If you’re on the fence about whether to go to the October 18 No Kings protest, or any kind of public protest—or maybe you’re trying to convince your friends and relatives to join you—here are some thoughts.
Question: Do protests matter?
I can’t say this enough—you would freakin’ not believe how many people are NOT PAYING ATTENTION. Young people especially. There are so many people who are going about their lives with their heads down, and have never heard of Stephen Miller or Kash Patel or Pam Bondi or the judge whose house got blown up after ruling against Trump, or the clergyman who got pepper-sprayed.
Many of the consequences, the hard and bitter fruit of Trump’s disastrous policies, are only just beginning to become apparent. The most dramatic consequences, like getting kicked off Medicaid, will only happen after the midterms. For federal employees, soybean farmers, and other unfortunate folks, the world has turned upside down. But for a lot of Americans, things haven’t changed much—yet.
To someone like me, who obsessively follows every turn and twist of the news, it seems incredible anyone in their right mind could be a Republican. But to someone who never reads the news (“I don’t do politics”) and just sees a few snippets on social media, things don’t seem so bad. Trump is ending wars (according to him) and being quite strict about maintaining law and order, and yes, he’s sometimes a bit outrageous but he’s always entertaining, and boy is he patriotic, just loves our military…
Protests focus attention. When our friends and family and neighbors see us out there on the streets, they may stop for a minute and think, hmmm, what’s all this about…? But it takes a lot of people getting out there with signs and flags and cowbells to generate the kind of attention that gets headlines.
Who is our audience?
Besides the low-information voters mentioned above, there is a broader audience: the whole world. The famous chant of The whole world is watching is true. I have a friend who lives in England, and another one in Ukraine, and they can’t believe their eyes when they see what the USA has become. Millions of us on the streets lets the world know that not all Americans support the craziness.
But isn’t it dangerous to go to protests?
I can’t deny that there is a certain element of risk, depending on where you live. But here’s the thing: there’s safety in numbers. The more of us who show up, the safer it is for all of us. It’s easy to make a few protestors disappear. It’s harder to control millions.
I’m not the one organizing the protest or leading the march. But every minute I spend huddled in the back of the crowd makes it safer for the brave folks up front with the bullhorns.
But what if we provoke something bad by protesting? Isn’t it better to stay quiet and avoid causing trouble?
I will quote one of my favorite political writers, Jay Kuo:
“It does no good, and is in fact highly dangerous, to remain on the sidelines and withhold protest out of fear of what might happen. That of course would also violate the first rule in fighting tyranny: Never capitulate in advance. Our response must remain loud, sustained, peaceful and overwhelming.
In the end, the main reason I go to protests is a selfish one. They give me hope. Usually I don’t know a soul there, but seeing so many strangers, with their hilarious signs that say exactly what I’m thinking, and hearing the drums and cowbells, and hundreds of people chanting This is what democracy looks like…it lifts my spirits. No way I can skip getting that dose of encouragement.
Some suggestions:
—Some events will say you should sign up on-line. Don’t be put off by that. It gives organizers an idea of how many people to expect, and it’s a way for them to contact you—say, if the protest is cancelled for some reason. (And of course they get your e-mail for future fund-raising.)
But if you’d rather not sign up because you want to keep your options open, or want to remain anonymous, or decide to show up last minute—just go. This isn’t a wedding, you don’t need to RSVP.
—Bring a sign, but please, keep it civil. Insults and obscenities do our cause no good. We want to change our neighbors’ minds, not piss them off. It’s the middle-of-the-roaders who could make all the difference in the next election.
—Or bring a flag. I’m so heartened by seeing many American flags at protests—I’m so glad we’re reclaiming it as a symbol of freedom from oppression. There’s nothing more patriotic than peaceful protest for what you believe is right. Especially when the White House is calling October 18 a “Hate-America Rally” it’s important to—literally—show the flag.
To find a NO KINGS OCT 18 event near you, check the Indivisible website. Just the sight of the map with the locations of thousands of No Kings events is heartening. So many people taking action.
Hope is about taking action in spite of it all.
—Jane Goodall
See you there!
Dear Friends,
Are you furious about the state of the world and wondering what to do about it? I hope you’ll continue to check out The Optimistic Activist.
Every now and then I post some ideas for doing something. How to get out the vote, spread the word, and support progressive candidates. Ideas for simple but effective activism. As easy, as practical, as do-able as I can make them.
Together, I think, we can really make a difference.
“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future.”
--Noam Chomsky
