Why I Do Not Protest

“Here is the true meaning and value of compassion and nonviolence, when it helps us to see the enemy’s point of view, to hear his questions, to know his assessment of ourselves. For from his view we may indeed see the basic weaknesses of our own condition, and if we are mature, we may learn and grow and profit from the wisdom of the brothers who are called the opposition.”

-Martin Luther King Jr.

Protesting matters. Civil disobedience matters. We need protesting as a call to action, create awareness, and expose injustices. But not everyone needs to protest and not everyone is best suited towards protesting. In many ways, protesting has become a type of virtual signaling. It is far easier to join a hashtag movement and feel like you are contributing. Public protesting is an external manifestation to others of your intrinsic values. It is also deeply embedded in the evolutionary aspect of us as social mammals. We shout together. We chant together. We raise our arms together. We are together. We are dependent on socialization because this is how we have survived on this planet as social apes for thousands of years. In this way, protesting is a visceral catharsis of all the emotions attached to perceived or real injustices.

Protesting is important and it has its place. Yet, there is a forgotten side of this coin. Protesting is futile if there are no pragmatic actions that take place at all levels of government in society. Think about it. Unless there is follow through on the things the protests asked for in a unified way, protests really are just passionate folks shouting for hours in a city-that’s it. The other question that must be asked is who is the target audience? To whom are you trying to cause awareness? The world? Your country? Your community? This awareness is a type of parochial groupthink. Individuals that have similar values but do not participate in protests are the ones that benefit the most. But they already have these values? They believe in the issues. The individuals that would need awareness are those who, well, don’t have awareness.

Developing awareness through protests becomes (like everything it seems nowadays) unintentionally political. Many times, when people protest about climate change, racial injustice, or wealth inequalities, these are liberal/left-leaning folks protesting en masse. The folks that probably could benefit from awareness are conservatives/right-leaning folks. Does anyone on the left really think that protesting is going to soften those on the right into listening to the issues? How effective is this really? Now you may say that protesting is not to persuade but to cause awareness. Fine. Awareness is half the battle and people do not walk around with awareness like a badge. Is awareness alone valuable? Should it not be inexplicably linked with actions? If not, what do you have? Awareness. “I know a problem exists.” “I feel passionate about the morals of this problem.” And then? No, awareness should foster action. It should be the highway on which pragmatism can travel. Because if awareness is not for those that have awareness and it is for those that need it, you will need a mixture of people, with diversity of thoughts, to find compromises and solutions to the problems. For those that protest, you cannot beat others who disagree with you into submission by catering to your values and morals. You alone cannot make any change worth protesting with only one political party. It takes a unified effort. If protests are a turnoff to people that need the awareness the most, then what is the point of protesting? Are those that protest simply being disingenuous? Is protesting simply a way of signaling your morals and values to others that agree with you? Is protesting simply emotional catharsis? Is protesting just attention seeking for your perceived moral superiority? Be authentic about your true aims.

Many of the individuals that protest do just that: protest. Many of these folks at protests do not have any follow through. How many of them are actively engaged in their local communities on a regular basis? How many are doing the hard work of consistently giving their time, energy, effort, and financial resources towards connection with others? How many are actively engaged with their local elected officials who represent them? I know there are many that do both and they are applaudable. But for most, protesting is a hashtag movement oscillating from reactionary event to the next. And that is what turns many other people off to these protests.

The impact of capitalism is an added strain on protesting. Many of the people voicing their dissent towards capitalism and major companies such as Disney, Amazon, Apple, and Google are the same activists who will make deals with these companies who will pour millions of dollars into “social justice.” This is “Woke capitalism.” Woke capitalism is even more hypocritical and cause for disgust than maybe the mistreatment of individuals. I am not advocating for an elitist purism, but I would prefer that those who protest are organized, proactive, and pragmatic from the beginning. It makes everyone question their authenticity when they do not have any backbone to certain changes.

We can learn many lessons from the history of those that protested before us. In the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s, civil rights protests were a unifying, peaceful force that were focused on the long-term goal of specific equality as humans. They were not using protests as a masquerade for rioting, looting, or arson. They were not reacting from event to event. They were not trying to bend the will of others into believing their ideology. They were not intentionally isolating half the country because they may not have agreed with their points. There was a clear mission with courageous leaders. They wanted equality, not revengeful payback for some idyllic black supremacy. They wanted to be treated as equal humans just like white folks. They wanted that equality in voting, in housing, and in economics. They were not asking for pity. They were not asking to be treated as victims. They were not obsessed with race and focusing on the sins of the past. They used those various chapters of the country’s history to solidify they are just as American and part of American culture and history as white folk. They focused on the elements of class and economics not simply racial ideology. There was a clear focus with protests being the jump start to causing awareness and getting a seat at the table towards pragmatic solutions. They had a legitimate ally in LBJ and there was true and actual reform and progress. I see none of this in the current protests.

In the current protests, I see anger. I see rage and hate. I see opportunists taking advantage of the situation. I see reactionary politics and I see insincerity and inauthenticity on many “white allies” who somehow have to make this moment always about themselves.

I do not protest not because I don’t believe in the causes or because I’m afraid to show solidarity. I am deeply supportive of my friends and colleagues who do protest. I do not protest because I do not feel like it has to be me being part of a movement to cause change. I do not protest because my skills set are better equipped for the pragmatic/actionable sequences of change after people go home from a protest. I do not protest because I would rather be committed to hard fights and battles in trying to find a compromise with both sides to create actual change not simply pontificate necessary awareness. I do not protest because I do not need to prove to anyone my true intentions and my authenticity about my compassion and honesty in fostering relationships and connection with others. I believe in bridging the divide between people and doing that through relationships is the best kind of awareness. I believe in connecting and sharing experiences with someone who is different than me and exploring the equal humanity we both share. I hope our current generation can use their protesting to extend an open hand with those that may think differently. I hope they can cause awareness and engage in the pragmatic battles that are necessary. I do not protest but I remain hopeful.