Here’s the deal.
I don’t understand small groups of protesters. A few people holding signs for the public is a good way to get your image on the internet – usually with your sign photoshopped to say something naughty in the process. I suppose if your aim is to become a meme, then good luck getting on 4chan or ICanHasCheezeburger. If however, you want to change the world or just your neighborhood then you can find much better ways to accomplish your goals.
Part one:
In the history of protesting, I can only see three types of protests that are effective. Two of the three upcoming examples are thought of as protests, but I would argue they count as action taken.
- MASSIVE rallies filled with protesters can be great motivators for the people. The bigger the protest, the greater the catalyst for change. This is a great way to invigorate a people into action. Of the three, this is my preferred way to protest.
Of course, not every large protest provides the catalytic effect necessary to evoke change. Just look at the Tea Party in America. They have less chance of giving birth to a law on the books than a neutered cat has of fathering a litter of kittens.
- Thich Quang Duc, the Mahayana Buddhist monk who protested the persecution of South Vietnam’s Roman Catholic government by lighting himself on fire and becoming a martyr. Thich’s immolation led to his fellow monks raising his status within their ranks to bodhisattva for bringing awareness to their plight. The government, lead by Ngo Dinh Diem, was toppled about five months later.
In this scenario, change *was* made. But, the dude – and a few of his brothers that followed his hotheaded example – killed themselves in the process. This is not an ideal outcome.
- Westboro Baptist church – AKA Fred Phelps & Friends. Their protests, no matter how much you hate them, their hate-filled antics are just a ploy and shouldn’t strictly count as protests. This buggered band of bastards real motive is fairly simple. And, unlike the Underwear Gnomes from South Park, the Westboro’s plan actually works. Find misery, create pain, get sued, and win the court case, PROFIT!
Did you know Shirley Phelps-Roper and her husband Brent D. Roper are lawyers? It gets better… Of Fred Phelps’s 13 children, 11 of them have law degrees. Hell, Fred used to be a lawyer til he got disbarred an ice age ago. This is just a family of lawyers that doesn’t chase ambulances. They protest the dead inside… for money. The Phelps-Chartered law firm has one hell of a reputation for winning. They might be complete asshats, but with the all of the free publicity they get from the media, people retain the Phelps law firm because of their winning record. More profit.
Part two:
Any protest that is not followed by some sort of action is doomed to be forgotten soon after. I don’t care how pretty your signs written in sharpie markers & glitter. I don’t care how catchy your slogan. Shouting at cars as they drive by is a waste of time.
Remember reading about all those dirty hippies from the 60ies? The long hair and poor hygiene hippies with their “peace and love” protest signs – really did not accomplish anything. In fact, over time, the vast majority became what their younger selves hated. That is even worse than being ineffectual. The hippies grew up to become the people they rebelled against in the first place.
I can tolerate failure in myself… What I cannot abide is being ineffectual. That is the greatest dishonor I could do to myself. At least there is honor in trying and falling down. Besides… Who knows? You might succeed if you try.
Part three:
Don’t be a muted voice on the wind. Take action. Join a group. Hell, go out and protest if you really want to hold a sign and shout for the sake of outrage. But for the love of all that you hold dear, get your ass off facebook, write letters, get on the local council! Have a speaker give a lecture. Go to a conference. DO SOMETHING. Be part of the solution.
~Wesley