If you’ve ever listened to Rage Against the Machine while being stuck in traffic, you know what it feels like to be filled with fury and ready to stick it to the man. Protesting is your chance to exercise your inalienable right of man sticktoitiveness and fight back against inequality and hatred. However, sometimes when you stick the man, the man sticks back.Protesting police brutality is a little like protesting a tiger mauling by walking up to the tiger and screaming in its face while bopping it on the head with a rolled up newspaper. You wouldn’t do the latter without checking in with Joe Exotic and you shouldn’t do the former without reading this handy field survival guide to help get you through any protest.
1. Strength in Numbers
Like the bold gazelle, stay in herds to avoid police brutality.
No, wait… That didn’t work.
2. Maybe Split Off From the Crowd
No, that didn’t work either…
3. Maybe Just Stand With Your Hands Up?
Nope. Not that one.
4. Just Standing On Your Porch Should Be Fine, Right?
Shit…
5. Try Being a Member of the Press. 1st Amendment and All. The Police Won’t Attack a Reporter.
Sigh…
6. Okay… But What If You’re a Politician, Like a State Senator. Then You’re Totally Fine.
…
7. Okay. Screw Protesting. Just Mind Your Own Business. Go Grab Some Groceries and Head Home.
……………
8. I Got It!! Be White!!!
When you’re white, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the statehouse. You can do anything.
America was built on protest. Of our most fundamental rights is the right to peacefully assemble, the right to look tyranny and oppression directly in the eye. What is the right way to fight oppression? Is it kneeling during a football game? Is it boycotting a business? Is it marching? Is it vandalism or riots? If you’re a child bullied at school, you’re told one of three things: 1) Just ignore it, they’ll leave you alone, 2) Tell a teacher and they’ll get them to stop. 3) Fight back. One never works. Lions don’t lose interest in the weakest of prey, in the marginalized, in the downtrodden. Two doesn’t work. No real change occurs. Three doesn’t work. You get suspended, arrested, and hit even harder. How do you stop a bully? How do we create reform? You get pushed over and over again and no one listens; you push back and everyone calls you a thug. Don’t give up hope. Keep standing tall. Demand to be noticed. Film everything. And above all else, work to create a dialogue. Tell your story. Times like these need leaders. People like Dr. King who will stand up and speak elegantly and passionately against brutality and violence. And times like these also need people who won’t give up their seat on a bus, who won’t stand for tyranny and oppression any longer. Just don’t lose hope. Hope in change and hope in humanity. Businesses used to be “Whites Only”. But times can change, societies can change, and, most importantly, people can change. As much as you may hate them, as much as you may think they are stubborn fools, never forget that people can change. Maybe not in an instant, maybe not in a year, maybe not even in a generation, but people can change. Go out and be that change.
Earthquakes & Alligators 