Foremost on my Mind: Protest of the Protest

 

I have never heard of so many people with so much time, creating so much chaos, as I have in these past few weeks. And if I go back a year or two, the list gets frighteningly longer. These "democratic" people have found a niche in protesting all over the world, regardless of the issue. Some, to be sure (hello, "Wall Street Occupiers") may be possibly legitimate, while others are seriously suspect.

Let's see: In Iceland, they're banging pots, setting off fireworks, and dumping their veggies on the streets, trying the get the politicians' attention. Likewise, in the respective capitals of both Canada and the USA, hundreds (including many unemployed actors and actresses who need the free publicity) have done their civil duty in a most uncivil way.

And let's not forget about Greece, Italy, and England.

Speaking of England, just a few months ago, for example, the south of England was ablaze (literally) with nightly protests, stealing, and violence, mostly young people getting back at those who actually get up and go to work everyday—or at those who handed them their unemployment cheques. They said they were making a statement, but methinks they must have been speaking with a different accent.

If they had any moral fiber or a pinch of wisdom, they might want to check with some of their fellow-humans in Syria that question. Mind you, they might be limited as to whom they ask: You see, in Syria, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, and other Muslim countries, the government simply shoots protesters, with the sole intention of killing them. (Obviously, I am not advocating this; I'm simply pointing out a serious irony here.)

I have some questions for my fellow-humans who feel it is their God-given right to desecrate, destroy, and defy. I would ask, for starters, whether anarchy is the best way to get the government's attention? It got mine, of course, and has turned me off big time to their alleged plight.

I would also ask if they had all the facts in hand before they take to the streets. As an example, did everyone in the these various protests really believe in the moral element of what they were doing—or did they simply want to vent their anger? Are they really concerned about the economic and environmental issues—or do they simply have the urge to twist and shout?

I also have some specific questions for two of the groups in particular.

Back to those in Iceland: If times are really tough, why are you wasting money on firecrackers? Why not spend it on, say, vegetables? And speaking of veggies, perhaps you could have eaten the ones you threw around. And you don't need the government to help you with that. All you need is a little common sense and a lot of self-control.

And to those in Washington: As much as you protest the Keystone Pipeline and all the alleged evils of "dirty oil," did you arrive in anything that day that may have used oil or gas? I hope you walked or took a bike to your group hissy fit. If not, shame on you, you hypocrite.

To be sure, we are in very serious economic times, the root for some of these protests. And there is a bona fide way to express bona fide outrage, to be sure. Again, perhaps the "Wall Street Occupiers" are on to something; the jury is still out on that one. But those anarchists of Great Britain really galled me with their wanton destruction: Unemployed, angry, and lawless, they took to the streets to show the "rich people a thing or two." Great, that's going to win the day.

Dialoging, voting, writing letters to the editor, and other creative means (and that includes peaceful rallies) will win the day—not frenzied, senseless anarchy. If people want to make such a statement, they should start by smashing their own windows on their own property on their own time.

I may be just as unhappy with the government in Edmonton and Ottawa as many of the anarchists are. However, I protest with my right to vote, with meetings with my respective representatives, with my choice of how I raise my family (as positive agents of change), with peaceful lobbying, and a host of other means.

One novel means of protest, by the way, could include writing a column like this. (Columnist's note: no windows were smashed, no one's property was damaged in the production of this article.)