Protests Put People in Power
Art by Ella Villar
October 4, 2019
Protests are a common and powerful way to influence people and make change in the world.
Widespread organizations can host protests and rallies nation-wide to raise awareness for their causes, such as climate change or equal rights. Though many may argue that protests are not effective, they give a voice to people who are not given power in the government, and they allow people to express their beliefs and influence others.
Organizations like March for Our Lives, Black Lives Matter, and the Women’s March all have groups of people nationwide that are advocating for their causes.
They’ve become such a strong force that the government has had no choice but to at least acknowledge them, and changes have been made partly due to protester’s efforts.
March for Our Lives, who strives to combat gun violence by advocating for change gun laws, in 2018, created a list of primary demands from their organization.included: passing a law to ban the assault weapons frequently used to carry out mass shootings; stopping the sale of high-capacity magazines, restricting the amount of ammunition; and closing loopholes in America’s background checks and implement laws that require background checks on every gun purchase, including those that occur online or at gun shows.
They quickly gained support from popular consensus with those demands and hosted events in 838 cities worldwide, which gave March for Our Lives a platform to speak to a broad range of people. While they have not achieved their exact list of demands, shortly after a number of marches, Congress passed the Fix NICS Act, increaseing thoroughness background checks, and allowed the CDC to study gun violence.
Black Lives Matter, a group that fights against the oppression of black people and police brutality, has also had a prominent voice in society since they were founded in 2015.
The movement has created a lot of controversy, and spread the message of racial equality across America. Celebrities from NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James to musicians Beyonce and Drake, have shown their support of Black Lives Matter, which has helped to broaden their spectrum of influence.
“We are sick and tired of the killings of young men and women in our communities. It is up to us to take a stand and demand that they stop killing us,” said Beyonce.
People like these have millions of followers and fans who are being reached by what they say, causing Black Lives Matter protests to get far more attention.
Without any form of protest, there would never be awareness that change needs to be brought.
Bringing power to the people is one of the most effective ways to formulate change, because when in large numbers, citizenscan work together to vote people in or out, or approve or veto bills. The messages of protests are important because they educate people on different causes they possibly would not know about otherwise.
Often times large movements like Black Lives Matter start from awareness of an issue affecting a certain population. Leaders voice their opinions and educate others of their struggles which brings about awareness and advocacy. Without this chain reaction protests create, the world would not be all people’s world.
