Written by: Manaswi Sapkota - 26004, Grade X
Posted on: 23 June, 2023
Protests are a powerful move to show what you believe in. It is an action that helps you fight for what you think is right. Protests often result in socio-economic changes; they change the politics of a country and the mindset of the locals. They also cause violence among certain groups of people. Some protests are just not effective because they are executed terribly.
Protests usually disturb the normal flow of a place as during protests, people are on the roads fighting for what they believe is right. These protests often lead to traffic jams, fights with law enforcement, etc., which can polarize the opinion of the bystander because due to the protest, the roads are blocked and they can't get anywhere on time. This might lead to resentment towards the protester, and there might be no regard for the content being protested.
Major protests are always verbal, but sometimes protests get out of hand, and every once in a while, a brawl breaks out between opposing parties of the protesters. These fights not only hurt those involved but also harm the bystanders. Vandalism, theft, burning of properties, etc., also take place during protests sometimes. This also makes the bystanders question the reason behind the protest, and instead of taking a side, the bystander will only continue hating on the campaign as a whole. This kind of protest only uses the public as a source of hate for the protesters.
Cases like the Extinction Rebellion's protests really show the general saying of "good ideas, executed badly." They protested against climate change, and the idea of the protest itself is good, but they protested terribly, vandalizing property, blocking major roads, and the public transportation system.
Another reason why today's protests are more harming than rewarding is the carbon footprint they leave behind. To organize such high-scale protests, activists have to use transportation, energy, fuel, etc., which only contradicts their reason behind the protest. These resources are unsustainable for a protest as they leave behind carbon footprints. These resources could also be used in other sectors that need them more. Due to this, protests should be done without the emission of carbon footprints.
Digital activism is one of the most sustainable ways of protest as of now, especially after the rise of apps like TikTok, which help in spreading information to people all around the world. Online petitions, virtual events, etc., help reduce the carbon footprint as they remove all the reasons for the use of transportation, energy consumption, and an increase in waste. Of course, digital activism isn't possible everywhere, so there are other ways to remove carbon footprints while protesting. Sustainable transportation, awareness campaigns, and sustainable materials are all ways to not leave behind our carbon footprints.
Protests play a significant role in changing the social dynamic of a society and bringing justice to those who need it. Protests should be peaceful yet bold and strong. Violence and the lack of composure only make it easier for the general public to ignore your protests easily. So to prove a point protests must be done without violence and only then will they be effective.
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