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Comment by ineedasername | Hacker News Reader

Regardless of the effectiveness of peaceful protests over the past 20 years, violent ones are even less likely to see change. Those already on the fence or against the issue will just use it as an opportunity to dismiss it all as thugs interested in chaos, no matter that the majority are peaceful.

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Can't dismiss it now. Every major corporation and most congressional lawmakers are now pushing for reform.

Especially worth looking at Rep. Joyce Beatty who is a 70 year old black woman who got peppersprayed with the protesters. An elected lawmaker was attacked by the cops. Think about it.

Looting and violence give them a path to dismiss it. It's risking the ground gained through mass protests.

i would say it is short term gain, but longer term police and businesses will just leave black neighborhoods leaving them even more broken and poverty stricken, meanwhile the politicians will keep them on welfare and drugs to bring in the vote

not a happy cycle

Peaceful Protest: Nothing

Violent Protest: Guy got arrested

It's already achieved more, so I think we're good here. But the truth is that this is out of control of individuals. The system of groups of people responds to the stimulus in predictable ways. This was unavoidable.

40 hour work week resulted from violent protests. it's pride month, ask your gay friends. Most change does. Look up Haymarket affair.

Everything you casually take for granted people had to die for.

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