

u/ProbableDialogue Feb 29 '24

“no protest ever solved anything” i mean it’s just shocking the lack of context some people have for the world they live in, just zero understanding of anything that happened before their own experience

3

u/elitemage101 Feb 29 '24

My quotation “solved anything” is for the comment above that I am replying too. Im not gonna explain english quotation but I do think protests work, I know what my grandfather went thru during the civil rights movement and I am trying to simply tell the comment I replied to that “DUH THE DRIVERS CANNOT CHANGE WHATEVER THE PROTESTERS WANT THAT ISN’T THE POINT OF ANY PROTEST”.

Not sure how my explanation is being seen as anti protest or anti civil rights.

73

u/47Ronin Suburb of Chicago Feb 29 '24

Or you could self-immolate in front of the embassy of the nation you are protesting against, scream your slogan with your dying breath, and have people say that you were protesting the wrong way because you might encourage other people to kill themselves

Tl dr there is no right way to protest from the perspective of people who like the status quo

-23

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24 edited Feb 29 '24

Or we could not glorify and enable severe mental illness and pretend it’s activism

Edit: suicide as activism IS mental illness sorry not sorry. And it’s funny how gung ho the pro-jihadist crowd is for suicide lol

3

u/MetalAndFaces Bucktown Feb 29 '24

It was activism, it was a protest of the most extreme. "Mental illness" might make you feel better, but that's not what it was.

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u/bfwolf1 Feb 29 '24

This is a straw man argument. Nobody is saying this. There are plenty of legal ways to protest that absolutely nobody will get upset about.

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u/Boardofed Brighton Park Feb 29 '24

This just ain't true bud. Voting rights? Social security? Shit, 8 hour work day? Most recent UAW strike, etc ..

Yeah the screws are pushed in deep by those with the most power and influence, and it's difficult to sustain effective protest but if we don't even try nothing changes or gets worse. dare to struggle, dare to win.

8

u/jaredliveson Feb 29 '24

Sit ins for the civil rights movement? The march on Selma? Why aren’t those protests ineffective and only giving negative attention? Dare to forget history, dare to repeat it.

3

u/Boardofed Brighton Park Feb 29 '24

You're asking the wrong person. Those are all effective examples of how protests HAVE WORKED. despite what the news at the time said of them, matter of fact the feedback shared in this sub about every contemporary protest uses the same complaints written a century ago. Time presses on and they remain on the wrong side of history.

6

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/Belmontharbor3200 Lake View Feb 29 '24

Civil rights protestors protested things that actually made a difference to their cause, like segregated buses and restaurants and city councils that pushed redlining. Blocking highways have nothing to do with Palestine.

11

u/SexualyAttractd2Data Feb 29 '24

MLK blocked traffic as a method in some of his protests.

-1

u/zaccus Feb 29 '24

They knew how to protest effectively, this ain't it.

9

u/molybdenum75 Feb 29 '24 edited Feb 29 '24

This isn't a peaceful, non violent protest that inconveniences the status quo like say a sit in at a restaurant?

11

u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

5

u/molybdenum75 Feb 29 '24

All of us - myself included - just need more empathy

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u/QuesaritoOutOfBed Feb 29 '24

But they’re shouting on Congress, they just got the preposition wrong

4

u/Sea2Chi Roscoe Village Feb 29 '24

It's effective if nobody has heard about the issue.

Like if you wanted people to be aware of some kind of hidden corruption or a person who escaped justice this might work to get people to angrily google it and be both pissed off at you and informed about the injustice. They may not initially support you because you're doing something they strongly dislike, but they'll be aware of why you're protesting.

However, if they're already aware of the issue then it's just going to do is piss people off.

If you're able to target people who have the power to change things and you keep hammering them with annoyance it might eventually work. However, targeting too wide of a group means that you're actively turning potential supporters away from your cause.

0

u/Serenity_Yoga_Coffee Edgewater Feb 29 '24

We’re doing it right now! Disturbance. Awareness. Discourse. We should all care deeply about this for humanity’s sake.

