As we turn on the television lately or unlock our phones to browse on our favorite social media outlet, we will see that there have been many protests. And the question that strikes us and divides us currently as a nation is if we agree with what is going on. People are split rather they agree with people protesting for something they believe in or if they completely disagree and believe that protesting is pointless. There’s always going to be something that people want to voice their opinion on. There’s always going to be something that people may not agree on. But when it comes to peaceful protests, I can tell you that I do agree with it. I agree with only peaceful protests and not violent ones. I agree because history has shown that peaceful protests can make a mark.
If you know me, you know that I am a huge history nerd. I love learning about any history you throw at me and I think it is important to know history that was put into this country and the world around us. When it comes to protests, they have been around for hundreds of years to let voices be heard on issues that people are passionate about. Protests do not always bring a huge difference or change much, but they do draw more attention to the issue at hand and encourage multiple perspectives on it. We have learned about protests through history such as Ghandi’s peaceful protest in India, Martin Luther King Jr’s peaceful protests and specifically his March on Washington, the Women’s Suffrage March, and many others that speak up on issues of inequality, wars, political figures, political issues, and much more.
Such protests show that people are unhappy with the issue at hand. The constitution was written to protect the rights of this country’s citizens and it includes the first amendment: the freedom of speech, religion, and free press. We have the right to speak up about something that may be an issue in our country. When women did not agree with not being able to vote or having less rights than men did, they began protests and created the Women's Suffrage Movement. When someone was discriminated because the color of their skin and being segregated because who they were born to be, the Civil Rights Movement created protests to bring attention to the issue. When this country entered the Vietnam war and enlisted men of age to fight, those who disagreed protested.
Attention on public issues makes a difference to the people voicing their opinion and possibly for future generations. Because of the people who spoke up on women’s rights, women were given the right to vote for a country they are citizens of and given more protection. Because of people who came together and marched on the problem with civil rights, the government dropped segregation laws and tried their best to not discriminate against someone because the color of their skin. Not all protests are peaceful, and sometimes violence is brought on because of peaceful protests. We come to learn time and time again with the loss of lives that violence is simply not the issue. I agree with peaceful protests and people coming together for a cause they believe in.
History time and time again shows that those who speak up make a difference. What if Martin Luther King Jr. never spoke up for what he believed in? What if Susan B. Anthony didn’t have a care in the world on lacking the same rights as a man? As citizens, we may not have the same opinions or agree with what is happening today. We may be split on issues regarding politics, people’s rights, race, ethnicity, education and much more. But if we didn’t have a voice, if we didn’t have attention on issues that are important, if we didn’t give effort to issues we are passionate about, where would our country be? I believe in having the freedom to protect something you believe in. Rather that is thinking protests have a point or are pointless. Continue giving voice to something you believe deserves more attention to and stand up for what you believe in.
