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Salem Brought a Guillotine To Oppose New Data Center. Company Reps Left, Feeling “Unsafe”. (www.yahoo.com)
submitted 3 months ago by to c/politics@lemmy.world
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Someone brought a guillotine to a city council meeting in Salem, Oregon on July 27, 2026. Not a sign shaped like one. Not a drawing. According to community accounts and social media posts, an actual guillotine structure appeared at the protest outside Loucks Auditorium, where hundreds of residents had gathered to oppose a proposed multi-billion-dollar AI data center. Company representatives reportedly assessed the scene and left, citing safety concerns — though that detail hasn't appeared in formal news coverage or official minutes.

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[–] 125 points 3 months ago (24 children)

Violence is literally the only thing that works on the wealthy and the right wing. Don't even bother speaking.

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  • [–] 70 points 3 months ago (7 children)

    I believe the consensus is that a successful popular movement needs 3 elements:

    • a nonviolent protest movement to communicate and build support with the broader population
    • a political party to communicate and enable negotiations with the opposing group
    • a militant wing to provide a threat that incentivizes negotiations

    Without the popular front, the political and militant groups will lose support of the population as well as their recruitment pipeline.

    The political party can reduce the amount of violence and deprivation required to achieve objectives, by setting clear goals.

    Without the militants, the opposing power already has a monopoly on violence and has no incentive to come to the table peacefully.

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  • [–] 34 points 3 months ago* (1 child)

    Ethiopia managed to keep the British out with something very similar.

    There was a bit of a snafu, and the British sent soldiers to accompany a diplomatic envoy.

    The Ethiopians made a big show of marching soldiers around the British while the diplomats negotiated.

    The message was clear "we are not interested in violence, we will however use it."

    The British left. They managed to keep the Italians out by kicking their ass. Repeatedly.

    Non violent protest can work, if the implicit message is that "We will resort to violence if we need to. We are doing you a favor by being peaceful, do not mistake our kindness for submission."

    🎯 1
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  • [–] 24 points 3 months ago

    Non violent protest can work, if the implicit message is that "We will resort to violence if we need to. We are doing you a favor by being peaceful, do not mistake our kindness for submission."

    I think this is the key, unfortunately.

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  • [–] 8 points 3 months ago (3 children)

    That's one model!

    Still gotta kill the wealthy.

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  • [–] 11 points 3 months ago* (2 children)

    That can be negotiated! As a century+ of American foreign policy demonstrates, you can't just ride up and wax the existing power structures and call it a day.

    You have to have something ready to replace it or you'll get the same thing again but worse.

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  • [–] 12 points 3 months ago

    I got it. We keep exactly the same system, except every time someone amasses a net worth exceeding say, 100 million dollars, we drag them behind a truck in front of everyone who considers themselves "upper" middle class. Every year we pick someone at random who's worth at last 50 million and do the same thing.

    You know, like The Lottery, but all you have to do to avoid it is not hoard wealth.

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  • [–] 3 points 3 months ago (2 children)

    You must speak before you fight, its the first step on the escalation ladder.

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  • [–] -1 points 3 months ago (6 children)

    That and suing. But threats of violence might be faster and cheaper.

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  • [–] 14 points 3 months ago* (5 children)

    Suing does not work and is not worth the cost when it pretends to.

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  • [–] -4 points 3 months ago (4 children)

    It has had some success in the U.S. Maybe not as effective in your country?

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  • [–] 6 points 3 months ago (2 children)

    Oh, it stopped them?

    And I'm not rich enough to have a country.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 child)

    I meant the U.S is sort of known for all of the suing we do. It's practically a tradition.

    I saw "au" behind your username and assumed you were from Australia.

    There have been many successes from suing here.

    That and lawsuits ending in settlements.

    It's pretty much the only thing that changes how a company does business.

    Employee rights have had the best success.

    Sexual harassment. Being fired for discrimination.

    These lawsuits are expensive and a PR nightmare.

    They usually result in company policy changes.

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  • [–] 3 points 3 months ago

    Its not really useful though. Like it doesn't work. It doesn't stop the bad things.

    There are famous examples, but I bet I could name more history changing assassinations (successes and failures) off the top of my head than you could lawsuits.

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