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Comment by loyukfai | Hacker News Reader

When did protest start to become common in the states?

Well in 1688 Quakers in America protested against slavery. 1773: Boston Tea Party. Temperance in the 1800's. Women's Vote in 1913.

But they entered the public awareness in 1963 with the March on Washington, and haven't let up since.

It's a bit sad, but I believe "protests" have lost their meaning. All of what you described were meaningful events, but it these days some one is always protesting something. For instance, there are "women's marches" every year turning out tons of people in a society where equal rights are constitutionally enshrined. That probably doesn't merit such an event.

My concern is that if, Heaven forbid, there is ever again something worth protesting to that degree, no one will pay attention. Regular Americans, rather than being swayed, will look on and say, "Oh look honey, the kids are protesting again."

> a society where equal rights are constitutionally enshrined

I don't think they are as "enshrined" as you think they are.

Are you talking about the US? I though the Equal Rights Amendment was not yet ratified, and that equal rights are thus not actually 'constitutionally enshrined'?

The ERA is not the only way or attempt in the Constitution at enshrining equal rights. The ERA is about sex specifically, which is arguably already covered by the text of the 14th Amendment (some may disagree about the 14th Amendment in practice, but it's hard to argue that the text doesn't cover sex).

I imagine that to most people living though those protests at the time they were viewed as "someone is always protesting something." Don't underestimate how the narrative telling of history changes your perception of how something went down compared to what your own observations are right now.

Survivorship bias ensures that history only remembers the protests that were meaningful, making it seem like protests were historically more effective and more meaningful.

Legal equality != true societal equality

> and haven't let up since.

Or one could observe that it has completely let up and now most Americans are cynical about protests and cheer on authoritarian figures from both parties.

Returning GIs from WW2 protested, resulting in the GI bill.

Women protested in the 1910s for the right to votes.

My guess is it’s an industrial revolution side effect, but would be love to learn of earlier roots.

The Bonus Army occupying D.C in 32 probably belongs on any list of significant protests as well.

protests have been going on in the us for a long time, for example the labor movement in early 20th century

but probably what you are referring to is post world war 2, which mostly started in the 1960s caused by the vietnam war and civil rights movements brought about by myriad causes (middle class affluence, mass communications, overextending of the govt overseas (and at home with the draft etc))

wikipedia, but it’s as god a place to start as any[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterculture_of_the_1960s

China had its own cultural revolution during the same time. It isn’t remembered fondly and is often used as an excuse to nip any protest in the bud.

The Cultural Revolution is IMO something entirely different. To me it's a movement started by a dictator with the aim to consolidate power and purge the system of dissident voices.

I'd love to hear other perspectives.

It is much more complicated than that. It was a protest for change that started it with mao’s consent, but quickly spiraled out of control, beyond even Mao’s control. Even before Mao’s death it was being vigorously disavowed and many of its victims were rehabilitated.

The CR made the party fear chaos above all else. HK actually learned the same lesson under the British during the same timeframe (Maoist protesters almost tore the city apart). Not that it justifies their behavior, it just explains it.

May I know your sources for further study?

Pretty good book (also in describing Cultural Revolution) even if little, little biased.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao:_The_Unknown_Story

Thanks, sometimes it doesn't hurt to have some more perspective.

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