# Lets shut down the highway, that'll solve all the problems! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 25, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577 "2018-07-25T19:24:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/61 "2018-07-26T15:00:11Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Well, to be fair, they’re not doing it just to be assholes. It’s just easier than working. > > Of course, if they are dumb enough to call for the resignation of the police chief because that dumbass Harith Augustus tries to pull a gun on police and gets his silly self shot, they are probably too dumb to find any job that doesn’t involve saying “you want fries with that?” > > Regards, > Shodan I’m still waiting for you to explain what you meant by “black lies matter”. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/62 "2018-07-26T15:17:08Z")
I for one, an always glad to help someone who purposefully fucks up my morning commute. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/63 "2018-07-26T15:32:30Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > These protests are terrrorism? You have a really low bar there. For real. Not terrorism, but similar. Essentially holding something hostage to get your political beliefs across is much the same thing- the only thing missing is the violence or threat of violence. My point is that they’re essentially putting a lot of people out- we don’t know why they may need to get from one side of the city to another- it could just be to get home after work, or it could be someone rushing to the bedside of a dying relative. Or someone who has to go get their kid before the day care closes. Who are these people to say that’s less important than whatever they’re protesting about? I know that if I had to pay a fine or miss something important because of these assholes, they’d never get a dime from me, and I’d probably go out of my way to badmouth them. We’d lose our collective shit if it was some group up there with guns shutting the freeway down for some other reason than poverty/opportunity, but it’s apparently just peachy for this group to do the _exact same thing_, minus the guns. Let’s put it a different way- let’s say this group occupied a water pumping station for the City of Chicago and shut down the water to a big chunk of the city as part of their protest. How is that different than shutting a major road/freeway down? Would you call that terroristic? I suspect the state, local and Federal governments would. I’m all for people’s ability to protest, right up until it starts negatively affecting others. Go have the protest in a park, or at City Hall, or wherever. But shutting down the freeways or other public infrastructure is way too far, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/64 "2018-07-26T15:40:31Z")
So is road construction terroristic when it closes down roads for sometimes weeks at a time? What about trains that stop on the tracks and sit there for hours? Terroristic? Or only when you disagree with the view being expressed does it rise to that level? This is a one time event, announced ahead of time. There are many many streets in Chicago to get you wherever you need to go. If you decide to take lakeshore knowing full well this is going on, then that’s your fault for being inconvenienced. Just like if you saw construction ahead signs road closed and proceeded anyway. Just take another damn road that day. Why is this so hard to comprehend. Talk about a first world problem. Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/65 "2018-07-26T15:42:23Z")
By the way, can you name me one protest in history that didn’t negatively affect anyone, that actually succeeded and produced the desired change? ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/66 "2018-07-26T16:13:18Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I’m not mean or bitter, but I happily voted for Rahm and will vote for him again unless there’s a better alternative. > > [Chicago Mayoral Election 2015 - Politics & Elections - Straight Dope Message Board](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745361) [Relevant news article](https://www.theonion.com/rahm-emanuel-concerned-gun-violence-could-spread-to-par-1819579271). ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/67 "2018-07-26T16:26:47Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > I’m still waiting for you to explain what you meant by “black lies matter”. Shodan is one of those poor, downtrodden racists we keep hearing about. Since he can’t actually come right and use the slurs that he would really, really like to use (due to political correctness), he has to get creative. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/68 "2018-07-26T16:27:04Z")
Congrats to all players in this thread for completely ignoring **Shodan.** ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/69 "2018-07-26T16:28:07Z")
Ooops. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/70 "2018-07-26T16:35:24Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > I’m still waiting for you to explain what you meant by “black lies matter”. I was making fun of the Black Lives Matter movement. Did you really need this explained to you? I would have thought it was kind of obvious. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/71 "2018-07-26T16:47:13Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Not terrorism, but similar. Essentially holding something hostage to get your political beliefs across is much the same thing- the only thing missing is the violence or threat of violence. Yes, you idiot, that’s because IT IS THE VIOLENCE THAT MAKES TERRORISM BAD. I cannot believe an adult needs to have this explained to them. > [@](#): > > We’d lose our collective shit if it was some group up there with guns shutting the freeway down for some other reason than poverty/opportunity, but it’s apparently just peachy for this group to do the _exact same thing_, minus the guns. Christ almighty. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/72 "2018-07-26T16:52:22Z")
