Voices
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quote of the day

It's meaningless just to shout loudly at the rallies.

5 Comments

A 44-year-old woman from Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture. She attended anti-nuclear rallies outside the prime minister's residence at their peak last summer, but gave up because she thinks the protests are ineffective. (Asahi Shimbun)

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Not really. It's meaningless when you strictly obey the police at these rallies, such as staying within their cordons and allow yourself to be ushered around by them.

Shouting can have its effects.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I agree. This methodology will not work in Japan. It will not attract mainstream support. It will not influence change in the government.

So how do you effect change here? Put down the signs, stop marching and start organizing into a meaningful political movement. You need funding. You need leaders who can speak to the general public. You need to find or create supporting politicians and get them elected. You need to change how other people vote so that the public at large will support your desire to change.

Real change comes from real political and social activism that is focused, able to reach general public opinion positively and able to put people in power (or gain the support of those who already are in power) to effect real change.

Protesting is important, but it is Day 1 work. Day 2 to victory is political work. So time to recognize that the movement must evolve. This lady is dead on with her opinion!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Meaningless?

Get together, scream, and go home.

Next day, you have a raspy voice, all day.

How much more meaning can a person take?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

She is correct, but maybe for the wrong reasons. It is meaningless to protest nuclear power in Japan because it's not going anywhere! Even if we elected an entire parliament of anti-nuclear politicians, they won't be able to do anything about it.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The protests are too timid and undisruptive. They protest in the confines of the rules set forth by the polce/lawmakers that keep them from causing any trouble for anybody, the government included.

Why would the government bother listening to them as long as they pose no political, economic, or social threat?

As much as I dislike violence and situations as such, there needs to be some element in protests to make those in power to stop, look, listen, and act/react.

I agree that focused political action is the most effective way for change in addition to mass protests. Unfortunately, the last election showed us that this has yet come to fruition even though it was the perfect time for it to happen.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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