The aftermath of Inauguration Day led not just the country, but the world in a massive amount of protests, riots, and things of the such. Parading social media is banter full of rhetoric whether you agree with or not and is noticeably present. I have been met with such fear from friends who worry about the state of our nation and for the future of our country.
At some lengths, I can understand their concerns. And yes, I do sympathize with those who feel their voice is not heard. However, the one thing I do not support that I've seen around the nation preceding Trump's inauguration is violence. To smash the glass of store windows or banks, demolish cars, to set things on fire, damage property that doesn't belong to you all because you do not agree with the inauguration of the new President is not the answer!
According to CBS News, as of 2 p.m. on Inauguration Day, 95 people were reported arrested due to rioting and vandalism.
In addition, a planned protest that was at first peaceful turned violent when protestors reportedly began throwing,“rocks, bottles, flares and unknown liquids” at officers trying to control the crowd.
Not to mention, within a mile of the National Mall, protesters smashed the windows of Starbucks, a Bank of America, a Wells Fargo, and a McDonald's.
It was also reported that protestors began throwing bricks, rolling metal trash cans in aims at the police managing the crowds.
Consequently, two police officers were even taken to the hospital due to minor injuries inflicted from protestors.
This is what I'm talking about. The violence mentioned above is a prime example of how fear can straddle the minds and sanity of those who choose to let it overtake them.
My question for those doing such are: What do you gain from this? How is violence ending the supposed violence you protest against? Is it justifiable to lunge towards police officers with bricks, scraps of pavements, or to roll trash cans in their way? Is this going to make the change you wish to see?
To be honest, I don't understand why you wish for a safe place, but through your actions promote an unsafe one.That doesn't make sense. Neither does it invoke positive change or spread light to dark places. This is simply an act of increasing the darkness we are living in. The most powerful and impactful thing you can do is to be a light in the midst of darkness.
Martin Luther King Jr. did not need violence to create change. He did not need to act out of peace in order to gain it. I believe we can follow his example and do the same: “Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
