People have resisted government tyranny or religious persecution since ancient times, it’s a legitimate response when you’re truly oppressed by either severe laws or legalized violence.
The Boston Tea Party was effective for the entire populace, but the French Revolution wasn’t. Early American gripes were real and touched all people. It wasn’t like today’s protests where a few angry protesters claim they alone have the right to destroy property, or hurt people in the name of anti-fascism. The Tea Party consisted of average citizens and was in theory backed by leaders. It wasn’t the bloody, indiscriminent killing of nobility, like the French Revolution.
Right after the recent (2016) election there were protests/riots in multiple cities. and …. since I feel so connected to Portland after the murder of my son on her streets, & visit there frequently, I was curious about the violent demonstrations that were held for 6 nights straight!
I called some personal contacts in downtown PDX area to get their reflections on the protest/riots other than just googling Portland news. I got differing feedback.
One person said, ‘no biggie’, but he works downtown during the daytime. The other person I spoke to, who works in the same location, said it was like a war zone all night! He said the tear gas that was only used after repeated warnings, and it reached all the way over to Third Avenue, (where they work). At least one large business window around the corner from their work had been smashed by protesters. When he had to go home he had to pay $30.00 for a taxi so he wouldn’t get caught up in the street vandalism, light rail cancellations, bridge closures. Talk about different points of view re: a protest!
Numerous downtown businesses were vandalized. There were varied instances of violence. One guy smashed car windows at a Toyota dealership. Couple weeks after the protests/riots a 14 year old was arraigned for attempted murder cause he shot a protester in a ‘drive by’ on Morrison Bridge. Police said the boy was driving with known gang members. One of the judges who dealt with more than 100 arrests was the Judge in Marc’s case.
Police Chief Charlie Beck in Los Angeles told protesters they’d be arrested if they took to the freeways, we had zero tolerance in that regard, if I remember. But it was different in Portland, as many protesters took to the bridges, streets, intersections, rather than sidewalks, parks.
People came out in 2016 and voted. One half of the country felt clearly different from the other half, our candidates were so opposite. The protests would make more sense if there was a true cross section of people from all walks of life, all ages, etc participating in peace like with the anti-Iraq war protests. But in general, the recent protests weren’t like that as the organizing rhetoric was laced with different types of purposes, and openly acknowledged it couldn’t keep the criminal element away from their group.
Peaceful, non-violent demonstrations can change a nations course! Look at what Gandhi did in India, or Lech Walesa on the Gadansk, Poland docks. Rosa Parks and the non-violent civil rights marches in the South transformed the culture they were trying to change. Those protests involved mature men and women who had a specific point they were marching for …. their marches were mostly respectful of others and didn’t disintegrate into a violent mob with people blocking cars, traffic or kids running around not knowing what they were against, or criminal elements acting out their own agenda.
Two thirds of those arrested in the Portland protests hadn’t voted! Some told reporters that the Electoral College was rigged or corrupt and it was pointless to vote. It’s so sad that some youth have these irrational ideas of how government works. Or that they have any other way to carry out their dissapproval. If we refuse to vote, how can we feel right being mad about the results of an election? Some people said, ‘Trump’s not my President’ but …. what does that mean? Of course, he’s President of the entire U.S.
After my sons incident, I know we can find it in us to work for change in an orderly way if we want to genuinely make a difference. Otherwise, we’re like meaningless blobs …. here today, gone tomorrow. No one remembers us for anything in particular.
Marc’s words never changed, his words rang true, that’s why he’s cherished still!