Or why are those protesters standing in the street disrupting traffic?
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government. By some definitions, civil disobedience has to be nonviolent to be called “civil“. Hence, civil disobedience is sometimes equated with peaceful protests or nonviolent resistance. Note that the second part of this definition is often not considered necessary.
Civil Disobedience is not just a right, it is a duty when you realize a law, action, inaction, declaration, decision or process being undertaken by the government is wrong. That means YOU feel it’s wrong. There doesn’t have to be consensus about the subject. Most likely there will be a group that holds the same belief as you about it, so you likely won’t be alone. Civil Disobedience works best in groups, however personal civil disobedience is also possible.
Protesters in Portland – Probably June 2020 but it could be anytime.
The United States has a long history of civil disobedience. The first act, arguably, was the Boston Tea Party. It was followed by many other acts, including the abolitionists movement, the underground railroad, the many , many steps of the Civil Rights Movement including marches, speeches, rallies and boycotts. The suffrage movement, the women’s rights movement and so many more were or included acts of civil disobedience.
Protests are one form of civil disobedience. There are others such as marches, sit-ins, refusal to sign a form when required, burning draft cards (and bras), refusing to pay an unjust fee or fine, etc.
Protests don’t happen when the people feel they have been heard, or when they feel that they are safe. Protests happen when the same thing happens over and over again, and amidst promises of change it gets swept under the rug again and again.
The protesters are blocking the streets because those are the same streets where the injustice occurs.
They are blocking the streets because no other form of protest is allowed.
they are blocking the streets because professional athletes can’t choose to take a knee in protest without losing their job and being fined.
They are blocking the streets because people are being killed because of their race, their ethnicity, their sexual orientation and their gender.
Mothers line up in front of the crowd of protesters, hands entwined, to stand between the protesters, their children and grandchildren, because the police keep using chemical weapons and “less than lethal” ordinance on largely unarmed, peaceful protesters.
They are blocking the streets because CHANGE has to happen and it won’t if we all keep quiet and let the government fix things.
Coming eventually. I hope: A guide to understanding propaganda.
Kate's Ramblings. 