Sure, but translating that movement to actual policy change usually depends on how much uninvolved people are sympathetic to the protestors, which usually involves how rational the protestors are precieved as. Decision makers are affected by public sentiment, but public sentiment of the uninvolved public generally carries more weight.
Thats why the other side usually try to smear protests as being crazy mobs who would never be happy. The moment you convince uninvolved people of this, the protestors lose most power.
> Rational arguments come later, and mostly behind closed doors.
I disagree with this. Rational arguments behind closed doors happen before resorting to protest not after. If you're resorting to protest you are trying to leverage public support into a more powerful position. That's about how much power you have not the soundness of your argument.
> Sure, but translating that movement to actual policy change usually depends on how much uninvolved people are sympathetic to the protestors
No, that's the exception rather than the rule. That's a convenient thing to teach to the general public and that's why people like MLK Jr. and Gandhi are being celebrated, but most movement that make actual policy changes do so while disregarding bystanders entirely (or even actively hurting bystanders. That's why terrorism, very unfortunately, is effective in practice).
> which usually involves how rational the protestors are precieved as
I'm afraid most people don't really care about how rational anyone is perceived at. Trump wouldn't have been elected twice if that was the case.
> Decision makers are affected by public sentiment, but public sentiment of the uninvolved public generally carries more weight.
They only care about the sentiment of the people that can cause them nuisance. A big crowd of passively annoyed people will have much less bargaining power than a mob of angry male teenagers doxxing and mailing death threats: see the gaming industry.
> I disagree with this. Rational arguments behind closed doors happen before resorting to protest not after.
Bold claim that contradicts the entire history of social conflicts…
My emotional response to XSLT being removed was: "finally!". You would need some good arguments to convince me that despite my emotions applauding this descion it is actually a bad thing.
Rational arguments come later, and mostly behind closed doors.