The Power of Protest
September 4th 2007 16:16
This was originally written this spring, but bears significance to the upcoming debates about Iraq..
The fourth anniversary of the beginning of the short war and subsequent long occupation in Iraq brought protests around the world. In big cities and small towns, people concerned with what the Iraq debacle took to the streets. There were even some counter protests by occupation supporters, but they were much smaller in size. Perhaps the most famous - or infamous - happened here in Portland, Oregon.
The right loves to take a stab at us here in Portland. They forget that we are a diverse area with many views, right and left. Many of us take pleasure imagining that we are thought of as devils by the folks of Redneckistan. Redneckistan - loosely defined as any area where President Bush still has a 30% approval rating or better. The poor souls who think that Tony Snow has credibility. Don't get me wrong, they are here too. Like the conservative local radio host Lars Larsen. He posted some of the photos on his website and railed against who "think recent anti-war protests are harmless free speech." It's just that they are outnumbered here.
They have favorite names for Portland, the right wing talking heads. Rush Limbaugh calls the area 'lib land." Another rightie called the city "The People's Republic of Portland." The elder President Bush called the city "little Beirut." it's been said that you are defined as much by those who hate you as those who love you. I'll buy that. At least in the political arena, anyway.
The Sunday march in Portland drew thousands. It also drew a small number of anarchists who burned a soldier in effigy, and an American flag. They also carried a banner that read "fuck the troops." Funny, they didn't really get much local coverage. There were reports of the anarchists clashing with police at one point, but I don't think I saw anything about the effigy, the flag, and the banner until it hit the internet.
The only reason it hit the internet at all is because of Rachel Palinkas, a 19 year old student at Linfield College. She posted 240 photos of the peace rally and march and posted them to her Facebook site. The photos of peaceful protest, of families, friends and neighbors out looking to make a difference, didn't seem to draw much attention. The pictures of one small group did. Of her 240 photos, only 13 are of what Palinkas calls 'the extreme fringe." And the rightie extremes pounced.
The conservative mouthpiece Michelle Malkin said 'Portland hates America." On Shock and Blog, someone wrote "Brainwashing the next generation of troop haters." Here on Associated Content, one person wrote an article that has drawn out some very strong remarks. One person commented "What happened to the charge of treason and the death penalty that went with it?" For protesting? Give me a break! Rachael Palinkas has received emails telling her she should be deported and/or tried for treason. For posting photos?
I admit, sometimes protesting can be offensive to some. And too others it can become just a "scene" that they go to, not always even to protest, just to be there. It can also be a powerful tool for the common person. Protests have been a crucial component to some of the most important events in history.
The sparks that started the American Revolution drew fuel from protests - remember the Boston Tea Party? Protests started the French Revolution, and brought down the Tsars in Russia. They ended the Vietnam War and the Soviet Union. IF you believe the Bible you have to include Moses and Jesus in the club of rabble-rousing protesters.
And the lack of protest allowed evil to thrive. In Hitler's Germany protesters were given the kind of treatment many are wishing on the Portland anarchists. Protesting wrongs in Stalin's Soviet Union would get you sent to a Gulag, if you weren't just killed outright. We remember what happened to protesters in China's Tianamen Square.
Are we in America ready to join that crowd? The vitriolic hate filled comments made about these protesters should concern anyone who actually loves freedom. It's easy to say we allow others to be free to be like us. The trick is to allow those who would totally offend us, that would do something so opposed to what our views might be, to be free to do it. And we will know where they stand. And if they are so wrong, they will not find agreement in others. If we lock up people today for burning an effigy or a flag, what will we lock people up for tomorrow?
The fourth anniversary of the beginning of the short war and subsequent long occupation in Iraq brought protests around the world. In big cities and small towns, people concerned with what the Iraq debacle took to the streets. There were even some counter protests by occupation supporters, but they were much smaller in size. Perhaps the most famous - or infamous - happened here in Portland, Oregon.
