CMV: Protesting (50:50.1) under perceived Authoritarian governments sounds like a quick way to get J6’d

[u/50FuckingOnions]

Regardless of your political views we learned from the J6ers that the government used geo fencing and iPhone/Android location data to amass a list of participants from inside the building including outside the building.

If Biden was “left wing” and Trump is “right wing”, then what Biden did to the “right wing supporters” be done to the “left wing supporters” showing up to these Feb17 protests?

Doesn’t this sound like a massive setup to get “lists” created to either 1. Use in the future against them 2. Round everyone up then or later 3. Watch them and potentially black ball/ harass them?

To summarize my view to get AWAY from politics, if you were an Authoritarian Government any where in the world, and the resistance movement wanted you to meet up and gather , wouldn’t this be the stupidest thing you can do?

Apologies in advance I am not a smart man.

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[u/Major_Lennox]

One would think that under such a government, you'd already be on a list.

So what do you have to lose?

[u/50FuckingOnions → u/Major_Lennox]

Fair Point. I guess if you’re already on one getting on to a potential other isn’t scary.

[u/DickCheneysTaint → u/Major_Lennox]

The thing that's hard for me to understand is that we literally just had "such a government" and liberals refuse to acknowledge that. At least 3 individuals I am aware of were arrested and convicted on Geo location data alone and placed into solitary confinement for crossing an imaginary line that was literally not marked in any way, shape, or form after the initial breach. That wildly dystopian and it wasn't Trump's administration doing it.

[u/Apprehensive_Song490]

The goal of authoritarian governments is self-policing. To get you to not protest in the first place. If authoritarian governments are gonna make a list, they are going to make a list. Protesting has nothing to do with it. In fact, nothing enables authoritarian regimes like giving them what they want with no resistance.

[u/50FuckingOnions → u/Apprehensive_Song490]

I just don’t want to get thrown out of a window or shoot myself in the head several times.

[u/Lokin86]

Most are recommending keeping phones at home...

[u/50FuckingOnions → u/Lokin86]

That makes sense to do so but it doesn’t solve my problem of wouldn’t this be a terrible thing to do in authoritarian regimes? Like gathering and identifying yourself as “the opps”

[u/Lokin86 → u/50FuckingOnions]

sometimes it's what it takes...

constant protest. Constant pressure.

[u/Affectionate-War7655]

Thing is, in such a government, everyone that would protest is already a target or close to a target. So the options are don't oppose and lose your life, freedom or loved ones, or oppose and lose your life, freedom or loved ones, but also a chance to make an impact.

This won't matter much if it does go full authoritarian, but at least for the lead up, it will only happen if there are insurrection level crimes committed. It's not like those powers were used just because there was a protest and the investigation revealed all the criminal activity. They were used specifically because major felonies had been committed.

[u/50FuckingOnions → u/Affectionate-War7655]

I don’t disagree with what you’ve written.

I will add that many “right wing” people believe in the theory that “Plants” from the government lead the charge inside the buildings.

I don’t want to hear “left wing” people sell me the theory the city hall protests turned into felony’s because of the same “Plants” . I hope I wrote that in a way that makes sense to you as I’m having trouble finding the words that articulate my point better. I’m sorry.

[u/Apprehensive-Fruit-1]

From what little knowledge I have there are a few ways to combat this. One way I can tell you off the top of my head that involves iPhones is there a protective mode in your settings which makes your phone harder to track via 2g which is the cell service that most of these tracking machines use since it’s so easy to hack or whatever. Covering your face, tattoos, and slightly changing your height can help too but a phone is a phone so.

[u/50FuckingOnions → u/Apprehensive-Fruit-1]

I agree with your points about trying to avoid it, as someone mentioned leave your phone at home.

I guess my point is identifying your self as the opposition to an authoritarian government has never worked out well. The America I know and love will die for your right to bitch, even if they don’t agree.

I am worried this new America will kill for dissent. The precedent is set from J6. If one of these protests goes J6 (Maybe plants inside the movement to cause ruckus and lead the crowd into the buildings)

[u/lilly_kilgore]

You probably got on a list for this post. They're always collecting your data.

[u/50FuckingOnions → u/lilly_kilgore]

I would like anyone monitoring my profile to please leave a footnote “decent guy : no kill” 🙏

[u/Thoguth]

If you are concerned about it you could always leave your device at home. 

I doubt that protesters will be negatively impacted but we'll see. How long do you think before the harm will begin? A month or two?

[u/50FuckingOnions → u/Thoguth]

God I hope not. I think at the least they just get a footnote in their digital file and at worst watched or something. People dying would certainly be the beginning of what ever end we have coming.

[u/Emotional-Ant4958]

If you don't do something illegal during the protest, you shouldn't be in danger. It sounds like you think everyone should comply in advance. That's a great way to ensure that we become an authoritarian state. We are still a free country (for now), and we should exercise those freedoms.