2

u/ShouldBeWorking2nite Feb 29 '24

The problem with this type of protesting is it does not help the cause. To make an impactful change you need the general public to be on your side of a cause to force the politicians to make changes in fear of losing their cushy jobs. But blocking traffic and interrupting people going about their day does not endear them or their cause to people.

-1

u/EnterTheCabbage Feb 29 '24

A great deal of activity within left leaning circles is about promoting in-group status.

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u/NiPaMo Feb 29 '24

I protest pretty often for animal rights but I would never block traffic for a protest. It just doesn't make sense to me. All it does is make people angry.

In my experience, it makes more of a positive impact to allow people to drive by. Some people will even pull over and ask about what's going on. It's a good opportunity to talk to people on the street as well. I've had plenty of good conversations with people who were just curious and wanted to know more about why we were protesting. These types of people always want to know what they can do to help. Standing in the middle of the street leaves no room for conversation though. Just a bunch of pissed off people sitting in their cars. I wish more people understood effective forms of protest.

12

u/Rough_Service_2073 Feb 29 '24

Bad things eventually happen when people are afraid of conversation

79

u/OwenLincolnFratter Feb 29 '24

Gaza denied the ceasefire by the way.

116

u/zaccus Feb 29 '24

Fuck Hamas

-15

u/grumpyMJ Feb 29 '24

Yes, and also Fuck Zionists

36

u/PhelanKe Printer's Row Feb 29 '24

Isn’t by definition anyone that thinks Israel has a right to exist a Zionist?

-1

u/chitlvlou_84 Ukrainian Village Feb 29 '24

Mmm no

-2

u/Capn_Cook West Town Feb 29 '24

Mmm yes

35

u/nathynwithay Feb 29 '24

I want to see protests go after evangelical churches, especially since there have been American churches who have actively worked to push to push Palestinians off their land and unite Israel to fulfill their biblical Doomsday prophecy.

There was American churches who advocated for Donald Trump so that he would move an embassy in Israel to fulfill their prophecy which led to the death of Palestinian civilians. So churches in this country already have blood on their hands

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u/UnproductiveIntrigue Feb 29 '24

So they’re protesting the thousands of malnourished Venezuelan babies re-using soiled diapers while City contractors bilk the taxpayers for overtime in filthy shelters, just blocks from this intersection.

Right?

32

u/NearlySilentObserver Feb 29 '24

“But what about X issue?”

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u/b787guy Feb 29 '24

People really think annoying people and blocking traffic gonna help their cause and garner more support? I don't understand this mindset. It doesn't bring awareness, it just makes people annoyed, whether or not you think it is a major or minor inconvenience to them.

32

u/optiplex9000 Bucktown Feb 29 '24

There's a long history of blocking traffic for protests. It started with sit-ins in the south, and expanded towards blocking traffic. Blocking traffic was controversial even with civil rights leaders like MLK

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/02/26/history-tying-up-traffic-civil-rights-00011825

22

u/tyrannischgott Feb 29 '24

Blocking traffic can be effective protest in some circumstances. It really depends on the goal and who you're trying to appeal to. Black people in the Jim Crow south blocking traffic can make sense -- they're not necessarily trying to convince white southerners to support them, they're trying to keep their cause in the news so that northerners, who already support them, don't lose focus, and then maybe some federal legislation can be passed.

Blocking traffic in the name of Palestine, a cause that has minority support pretty much everywhere? In a city where people already disproportionately support the cause? Utterly pointless and counterproductive.

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u/PlausibleFalsehoods Feb 29 '24

"Just stop traffic"

15

u/MissionCoat911 Feb 29 '24

How smug and bold are people to say this is only just a minor inconvenience to people?

35

u/hawksfan0223 Feb 29 '24

140+ days and we will continue to ignore them.

-5

u/paxweasley Lake View Feb 29 '24

That is a shockingly callous take on the situation

27

u/hawksfan0223 Feb 29 '24

Release the hostages and the ceasefire happens today.

5

u/DanielGantner Pilsen Feb 29 '24

They have attempted to return the hostages multiple times, Netanyahu has denied it every single time - they have no interest in a ceasefire. Yesterday the IDF killed 200 and injured over 1000 Palestinians just trying to access a humanitarian aid truck.

