So I've been thinking about protests over the last few days. You only have to watch the news or check it on the internet to see the on going protests that are associated with the Olympic torch relay to know that protesting is alive and well in the world. It has been a well used method of action in countries all over the world for all kinds of causes. Some protests are non-violent, others cause bloodshed and mayhem.
There were some lively discussions around protests at JustAction08 and Freedom Congress and I guess this is what got me thinking a little harder about protests. Now I'm no expert,I havent been to that many protests over the years. I did start one when I was 10 because the school would not allow girls to play rugby at lunchtime with the boys. So my friend and I gathered together all the girls we could find (including the 5 year olds who didnt even know what rugby was and made a stand!) but my thoughts lead me at the moment towards the idea that sometimes a protest is the best thing and sometimes its not. Sometimes a protest will actually highlight an issue that otherwise would have been swept under the carpet.
However I also think that there are sometimes where a protest would actually damage the cause of change. Instead of opening the way for positive change to occur, it might actually close the door and bolt it shut. I wonder if its possible to love the idea of a protest more than the idea of change?
Thinking about the dialogues taking place last week...I was leaning towards a definate need to address the valid concerns being raised....but a live protest at congress would have bolted that door shut tight and it would have far reaching consequences that I'm not sure many had thought too much about.
So next week I am involved in the planning of an upcoming event and I will be bringing to the table the concerns raised last week, in order that we might be able to make positive changes to begin to turn the tide around. Its not a cop-out.....its the best step forward for this issue at this time in this setting.
There will be another day for another protest, but today is not that day.
There were some lively discussions around protests at JustAction08 and Freedom Congress and I guess this is what got me thinking a little harder about protests. Now I'm no expert,I havent been to that many protests over the years. I did start one when I was 10 because the school would not allow girls to play rugby at lunchtime with the boys. So my friend and I gathered together all the girls we could find (including the 5 year olds who didnt even know what rugby was and made a stand!) but my thoughts lead me at the moment towards the idea that sometimes a protest is the best thing and sometimes its not. Sometimes a protest will actually highlight an issue that otherwise would have been swept under the carpet.
However I also think that there are sometimes where a protest would actually damage the cause of change. Instead of opening the way for positive change to occur, it might actually close the door and bolt it shut. I wonder if its possible to love the idea of a protest more than the idea of change?
Thinking about the dialogues taking place last week...I was leaning towards a definate need to address the valid concerns being raised....but a live protest at congress would have bolted that door shut tight and it would have far reaching consequences that I'm not sure many had thought too much about.
So next week I am involved in the planning of an upcoming event and I will be bringing to the table the concerns raised last week, in order that we might be able to make positive changes to begin to turn the tide around. Its not a cop-out.....its the best step forward for this issue at this time in this setting.
There will be another day for another protest, but today is not that day.
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