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Thank you for your thoughtful post and welcome. I've given what you wrote a great deal of thought but am finding it difficult to respond if only because you raise so many issues. Frequently the Democratic Party is said be composed mainly of special interest groups. Certainly there's some validity to that observation for Democrats often craft messages to appeal to certain demographic groupings. But that take misses the larger point for many who vote for Democratic candidates - who look to core Democratic beliefs about the social contract, about fairness, about the role of government. Sure, Wall Street and special interest groups attempt to influence the legislation that Democrats pass, just like they attempt to control the Republican agenda. And individual candidates may be far from what we'd wish them to be. But to call those who choose to speak out against the Trump agenda "puppets" strikes me as harsh.
So why do you think that more blacks did not come out to the March? Is it for the reasons you described? DC is about 50 percent African-American. To not participate (that is assuming they opposed potential Trump policies, some Black Americans may well support them) strikes me as possible confirmation of criticism of the Democratic Party - that it is composed of people who are only in it for what the government can do for them personally or perhaps those like them - be it LGTB, immigrants, poor, Black, what have you.
My dental hygienist who is African-American marched. Her objections to Trump that she spelled out while cleaning my teeth (which made it difficult to join in the conversation) started with the Access Hollywood tape - she saw that as *evidence* of the core Trump personality and did not want that kind of person as her President. More, she was terribly upset that having seen it folks still voted for Trump. Her exact words were: "People just didn't CARE." The intense sadness in her voice was striking. She expected more COMMUNITY.
As to how the March was organized (around women) ... One of the issues when it comes to objecting to Trump is that he has provided so MUCH possible ammunition. Women are a large demographic group - most families contain a woman and, if only as political strategy, that seems to be a good starting point for those who oppose future Trump policies. Given the numbers that came out - the organizers were correct. Now I can't speak to the individual motivations of each marcher - one news reporter commented that the largest single reason most gave for coming out was concern about health care. I've only heard bits and pieces of the actual speeches - and yes, I agree, that some of the rhetoric struck me as silly. Not my cup of tea, but then it doesn't NEED to be for me to oppose what Trump stands for - that, yes, includes how he tries to portray ALL police as victims and undercut community based policing efforts.
And, yes, you are right that Trump uses "dogwhistle" language when it comes to Black Americans. But his self-absorption ... lack of genuine concern or empathy ... inability to separate gross stereotypes from reality that is shown for ONE issue will almost certainly be shown for others. You ask where white Liberals were in the past and why there weren't more vehement objections to past abuses of Black people. Certainly, many of your points are valid and the passion of your words is admirable, honest. My personal take is that all folks will object to what impacts them personally but that a lesser number will object to what impacts others or stand for a principal. Here, though, we are dealing with simple human nature seemingly selfish or not. Nothing original or particularly profound about that observation. And so again, I come back to - why not march and vote against Trump if you believe his policies to be wrong - either for the nation or those you identify with or you personally?
Thanks for your reply. As for your question, I don’t think that’s a difficult question to answer. Most black people feel that since the authorities do not care about them or respect what they have to say, there is hardly any point in demonstrating for anything unless it concerns issues that affect them specifically. And even when it comes to issues affecting them specifically, it is still rare to see most black people doing any demonstrations because they feel so powerless. Besides, the protest was presented as a “women’s protest” and not about protesting Trump’s cabinet appointments or anything like that. And in most black people’s eyes, the vast majority of the people engaging in it only care about their own self-interests and certainly don’t give a crap about them. Which is precisely the problem I was bringing up earlier. If people would stop being selfish and actually behave consistently in their “opposition” to “injustice”, then things would be better for everyone generally. But, as you pointed out, it’s human nature to be self-centered and most people only pay lip service to the concept of “justice” or “fairness” but don’t really believe it when it doesn’t serve their own interests.
