# bushblackout.com and Pals: What a bunch of losers. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 20, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817 "2005-01-20T23:38:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/21 "2005-01-21T01:36:30Z")
It’s just that soooooo many of the options given are tremendously ineffective. Not going to Wal-Mart? So what. Unless you go there on a daily basis, noone will notice. It’s not like there won’t be other people shopping there. As for blacking out your blog, the only people that will notice are those who visit your blog anyway, essentially preaching to the choir. Closing your business down is effective, sort of. Course, making that harsh of a political statement may cost you more business than just the day off. Most employees will just think “great, a day off.” Oh yeah, go ahead and call in sick. Just don’t tell them that you are staying home on short notice because you are making a political statement, because you may not have a job to come back to. I wouldn’t expect to. And if you just call in sick, guess what? People will just think you are sick. Great way to get the message across. Face it, as far as protesting goes this is weak at best. There are tons of better ways to protest than just not doing anything at home. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/22 "2005-01-21T01:38:42Z")
Lou Dobbs showed some protesters dancing a dervish of PEACE to some wicked bongo accompaniment. Maybe it’s too early to tell if it worked or not? ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/23 "2005-01-21T01:41:45Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > It’s just that soooooo many of the options given are tremendously ineffective. Well, if you want my two cents, anything we do now is ineffective. Bush is president again. We’re not going to change that. Unless there’s some bombshell, he’s not getting impeached. And he’s even said he no longer has to be accountable. How on earth we can do anything, I don’t know. As such, I viewed this sort of as a futility protest “Yes, we’re whipped, but we’re not mute.” Besides, if you have a normal protest you get some predictable folk on the right wing wailing about bongos and stopped traffic and dirty hippies. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/24 "2005-01-21T01:46:39Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > Besides, if you have a normal protest you get some predictable folk on the right wing wailing about bongos and stopped traffic and dirty hippies. There was plenty of that, my boy. CNN showed some great stuff that will tide me over until Protestwarrior gets some pictures up. MSNBC, not so much. FNC? Nary a bongo to be heard and not a dreadlocked whiteboy to be seen. Sad day when **Brutus** is favoring CNN over FNC. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/25 "2005-01-21T02:03:25Z")
**Brutus** , what is this…thing…you have about bongoes? Something you want to share with the group? We care about you. We want you to feel better. Do they remind you of something? Want to show us on this doll where the bad bongo man touched you? ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/26 "2005-01-21T02:15:55Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > **Brutus** , what is this…thing…you have about bongoes? I find images of grubby hippies banging their bongos endlessly amusing. Sure, it’s not Shakespeare, but to each their own. And where there are large gatherings of the grubby folk, there is sure to be bongo abuse and dancing aplently. Now, I won’t ask what these scalliwags planned to accomplish with their little gathering. Who knows, maybe they expected Dubya to turn down the job? What I will ask: Why do [large] protests invariably include that most portable of percussion instruments? Kazoos are portable, but you never see those. It’s never a call to ‘jam on that ukulele…FOR PEACE!’ No, it always some scraggle-bearded whiteboy, quite probably with dreadlocks and one of those floppy Jamaican hat/beret things, and he is attacking that fine little instrument like his Grandmothers life depends on it. The comedy of the absurd, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/27 "2005-01-21T02:22:52Z")
> [@Why do \[large](#): > > protests invariably include that most portable of percussion instruments? Kazoos are portable, but you never see those. Because one beats the drum of freedom, not toots the kazoo of liberty. Or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/28 "2005-01-21T02:27:32Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > I find images of grubby hippies banging their bongos endlessly amusing. Sure, it’s not Shakespeare, but to each their own. And where there are large gatherings of the grubby folk, there is sure to be bongo abuse and dancing aplently. > > Now, I won’t ask what these scalliwags planned to accomplish with their little gathering. Who knows, maybe they expected Dubya to turn down the job? What I will ask: Why do [large] protests invariably include that most portable of percussion instruments? Kazoos are portable, but you never see those. It’s never a call to ‘jam on that ukulele…FOR PEACE!’ No, it always some scraggle-bearded whiteboy, quite probably with dreadlocks and one of those floppy Jamaican hat/beret things, and he is attacking that fine little instrument like his Grandmothers life depends on it. > > The comedy of the absurd, I suppose. This is one post from **Brutus** that I whole-heartedly endorse. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/29 "2005-01-21T02:32:12Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > Oooooh, I got it. It’s _ **inactivism** _. Think of it as protesting for the terminally lazy (or comatose). The VISUALIZE WORLD PEACE bumper sticker always struck me the same way. It sort of relieves the bearer of any responsibility to actually DO something about it. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/30 "2005-01-21T02:34:43Z")