The right loves to take a stab at us here in Portland. They forget that we are a diverse area with many views, right and left. Many of us take pleasure imagining that we are thought of as devils by the folks of Redneckistan. Redneckistan - loosely defined as any area where President Bush still has a 30% approval rating or better. The poor souls who think that Tony Snow has credibility. Don't get me wrong, they are here too. Like the conservative local radio host Lars Larsen. He posted some of the photos on his website and railed against who "think recent anti-war protests are harmless free speech." It's just that they are outnumbered here.
They have favorite names for Portland, the right wing talking heads. Rush Limbaugh calls the area 'lib land." Another rightie called the city "The People's Republic of Portland." The elder President Bush called the city "little Beirut." it's been said that you are defined as much by those who hate you as those who love you. I'll buy that. At least in the political arena, anyway.
The Sunday march in Portland drew thousands. It also drew a small number of anarchists who burned a soldier in effigy, and an American flag. They also carried a banner that read "fuck the troops." Funny, they didn't really get much local coverage. There were reports of the anarchists clashing with police at one point, but I don't think I saw anything about the effigy, the flag, and the banner until it hit the internet.
The only reason it hit the internet at all is because of Rachel Palinkas, a 19 year old student at Linfield College. She posted 240 photos of the peace rally and march and posted them to her Facebook site. The photos of peaceful protest, of families, friends and neighbors out looking to make a difference, didn't seem to draw much attention. The pictures of one small group did. Of her 240 photos, only 13 are of what Palinkas calls 'the extreme fringe." And the rightie extremes pounced.
The conservative mouthpiece Michelle Malkin said 'Portland hates America." On Shock and Blog, someone wrote "Brainwashing the next generation of troop haters." Here on Associated Content, one person wrote an article that has drawn out some very strong remarks. One person commented "What happened to the charge of treason and the death penalty that went with it?" For protesting? Give me a break! Rachael Palinkas has received emails telling her she should be deported and/or tried for treason. For posting photos?
I admit, sometimes protesting can be offensive to some. And too others it can become just a "scene" that they go to, not always even to protest, just to be there. It can also be a powerful tool for the common person. Protests have been a crucial component to some of the most important events in history.
The sparks that started the American Revolution drew fuel from protests - remember the Boston Tea Party? Protests started the French Revolution, and brought down the Tsars in Russia. They ended the Vietnam War and the Soviet Union. IF you believe the Bible you have to include Moses and Jesus in the club of rabble-rousing protesters.
And the lack of protest allowed evil to thrive. In Hitler's Germany protesters were given the kind of treatment many are wishing on the Portland anarchists. Protesting wrongs in Stalin's Soviet Union would get you sent to a Gulag, if you weren't just killed outright. We remember what happened to protesters in China's Tianamen Square.
Are we in America ready to join that crowd? The vitriolic hate filled comments made about these protesters should concern anyone who actually loves freedom. It's easy to say we allow others to be free to be like us. The trick is to allow those who would totally offend us, that would do something so opposed to what our views might be, to be free to do it. And we will know where they stand. And if they are so wrong, they will not find agreement in others. If we lock up people today for burning an effigy or a flag, what will we lock people up for tomorrow?
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Comment by Anonymous
That really gave me a good laugh!!
Very witty!!! I wish I had thought of it...now I'll have to quote you, Jeff!!
And what of that old curmudgeon and neo-fascist Bush senior calling Portland "little Beirut!!" What an arse he is!
It never ceases to amaze me how many low paid, struggling folks support these white supremacists, who are really the current day version of slave traders, only they are economic slavers!
And you also raise another excellent point, the right to protest is ultimately democracy's greatest protection, for protest has allowed previous despotic regimes to be overcome, which is exactly why these right wing panderers of hate want to limit our freedom of speech and freedom to protest.
I can remember the words of it being "anti-American" if you did not agree with America and its pals going to war against "the enemy."
And then the Bush administration wanted everyone to believe a rag-tag bunch of disjointed Muslims was able to orchestrate, (unassisted) the greatest assault on American soil since the war of independance!
What utter piffle! It had to be an inside job.
However, isn't it ironic to think, that the brave men and women who stood up to England's rule all those years ago, starting in Boston, would be regarded as terrorists today, and locked away without trial or representation, and tortured!
Things certainly have turned back in time, back to the Dark Ages!
Excellent post old bean!!
cheers
fog