Try (Just a little bit harder)
Protests seem to be everywhere in the news recently. With the demonstration at Heathrow Airport fresh in our minds, I wonder how we view those that take such a stand against the things they believe are unjust.
Thousands of people set up the ‘Climate Camp’ to protest plans for a third runway. Many of these campaigners declared their willingness to break the law with trespass being one of the crimes committed, from the 14th - 21st August at the site.
Towards the end of the camp small scuffles broke out and the police were forced to take action. Unfortunately instances such as these seem to happen at many protests in more recent times. My question is why? Why to solidify a point must there be violence?
I realise that, at times, there is a provocation from the authorities but at the same time there are still people, under the guise of being committed to the cause, who simply turn up to cause trouble.
How is ‘direct action’ going to convince any authority figure that the change a protestor wants should take place? For that matter how are you going to convince others to join your crusade if all you are capable of is violence? Protests should be peaceful and intelligent and make leaders think about what they are doing.
They should also inspire others in contributing to the cause. Violence breeds violence is a phrase that is not always true, but in this case if anyone who is that way inclined sees riots in what should be a peaceful altercation does that not inspire them to ‘fight the good fight’?
That old law about ‘an eye for an eye’ leaves everybody blind. The time is always right to do the right thing.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Protests and strikes seem to be more of a hindrance to us nowadays. Whenever train and bus drivers and pilots threaten the government with strikes the first thing we do is think about how their actions will affect our travel plans.
Perhaps it is the way we have been conditioned by the media but society seems to have shorter attention spans then before. So as a result of this the things that upset us today may very well be forgotten about tomorrow. We may look back on it and say ‘I wonder whatever happened with…’ having thought no more about it the day after reading the story.
Things are changing and since September 11th 2001 it seems are rights have been dwindling. In some parts of America police set up certain areas for groups to protest during political speeches. What the groups tend to find is the area assigned for their demonstration is usually away from the site of the speech and thus away from the glare of the media and politicians.
Do we complain about the constraint on our rights? No. Governments constantly feel they can do what they like, no matter how much is wasted, no matter how controversial, or illegal, their intentions are. We take it all in because we don’t have the time to really care about it until it truly affects us in a severe way.
There are ways to protest, ways to get people to sit up and take notice. Martin Luther King paved the way for peaceful protest. Some will point to its futility as the great man was assassinated but for a short while he proved it could work.
John Lennon ended up in a court room battle because of his protests for peace. The US government believed they could silence him if they took away his right to live and work in America. He took them on and won.
Maybe it’s a case of growing frustration with the flower power generation which led to violent methods in the 1970’s and we have become more used to that then anything else. Yes it takes perseverance and quite possibly when patience is lost we turn to anger and force to get our point across.
I believe the main reason for the lack of interest in protesting for rights is that there is no one around today that can encourage to show up in great numbers to let those in charge know what we feel. Politicians constantly boast of being in touch with the people and knowing what we want. If that is the case then we are whispering our intentions when we should be screaming because the silence is deafening
You have to do it yourself. That’s what the great masters and mistresses have been saying ever since time began. They can point the way, leave signposts and little instructions in various books that are now called holy and worshiped for the cover of the book and not for what it says, but the instructions are all there for all to see, have always been and always will be. There’s nothing new under the sun. All the roads lead to Rome. And people cannot provide it for you. I can’t wake you up. You can wake you up. I can’t cure you. You can cure you.
John Lennon
Monday, August 27th, 2007 and is filed under Great men and women, Love Thy Neighbour, Thoughts & Questions, Views on News.
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Justin Burke Says:
I’m sorry to but in ,but i’m looking for an old teacher of mine and i hope someone knows his where abouts. He is Father Mullane Bray . I do not know where in Bray . Thanks for your help. Justin
December 4th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Colm Smith Says:
Justin,
A shot in the dark,
Researching a D`arcy / Daly family of 1860 of Kilcroney, Wicklow.
The names:- Edward Bernard Burke
Justin McCarthy,
Roebuck,Co.Dublin,
appear in the search
Excuse this STAB in the dark, as my tracks are running out.
some further information available.
Regards,
Colm Smith
December 23rd, 2007 at 5:22 pm