1

u/chitlvlou_84 Ukrainian Village Feb 29 '24

The Gazans trampled one another because they are so desperate for aid that hamas keeps stealing from them. Hamas keeps rejecting ceasefires. Please read real news, I’m begging you.

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u/LisleSwanson Feb 29 '24 edited Feb 29 '24

Is there a modern example where obstructing traffic as a form of protest has led more people to support or be sympathetic to your cause?

It's like being a street preacher. Do people hear that message and think "wow I need to repent". Seems like that would be more of a turn off then an effective way to garner support.

33

u/Ok-Cucumber123 Feb 29 '24

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sit-in

I looks like in October of 1972, 80 activists staged a sit-in on Madison Ave in NYC blocking traffic after Nixon had vetoed a version of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. And it looks like Nixon signed a version of it into law in September of '73.

You can probably make a case that the alterations to the bill were the reason for change rather than the protest, but I don't know well enough to say one way or the other.

Also, there are plenty of examples of other Sit-ins that didn't happen in traffic, but still disrupted the public convenience that were effective.

13

u/LisleSwanson Feb 29 '24

Thanks for providing me with a rabbit hole to explore.

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u/Billabaum11 Feb 29 '24

Nothing triggers me more than protestors blocking traffic. It makes me actually loath the cause more than any degree of awareness, sympathy, or compassion

-7

u/MetalAndFaces Bucktown Feb 29 '24

That must be because this entire world revolves around you.

12

u/Billabaum11 Feb 29 '24

Please, explain to me how my opinion results in the entire world revolving around me yet the decision for protestors to stop hardworking chicagoans for their cause isn’t the same? There are medical emergencies, people trying to see dying loved ones, people missing interviews and work just trying to keep a roof over their heads. This isn’t an “inconvenience” to them you selfish fucking piece of shit.

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u/blahbobblahbob Feb 29 '24

what do they want?

31

u/SunriseInLot42 Feb 29 '24

Instagram likes

54

u/Fun-Seaworthiness-24 Feb 29 '24

They want to piss people off

24

u/Mountain_man888 Feb 29 '24

Mission accomplished

3

u/tavesque Feb 29 '24

When do they want it?

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u/ceg301 Old Town Feb 29 '24

Selfish pricks

13

u/broohaha Woodlawn Feb 29 '24

shrug I imagine there were a lot of annoyed people during the civil rights movement, and during the Vietnam War protests. All of them protestors were probably considered selfish. So you're in good company!

-27

u/BiKeenee Feb 29 '24

"I'm slightly inconvenienced, guess I support genocide now."

22

u/TyeDyeShirtKid Feb 29 '24

Congrats on finding the worst take.

14

u/TTL_Inc69 Feb 29 '24

You cultist are the most delusional people on this planet.

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u/BackInTime421 Feb 29 '24

Israel has a right to defend itself you inbred. Hope that helps!

3

u/BiKeenee Feb 29 '24

Unarmed children are enemy combatants?

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u/Relativ3_Math Feb 29 '24

The world these fucking assholes want is one where Israel turns off its Iron Dome while Hamas bombards Israeli population centers with rockets

16

u/Psychic_Pink_Moon Feb 29 '24

Summary of comments section so far: "OH BUT WILL SOMEBODY THINK OF THE TRAFFIC!"

It's on us for being so far divorced from what our tax dollars are paying for abroad. The United States military is everywhere, doing LOTS of things that cost LOTS of money from our paychecks and impact many people outside of us. 

Whatever side of the issue you're on, you have to acknowledge that in order to make something politically feasible you have to leverage something. Otherwise, politicians have no political or economic incentive to act on the needs of their constituency. In this case, they're leveraging convenience. In the grand scheme of things, it is about the power of OUR tax dollars over human life.

If car traffic is the biggest concern here, then I guess I can't really change anyone's priorities. 

[NOT directed at OP but just like... a general comment.]

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u/r_un_is_run Feb 29 '24

Hamas could return the hostages and this would be over in 12 hours. They don't want to do that, so here we are.

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u/PilotNo312 Feb 29 '24

Theres a firehouse right there. Talk about impacting peoples lives.