So this is a pre-announced protest that you can plan around? Not some caught you by surprise protest? Don’t you have any real problems **dalej42**? Do you get as hot under the collar every time a President visits and screws up traffic? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/73 "2018-07-26T16:57:35Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I cannot believe an adult needs to have this explained to them. Assuming facts not in evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/74 "2018-07-26T17:14:39Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I was making fun of the Black Lives Matter movement. > > Did you really need this explained to you? I would have thought it was kind of obvious. Oh no, I was just confused as to why, in a thread full of examples of black people being mistreated, likely because of their race, you held up one specific example, and said “black lies matter”. Like, as though it were some relevant, knock-down argument. Or you weren’t anything but a sad, disgusting tosser. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/75 "2018-07-26T17:40:46Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > So this is a pre-announced protest that you can plan around? Not some caught you by surprise protest? > > Don’t you have any real problems **dalej42**? Do you get as hot under the collar every time a President visits and screws up traffic? dalej42 is a standard issue conservative Dem. “I love all that nicey nice people stuff but don’t rock the boat. Please save any big tumultuous changes until I’m comfortably dead.”. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/76 "2018-07-26T18:49:46Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Oh no, I was just confused as to why, in a thread full of examples of black people being mistreated, likely because of their race, you held up one specific example, and said “black lies matter”. I was mocking BLM’s unfortunate tendency to protest every time some black jassack gets shot, whether it is unjustified or not (mostly not). We see another example in this thread - Harith Augustus tries to pull a gun on police, gets the lead vaccination against stupidity, and that’s the occasion for the usual bozos, losers, and race pimps (to be redundant) to shut down yet another highway. Look, I get it - self-righteous outrage is what we do here. But if they can get their jollies and maybe some public funds for shutting down a highway, I can make fun of them. Think of it as my own personal protest, and with less impact on your commute. I gotta get some fun out of my $7.48. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/77 "2018-07-26T19:59:30Z")
> [@pool](#): > > So is anyone okay with protestors purposely blocking ambulances, fire trucks, and police from responding to emergencies, or preventing possibly critically ill patients from getting to the hospital? How would you feel if that was your family member or loved one? This is why blocking roads and intersections is idiotic. > > [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=msO\_r73wJ1o](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=msO_r73wJ1o) Yes, however wil someone from Wrigley Field get to [the hospital](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Wrigley+Field,+West+Addison+Street,+Chicago,+IL/Advocate+Illinois+Masonic+Medical+Center,+900+W+Nelson+St,+Chicago,+IL+60657/@41.9429617,-87.654202,15.25z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x880fd3b2e59adf21:0x1cea3ee176ddd646!2m2!1d-87.6553327!2d41.9484384!1m5!1m1!1s0x880fd3a9c254272f:0x10441e7e106ff17!2m2!1d-87.6521002!2d41.936968!3e0)? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/78 "2018-07-26T20:46:33Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Not terrorism, but similar. Essentially holding something hostage to get your political beliefs across is much the same thing- the only thing missing is the violence or threat of violence. Yes, it’s similar to terrorism, except for the violence. Much the same way a semi truck is similar to a boat, except it sinks in the water. On a related note, were you exposed to a lot of lead paint as a child? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/79 "2018-07-26T21:13:31Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Yes, you idiot, that’s because IT IS THE VIOLENCE THAT MAKES TERRORISM BAD. I cannot believe an adult needs to have this explained to them. > > Christ almighty. > [@Miller](#): > > Yes, it’s similar to terrorism, except for the violence. Much the same way a semi truck is similar to a boat, except it sinks in the water. > > On a related note, were you exposed to a lot of lead paint as a child? No violence, no terrorism. Know terrorism, know violence. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577/80 "2018-07-26T21:16:13Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Yes, it’s similar to terrorism, except for the violence. Much the same way a semi truck is similar to a boat, except it sinks in the water. I would recommend that you don’t ever tell bump about an airline flight you take, because it’s essentially a warcrime. Just like the bombing of Dresden–the only thing missing is munitions or the threat of munitions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-shut-down-the-highway-thatll-solve-all-the-problems/818577.md?page=5)