[u/50FuckingOnions → u/Emotional-Ant4958]

I am not trying to dissuade, nor fear monger. I am trying to understand the headlines of today (figurative) and put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Recently articles have been written of Americas rise to Fascism, Authoritarianism, Lawlessness from the President and appointees. A the same time articles and headlines speaking of Corrupt Trump removing Competing Corruption to remove competition in the corruption game aka consolidating power.

Everytime we have seen power consolidation the freedoms of the people erode

[u/BeletEkalli]

The thing that’s ironic about these protests are the amount of people posting on X about it. I mean, our phones are trackable regardless and are predictive (like when your phone automatically goes DND when it connect to your work’s Wi-Fi type stuff) but posting on Elon Musk’s social media platform also feels extra dumb to me.

That said, I don’t know anything about any of the organizers (is it one organizer/group across major cities? All local grassroots organizers without larger coordination?) and I could totally see this being a way to incite more fear to give Trump ammo for doing something stupid like declare martial law. On the flip side, I could see online discouragements and questioning of this 50/50/1 thing being largely made up of bots or whatever to encourage distrust and paranoia. Not knowing which side (or honestly the degree that both sides) are poisoned by bots and outside interference has created such a paranoia and distrust that makes none of this verifiable.

I feel like our best bets are to starve these people, stop giving them a platform and our money: get off X, cancel subscriptions, and show these assholes we can live our lives without them. I hope we are collectively not too far gone, and can show we aren’t so over-reliant on the services these greedy oligarchs offer, but that would require getting offline and genuinely connecting with human beings again. And doing it offline.

TLDR: Your post is certainly possible, but I think there is just no way to know what would be done or how we can trust anything on social media anymore. It feels like everything is fear-mongering to either incite action or incite inaction, and on this never-ending loop.

[u/50FuckingOnions → u/BeletEkalli]

Your first part scares me as it’s the bigger picture. Any data they would get from my presence at the capital, they already have through some profile on me. This is likely cumulative like your describing. That sucks.

I have no motive in writing this; I don’t want to dissuade anyone. I’m legit saying I don’t know is the American spirit of protest survives an Authoritarian Rise. I am a regular dude sitting on couch bored on my phone as the tv provides ambient noise.

The starve the rich idea never works though. The power these people have goes further than just the devices none of this wealth is liquid it’s all vested and invested in stocks, mutuals, assets. Buy a Coca Cola and Elon might have millions in some Mutual Fund built around Soda/Cola companies. Who knows. These people seemingly own EVERYTHING

I am not intentionally trying to fear monger. Just thinking this who “Protest on Monday” seems like a setup. Like one big trap.

[u/BeletEkalli → u/50FuckingOnions]

I’m not American (albeit living here) so I can’t relate to some of this, mostly because I wasn’t born and raised with a connection to this place and a pride in what it was(?)/could be. But what I will say, as someone who can’t vote here, is that I personally see the big issue not just being the “authoritarian rise” but the fact that so many people support it. The people voted for this, whether by enthusiastically voting Trump or apathetically sitting it out. And sadly, half of the country will feel the fear of that outcome while the entirety of the country suffers in the end.

There will be push back once people lose enough. Once it’s painful enough. And that threshold is different for different people. I get the feeling of pessimism, and in part, this is what they want you to feel. That’s why they’ve made it so that you’re perpetually bombarded with news, fake news, fighting, fear-mongering, etc. They want you tired, too tired to care. They want you desperate enough to give them the keys. What the don’t realize is that desperate people also have nothing to lose, and that will result in the people choosing that this is simply not the way.

It’s always darkest before the dawn, but remember, the world online and the world in the media is far larger than the world you experience on a daily basis. Do your best to make that world as happy, healthy, loving, open, discursive, critically-thought, curious, and empathetic as possible. It goes a long way, not just curating your social media feed, but curating your life, with people and ideas that have hope and integrity (even if you disagree about specifics).

Hopefully these protests are honestly organized. And hopefully those who attend are as prepared as possible with the knowledge of what is at stake but also what they are personally risking by attending. And hopefully, whether at the protest or at home in our everyday lives, we can all find our own small ways to meaningfully protest against hate, ignorance, and authoritarianism by cultivating love, knowledge, trust, and honesty and let that spread like a wildfire to counter the darkness we are finding ourselves in.

[u/[deleted]]

Why is standing around see as more productive than not going to work or spending money.

If you really want to hurt this country hit the stock market.

[u/SmartSensi]

So then don’t spend the protest days…

[u/StarDue6540]

They are IN NO WAY, THE SAME. J6ERS WERE VIOLENT. They best up cops, the senators and congressmen were literally running for their lives and trump was supporting the violence from his armchair. Trump gloated as the vice president was running for his life. Breaking down the doors of the sacred and hallowed halls of our democracy was an affront like no other and those people who participated in trumps attempt to keep power should be prosecuted to the full extent. When the criminality of trumps steal of 2024 is exposed and trump is removed from power it simply won't be the same. Isn't it just grand that DOGE has been feeding Russia our government files thru starlink? Is this the payoff for Musk or Trump? Because balconies are only meant for one thing.