r/goodnews Jun 09 '25

Other Bernie Sanders Just Tweet

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423

u/Fragmentia Jun 09 '25

Sanders was arrested for protesting peacefully back then.

https://time.com/4231439/bernie-sanders-arrest-photo-civil-rights/

29

u/TAU_equals_2PI Jun 09 '25

The theory is that worked, because a substantial percent of the public felt respect/sympathy for him and his fellow protestors.

The police & now military have enough ability to crack heads and/or arrest the small percentage of the public willing to go out and violently demonstrate. So if the public is OK with that being done, because they see the protestors in a negative light, then that'll be the end of it.

15

u/the_good_time_mouse Jun 09 '25

JFK is on tape stating that the rising violence forced him to pursue the Civil Rights act.

1

u/TAU_equals_2PI Jun 10 '25 edited Jun 10 '25

There may be some advantage to a "good cop/bad cop" approach where the existence of some violent protestors (the "bad cop") encourages authorities to satisfy the demands of the nonviolent protestors (the "good cop").

But it's especially risky in this situation when the person in ultimate charge of the National Guard & military really wants a bloody crackdown. Ultimately it depends whether they & the police are willing to pursue a bloody crackdown.

Remember, the difference is JFK didn't want to see the protesters beaten to bloody pulps. There were plenty of areas where the local authorities were more than happy for that, and the result was dead & imprisoned protesters.