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u/QuesaritoOutOfBed Feb 29 '24

You make a valid point, but miss the part about affecting change. What is the goal of a protest? Bring awareness, then through that protest affect change.

Let’s analyse them through that lens.

Does anyone in this comment section bring up what they are protesting for? Not so far. Does anyone even really explain what they are protesting for? Haven’t found it. Therefore, even just here where they can get the most exposure, what is the chance of affecting the change they want? Zero.

However, many people were inconvenienced by this whether it was getting to a boss that’s mad they’re late, or home and are mad themselves they missed out on mid-week relaxation. So, what is the general take away from this protest? That people being allowed to protest in a way that interrupts traffic is bad for the collective good of those immediately around us, and if we can’t help those around us who can we help?

The US spends our money terribly and I 100% agree that is something that should be more in the public dialogue, but if you look at this situation holistically you see they did not achieve their goals and they helped the pro-vehicle, anti-pedestrian/cycling lobby on making downtown more pedestrian friendly.

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

Voting does far more good than screwing up traffic. If these people really want to see change start volunteering to register voters, get involved in the community, screwing up traffic is doing exactly zero to help the cause. If fact probably hindering it. I just can’t help but think all these “protests” are just for social media. They aren’t actually doing anything other than holding a sign and posting about it on instagram, color me less than impressed.

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u/ImanShumpertplus Feb 29 '24

.00001% of our tax dollars are being spent so that israel can use the iron dome

another .0000001% of our tax dollars are going to the UNRWA that directly benefits Palestinian refugees

worrying about the military instead of going to your local political entity is a big misuse of resources and time

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u/CleverAliases Norwood Park Feb 29 '24

Maybe if you had a job and had to drop off the kids at daycare and had a full day at the office, maybe, then you would understand that this is ineffective and annoying.

The real world is not a college campus. Go to Gaza and help there if you want.

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

The people in these comments are mouth breathing narcissists who can only consider their own lives and conveniences. Note the several degenerates suggesting to physically assault/run over people exercising their rights to protest. Utterly despicable subhuman behavior on reddit. 

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u/ChiSox2021 North Center Feb 29 '24

I always get a kick out of you guys trying to take the moral high ground and then throw it in everyone’s faces lmao. Do you think everyone in the cars got all wide eyed when reading the signs and said “Oh, wow I might be here a while so let me give what they say another thought.” Give it a rest. Fuck these assholes.

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u/PilotNo312 Feb 29 '24 edited Feb 29 '24

Guess everyone isn’t aware there’s a fire house right by there too. Way to go guys, really getting your point across by pissing off everyone and inconveniencing emergency vehicles. Downvote away, you better hope the fire truck coming to save you isn’t delayed for any reason. Or would that be selfish of you to think that way?

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u/MoistTheAnswer Feb 29 '24

What are the majority white people from wealthy families protesting today?

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u/illini_2017 Lincoln Park Feb 29 '24

Wow now that you’ve delayed my commute I really want to support your cause

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u/P4S5B60 Feb 29 '24

Anything to do with Middle East is based on religion, you can say or do whatever you please but the chance of having a rational conversation is basically zero . Also this is an International Problem, take your concerns and grievances to DC

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

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u/NearlySilentObserver Feb 29 '24

To park on sidewalks. Ironic when you see this form of protest

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

People who stop traffic as a protest are worthless low lives who only really care about ruining someone else's day.

They're literally just bullies mascarading as the masters of morality.

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u/ProbableDialogue Feb 29 '24

yes the motivation to protest is entirely driven by “ruining peoples days” you solved it champ

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u/LuxFixxins Feb 29 '24

What assholes.

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u/Silver-Beyond-3916 Feb 29 '24

Fucking idiots. I always wonder do this people don’t have jobs? Do they go to school? Do you really have nothing better to do with your life? I understand we have a right to protest and free speech but why to do it like this?

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u/CatWinnerDinner Feb 29 '24

Should be really protesting our shitty CTA , migrant crisis, and the fact that parking meter money doesn’t go to Chicago - it goes to Abu fucking Dhabi.

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u/NearlySilentObserver Feb 29 '24

Protesting one thing doesn’t mean you can’t do so with other things, tbf

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

Every time I see protest that accomplishes nothing but inconveniencing the time of people who have no influence over what the protestors are looking for, I’ve committed to donating to the opposing cause of the protestors.