> [@UrbanChic](#): > > Because one beats the drum of freedom, not toots the kazoo of liberty. Or something like that. Tooting the Liberty Kazoo, huh? Sounds like a good pickup line… > [@gobear](#): > > This is one post from **Brutus** that I whole-heartedly endorse. One day, they will turn up, all clean-cut, with signs that have non-outlandish slogans, and will drop the whole carnival ‘Free Mumia!’ atmosphere. _Then_ protests may start changing public opinion. Just look at the 60’s. Till then, it’s time to flip on CNN, pop open a bottle of red, and laugh myself silly. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/31 "2005-01-21T02:36:40Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > Just look at the 60’s. The early 60’s, that is, with the civil rights-types marching around in suits and sports coats. Not the late 60’s, with the grubby scragglegoblins. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/32 "2005-01-21T03:07:42Z")
Yes, I’m quite sure as someone such as yourself presents a more wholesome image, **Brutus** , all freshly scrubbed and washed and all your smelly spots deodorized, and you probably don’t have enough rhymthic sense to play the radio, much less the conga drums (thats what they are, you know…congas…) And yet…he’s right. And you’re wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/33 "2005-01-21T03:20:29Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > Tooting the Liberty Kazoo, huh? Sounds like a good pickup line… > > One day, they will turn up, all clean-cut, with signs that have non-outlandish slogans, and will drop the whole carnival ‘Free Mumia!’ atmosphere. _Then_ protests may start changing public opinion. Just look at the 60’s. Till then, it’s time to flip on CNN, pop open a bottle of red, and laugh myself silly. 🙂 I’m curious. Could you name a single conservative activist campaign/activity/bumper sticker that shows the slightest bit of intelligence, wit or effectiveness? Are you inspired by rednecks chaining themselves to a Ten Commandments monument or waving plastic fetuses at rape victims? Does it fire you up to see Jesus fish eating Darwin fish? Help us out. Let us know how smart people protest. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/34 "2005-01-21T04:50:09Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Help us out. Let us know how smart people protest. Protests? Bah, not necessary. Smart people work on getting their candidates elected. Which is something even the most amusing bongo playing cannot accomplish. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/35 "2005-01-21T04:59:47Z")
Lucikly enough, the concerns, issues, and interests of those not in the voting majority simply don’t matter. If you (that is some candidate who you hope might represent _some_ of your concerns) lose, shut up and try to get elected next time. Conservative Compassionism. Whee. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/36 "2005-01-21T05:20:08Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’m curious. Could you name a single conservative activist campaign/activity/bumper sticker that shows the slightest bit of intelligence, wit or effectiveness? When did ever say or imply that conservative ‘protests’ were any better or more effective? Since you are a disingenuous and hypocritical smarm-weasel, let me answer that for you: Never. So fuck off. > [@](#): > > Help us out. Let us know how smart people protest. The ancient art of the ‘smart protest’ was lost many years ago in this country (If it even worked back then.) Now we get anarchists, hooligans, dirty hippies, bongophobes, and yes, pro-life zealots and whatnot. Not a one inspire confidence to their cause, though some do provide ample amusement, assuming they aren’t smashing windows or whatnot. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/37 "2005-01-21T05:33:00Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > Lucikly enough, the concerns, issues, and interests of those not in the voting majority simply don’t matter. If you (that is some candidate who you hope might represent _some_ of your concerns) lose, shut up and try to get elected next time. By Jove, I think he’s got it! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/38 "2005-01-21T05:43:11Z")
Yeah, we got it, and you’ve had it. Gloat your asses off, guys, this is your high water mark, its all down hill from here. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/39 "2005-01-21T05:54:07Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > She’s a twit with a stick in her ass. She supported the challenge to Ohio’s electoral votes being certified, and carried on towards Condi Rice during confirmation hearings. Let’s have that [confirmation transcript](http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article7750.htm), shall we? _reads_ Right, well I’ll be voting for Boxer again next term. What’s that, you said she has a stick in her ass? I guess I must have one in mine too then. Darn. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817/40 "2005-01-21T06:02:55Z")
“I’m not impugning your integrity, Dr. Rice, I simply want to know why you lied through your teeth, dearie” Its all in how you phrase it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushblackout-com-and-pals-what-a-bunch-of-losers/285817.md?page=3)