As for Trump, while he is no doubt a crude and boorish person who lacks integrity and has serious personality issues, I don’t believe he is anywhere near as extremist, racist or socially conservative as he pretended to be. I think he is simply a victim of his own political foolishness. The way I see it, he thought that the only way a lifelong-Democrat New Yorker like him could win the GOP nomination was to talk and act like the most extremist jackass possible. That’s why he said all sorts of outrageous nonsense that he didn’t even really believe. This was a bad miscalculation, in my opinion. I personally think that if he had just run by being himself and being straight-talking and populist but doing it in a reasonable and sensible way and presenting ideas that made sense, he would have not only won the nomination but he would have won the general election much more easily with less dirt and baggage on his head. He actually harmed himself terribly by behaving the way he did, and it wasn’t even necessary. In fact, it is even condescending to the Republican base and to “Middle America” that Trump believed that the way to win their votes was to talk and act like a crazy person. And now he has boxed himself into a corner politically in so many ways as a result of that. It’ll be interesting to see how he gets out of it.
Why in the world would any of you belittle and degrade women and even men having a peaceful march. Do you think that little of yourselves that you have to degrade others in order to make you feel valid. Have a march of your own with something you feel passionate about. Stop sitting on your couch and be an activist for your cause instead of insulting others for their cause. Sorry, you guys are just babies.
First off it wasn't all that peaceful for those wearing anything related to support of the president elect. Secondly, all the vulgarity was "off putting" ESPECIALLY as there were young children all around.
Third, y'all left a huge mess behind.
Fourth, there was no clear message other than "we're unhappy and are going to take it out on the rest of you".
So, now you know a few reasons why people are mocking the bit$h fest that was the march...
Yep, why interrupt a chance to bit#h and to get together for a good cry...
Now y'all wipe your tears away and go home feeling good that you got your point across......The point that you've got NO CLUE what there is to be so wound up about other than Hillary lost.
First off it wasn't all that peaceful for those wearing anything related to support of the president elect. Secondly, all the vulgarity was "off putting" ESPECIALLY as there were young children all around.
Third, y'all left a huge mess behind.
Fourth, there was no clear message other than "we're unhappy and are going to take it out on the rest of you".
So, now you know a few reasons why people are mocking the bit$h fest that was the march...
The culture of the workplace makes it hard to find out that the man in the next office is making more than the woman down the hall. It has to do with the idea that we are not supposed to discuss our salaries. That, unfortunately, is still workplace culture supported by the bosses.
Also, it is NOT necessarily illegal unless you can prove that it was done because of gender discrimination. Very difficult to prove.
I proved mine- stupid men told me -- the boss said to me-- well he has a family to support ! I also had a unionand they were not going to lie - so up to you if you want to LIE-- catch you on that-- going to cost you a pretty penny- ching ching
First off it wasn't all that peaceful for those wearing anything related to support of the president elect. Secondly, all the vulgarity was "off putting" ESPECIALLY as there were young children all around.
Third, y'all left a huge mess behind.
Fourth, there was no clear message other than "we're unhappy and are going to take it out on the rest of you".
So, now you know a few reasons why people are mocking the bit$h fest that was the march...
I proved mine- stupid men told me -- the boss said to me-- well he has a family to support ! I also had a unionand they were not going to lie - so up to you if you want to LIE-- catch you on that-- going to cost you a pretty penny- ching ching
I don't know anyone who believes that a woman should be paid less than a man given the same job/same duties.
I have worked in corporations that were...well.... woman "unfriendly" and did their level best to keep women from leadership or supervisory positions. "Almost" everyone below manager thought it was absolutely WRONG and yet those women who were being held down never did anything to change it (except complain to co-workers) although they could have easily gone to the EEOC and filed suit and won a bucket full of $$$$$ AND changed policy for those following them.
I did my level best as someone who had "minor power" to help competent women rise up the ladder by training them on higher projects and caught flack because of it.
Sadly it does exist and can only be changed by the affected women launching a challenge at the time it's happening.
No march is going to fix it for them that's for sure...
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Let me explain...
I also had a union 
