Thoughts On The Protests
With what’s going down in the United States in their major cities with the protests and in some cases rioting and looting going on. There are some things that have to be said about it.
There is no question that there is systemic racism in Western culture and that the racial divide has gotten bigger over the last few years. It is also a democratic right to protest injustice in society and anyone has a right to participate. After all many things have been accomplished by this such as the civil rights movement(which I will touch more on in a bit), better conditions for the working class, rights for women to vote etc.
However, those who chose to riot and loot are only negating the work of the demonstrators who are calling for change. I know these a only a small few who commit these acts and there are those who this as an excuse to commit these acts. Unfortunately this often begets more violence.
One just has to look to the civil rights of the 1960’s led by Dr. Martin Luther King. They had peaceful protests and faced arrest, police brutality and even murder.The never used violence and managed to get their point across and it led to change especially was the final nail in the coffin of Jim Crow laws in the southern United States. Attitudes about race were changed by some during this time as well.
It has been encouraging to see not only to see mostly peaceful protests but the actions of various police departments. In Miami police officers bowed one knee in solitary with the protesters and in some cases police officers have prayed with some of the protesters.
President Trump calling in the troops to restore order may backfire if his recent photo-op is any indication. This may restore order but more likely be a case dumping more gasoline on the fire. Calling in the troops has sometimes led to disaster (Kent State etc.) What will become of this time will tell.
This whole serious events has awakened people from all walks of life(myself included) to the problems of racism in our society that have been ignored for too long. It will take a consciousness effort for us as a society to be more active. This will change of attitude in each and every one of us.
There is no question that there is systemic racism in Western culture and that the racial divide has gotten bigger over the last few years. It is also a democratic right to protest injustice in society and anyone has a right to participate. After all many things have been accomplished by this such as the civil rights movement(which I will touch more on in a bit), better conditions for the working class, rights for women to vote etc.
However, those who chose to riot and loot are only negating the work of the demonstrators who are calling for change. I know these a only a small few who commit these acts and there are those who this as an excuse to commit these acts. Unfortunately this often begets more violence.
One just has to look to the civil rights of the 1960’s led by Dr. Martin Luther King. They had peaceful protests and faced arrest, police brutality and even murder.The never used violence and managed to get their point across and it led to change especially was the final nail in the coffin of Jim Crow laws in the southern United States. Attitudes about race were changed by some during this time as well.
It has been encouraging to see not only to see mostly peaceful protests but the actions of various police departments. In Miami police officers bowed one knee in solitary with the protesters and in some cases police officers have prayed with some of the protesters.
President Trump calling in the troops to restore order may backfire if his recent photo-op is any indication. This may restore order but more likely be a case dumping more gasoline on the fire. Calling in the troops has sometimes led to disaster (Kent State etc.) What will become of this time will tell.
This whole serious events has awakened people from all walks of life(myself included) to the problems of racism in our society that have been ignored for too long. It will take a consciousness effort for us as a society to be more active. This will change of attitude in each and every one of us.
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