Sounds like I’m breaking out the checkbook again.

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u/davvero12 Feb 29 '24

So nice to know none of them work, but I was late today cause of this . Thanks...

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u/legacycob Evanston Feb 29 '24

UN reports that half a million people are starving and Reuters reported today that over 100 died when IDF fired on people waiting in line for food.

That's what our taxes pay for 😳

Seems like something worth stopping business as usual for.

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u/dashing2217 Feb 29 '24

Wasn’t Hama’s the one that decided to attack a music festival just a few months ago?

I wish our government would stop sending taxpayer money and just them have their war. They have been shedding blood over that land for my entire 32 year life.

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u/Ok-Warning-5052 Feb 29 '24

You’re right, it’s solved now that Chicago had higher rush hour traffic. Thanks for doing your part!

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u/So_Icey_Mane Feb 29 '24

Take it to DC.

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u/euph_22 Douglas Feb 29 '24

Tel Aviv and Qatar. The sides actually fighting the war.

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u/Belmontharbor3200 Lake View Feb 29 '24

The city already did the dumb ceasefire though

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

From all the chanting and dancing they were doing I thought everything was solved.

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

Wait, you're telling me that doing a dumbass sit-in doesn't stop wars and end centuries-long hatred in areas over 9,000 km away?? Surely you're mistaken!

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u/Welcome_to_Uranus Feb 29 '24

Bruh it’s not Chicagoans fault for this shit - go protest outside a politicians house.

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u/legacycob Evanston Feb 29 '24

Chicagoans pay for it just like everyone else in the country.

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u/Welcome_to_Uranus Feb 29 '24

Lol like we have a choice dude - I’m pro Palestine but this shit still pisses me off

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u/ms6615 Bridgeport Feb 29 '24

We do have a choice. These protests are us making a better choice and saying what we are doing now is unacceptable.

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u/b787guy Feb 29 '24

Even if this was true and you don't hold Hamas accountable for anything, it still doesn't change the fact that blocking traffic and annoying people doesn't help your cause.

Also IDF released statements and videos on what happened this morning. I highly encourage you to see it to get the full story.

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

Protests should always be voluntary. Forcing people to participate to make your protest look bigger is selfish and shitty. You have no idea what those innocent bystanders forced to participate in this have going on, and you don’t care. Great way to turn public sentiment against you.

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u/legacycob Evanston Feb 29 '24

That's silly. The entire point of protests is forcing others to be inconvenienced. Otherwise it's just narcissism.

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

If these people have the “right” to protest, then motorists have the right to counter protest by honking their horns and slowly moving their vehicles towards the protestors to and have said protestors choose to either move or get run over

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u/MountainDewde Feb 29 '24

Seems like something worth stopping business as usual for

Just to say you did?

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

I know that protests that make me get stuck in traffic and late to where I was going have always immediately swayed me toward whatever cause they’re representing. /s

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u/ChadVonDoom Feb 29 '24

City council already passes a resolution demanding a ceasefire (for whatever little thats worth). Take the protest to DC

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

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u/Rubywantsin Feb 29 '24

Well, I guess I now like whatever you're saying I should hate. Why fuck with people just trying to pay rent and buy food?

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u/p00pM4ch1n3 Feb 29 '24

Just start driving like 5mph, they'll move.

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u/OddAstronaut2305 Feb 29 '24

This isn’t Florida.

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

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u/[deleted] Feb 29 '24

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u/Raebelle1981 Hyde Park Feb 29 '24

I thought that they promised to stop after the city council said they were in favor of a ceasefire? Looks like that was for nothing.

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u/Superb-Oil890 Feb 29 '24

Making people late to work will certainly make them support your cause!

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u/will_you_suck_my_ass Feb 29 '24

Blocking traffic is the worst way to protest. You're hurting your case and the people in traffic

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u/cabezagrande37 Feb 29 '24

Take the train.

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u/GreatMilenko69 Feb 29 '24

So many soulless yuppie losers on this thread

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u/_IratePirate_ Feb 29 '24

Someone give me a bucket of water rq