Friday, January 25, 2008
Belief...
I believe in a favorite pair of jeans and don't believe in lending them out. I believe in laughing on days that end in "y" and hot chocolate on the rainy ones. I believe in walking the extra mile and turning the other cheek, even if you don't have to. I don't believe you will get everything you want, but I do believe that if you look hard enough you will find. I believe actions speak louder than words and don't believe that words are always exact. The game of golf is either the most rewarding or frustrating sport you will ever play. To this, I believe the short game is greater than the long game. I believe that votes can make a difference and pointless online surveys are a waste of time. If you can fill one hand with a group of close friends you are fortunate and if you make friends wherever life takes you, you have nothing to lose. I believe in road trips and calling "shot-gun." I believe in the color orange. I believe in frequent buyer punch cards and don't believe in waiting to redeem them. I believe serving in our communities builds character and respect. I believe in the Houston Rodeo and don't believe in playing games with Ticketmaster to get in. Clint Eastwood is western movies and Brittney Spears has seen way too much of the spotlight. I believe in a great hand of cards and knowing gold when you see it.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
What is a protest?
A protest must begin with a disagreement. There must be a conflict in beliefs or ideas that cause enough outrage to encourage supporters to voice their opinions. A protest is in many ways a response that warrents a reaction from a specific audience. They can be initiated by individuals opposing other individuals or groups against groups and could involve a combination thereof.
Protests themselves are more often than not a reflection of the protestor's beliefs or the change they desire. One popular example of this is the monk that lit himself on fire to protest the unnessary loss of life during the Vietnam War. His own protest mirrored his message. Another could include Rosa Parks, who started the civil right movement as she sat in a designated "white" seat on a city bus to portray her belief that black is equal to white and skin color should not determine our judgements of others. These are both instances where individuals protested to gain attention for a cause. In addition to these, groups of united protestors can draw just as much if not more attention to a particular cause. Large groups are often successful in getting the attention of the mass media and thus a society, due to the quantity and location of the people. The March on Washington is widely known as well as the more recent gatherings of anti-war and PETA supporters. Not only is the amount of people important to gain attention, but location is key, too. For instance, if a group wants to protest a piece of legislation, a city hall or other prominent city building would offer the protestors the most leverage in their pursuit of change.
To be successful, I believe that protestors must find a way to be intimidating to their audience. This does not have to include violent actions. If protestors intimidate their audience either by raising sufficient support or physically pose a threat, the intended audience is forced to respond in some way. Substantial boycotts can encourage a change in price or manufacturing process of a product. Large marches show widening support of an opinion and demand a higher level of respect if nothing more, from the audience. Overall, protests can be very effective if the appropriate attention is gained from the action.
Protests themselves are more often than not a reflection of the protestor's beliefs or the change they desire. One popular example of this is the monk that lit himself on fire to protest the unnessary loss of life during the Vietnam War. His own protest mirrored his message. Another could include Rosa Parks, who started the civil right movement as she sat in a designated "white" seat on a city bus to portray her belief that black is equal to white and skin color should not determine our judgements of others. These are both instances where individuals protested to gain attention for a cause. In addition to these, groups of united protestors can draw just as much if not more attention to a particular cause. Large groups are often successful in getting the attention of the mass media and thus a society, due to the quantity and location of the people. The March on Washington is widely known as well as the more recent gatherings of anti-war and PETA supporters. Not only is the amount of people important to gain attention, but location is key, too. For instance, if a group wants to protest a piece of legislation, a city hall or other prominent city building would offer the protestors the most leverage in their pursuit of change.
To be successful, I believe that protestors must find a way to be intimidating to their audience. This does not have to include violent actions. If protestors intimidate their audience either by raising sufficient support or physically pose a threat, the intended audience is forced to respond in some way. Substantial boycotts can encourage a change in price or manufacturing process of a product. Large marches show widening support of an opinion and demand a higher level of respect if nothing more, from the audience. Overall, protests can be very effective if the appropriate attention is gained from the action.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
