The US is a bit like a hybrid regime where the "regime" are white wealthy elites regardless of party affiliation. There are elections, etc. but power, protest, and violence flow in one direction only.
If you don't want to get shot, you make yourself seem as harmless and apolitical as possible, at which point you're obviously ineffectual at creating change, which is entirely by design.
And if you don't, you get demonized by the entire system.