I go to school in New York City and live in a suburban town in New Jersey less than thirty miles from New York City. I am liberal and a strong supporter of the Democratic Party, and I voted for Hillary Clinton. I have not attended a single protest.

I entirely believe the cause of the protest is just, but I refuse to participate. Protests are fantastic at spreading the cause, but they do not create action. They make noise, but lack punch. This is neither an endorsement of riots. Riots are misdirected acts of violence that do not create empathy for the cause.

Modern dissent comprises of protests and riots neither of which are effective. Very little change has come from protest in contemporary times and today effective measures of dissent are imperative. I believe we must look to the past to find ways to navigate these troubled times.

Some of the greatest creators of change were Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. One major differences between the protests of Gandhi and the protesters of today is that Gandhi was not afraid to break laws that he believed were unethical and wrong. There is a major concern today on having legal protests without arrests, but when the laws are immoral they should not be followed.

I want this message to reach all the people who have protested. I hope they will fight for what is right and will never stop until you are answered. I will join you in that fight. Good luck.

To call your congressional officials and voice your concerns visit http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ or call (202)225-3121.