Dude's probably worried about ending up like William Henry Harrison.

Yeah, every year I have conversations with my conservative family members where they insist that someone is getting free college. Even my wife can't convince them that non-white students are all paying the same tuition as us. But what does she know, she's just a college professor.

By itself it doesn't do anything but, I think the community building aspect is useful long term. Things like get out the vote efforts or protests that might actually move the needle for people's state or local governments can be more effective by using the connections made at something like this.

At this point I think it's about two things. One is giving people something to do. Screaming about this with a big crowd is going to feel better than doom scrolling. Second, it's about re-enforcing the community. It's a good way to meet like minded people IRL and see where they gather.

I watched this happen with my father this year. He just kept talking about how bad the economy was and how the right was going to fix it. Thing is, it wasn't even bad for him. He works for my uncle doing construction on lake cabins. Business has been great, literally more work than they can handle.