About Protesting

With the G8 and G20 summits about to go off in my backyard, I think it's prudent of me to ask something about protesting: why are so many protesters little more than thugs that hate EVERYTHING?

Now for those of you who don't know me, don't misunderstand, I applaud dissent. However, I don't condone riots, especially riots sparked at the slightest provocation. What exactly do these "anarchists"* think that that's going to accomplish?

* (true anarchists simply don't like formal authority, they don't think that everyone should be in it for themselves)

If people want to protest globalization, or the exploitation/abandonment of the developing world, by all means do that and make yourselves heard. But when some of these idiots start making threats of blowing up banks or what-not, the only thing I can see that doing, is giving The Powers That Be an excuse to stampede EVERY protester (heck, given Emperor Harper's increasing hate for dissent, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd use that as an excuse for "emergency measures" that he'll conveniently forget to give up).

Simply put, going out to start a fight will only make more trouble for everyone. Remember that the most successful protests in history DID NOT involve the protesters fighting or killing anyone. If anyone's going to start a problem, let it be the army and cops -- if those bastards want to show the world that they're fascist thugs, that's their prerogative. Be mindful of people like Ghandi, King, or the "Bloody Sunday" protest recently in the headlines again: those people were not armed, and were totally peaceful. That made them the good guys.