Protest is Patriotism

#TransparentTuesday

Hi friend,

I recently attended a protest in my city for “no kings day,” in which people all over the country gathered to protest Trump’s policies and administration on his birthday, and publicly assert that we’re not ok with the way things are going.

I’ve attended protests before, but given everything happening with the LA protests recently, I’ll admit that I was a little nervous going into it. I live in Asheville NC now, which is a very small and liberal city, so I knew there wasn’t much of a chance of police or military intervention, or even of counter-protesters. 

But things are charged right now, so I felt a bit anxious anyway, and the night before I found myself researching how to be prepared just in case. 

Most of the advice I found was pretty intuitive and obvious, like “bring water” and “wear comfortable shoes,” so while it’s not likely that I would have forgotten such things, I set everything out the night before.

I grabbed my backpack and filled it with snacks, sunscreen, water bottle, and masks, as well as other items I thought might come in handy for a long day outside, like bandaids, wet wipes, ibuprofen, and hand sanitizer. I even briefly wished I’d had the foresight to buy more serious supplies like a gas mask or pepper spray.

And listen… the protest ended up being incredibly chill and peaceful. 

People wore costumes and held clever signs, musical performers sang about protecting democracy, and we all played kazoo and called out chants behind a marching band. There were almost zero counter-protesters, and I didn’t see a police officer the whole day (exactly as I could have guessed).

But I’m telling you this because I think it’s important to share that even those of us who are absolutely committed to justice and liberation— who believe in putting our bodies on the line to fight for what we believe, and have a good amount of experience in organized political action—can still get nervous about this kind of thing.

To be completely honest with you, I really enjoyed the idea of embarrassing Trump on his birthday and being a part of a country-wide protest while he threw himself a multi-million dollar birthday parade, but I don’t know that I believe our protest really accomplished anything. 

Yes I know it’s important for us to signal to others that our movement is large, increase media coverage about our political objections, and connect with our community to avoid feeling helpless, hopeless, and alone. 

But Asheville is a blue city in a red state, and I’m not convinced that our representatives will care in the slightest that we gathered with signs and music.

That said, I felt differently when I lived in LA, and there is no doubt that in certain locations (and when well-organized), protests can make a real difference. 

Unfortunately, it is exactly in the cities where protests are most impactful that they are also the most dangerous. 

The reason LA’s protests about Trump’s immigration policies, the unlawful actions of ICE, and the use of military force to suppress dissent have gained national attention is exactly because we have the horrifying footage of the political and military “authorities” using tear gas, flash bangs, excessive force, and unprovoked violence against the protesters. 

In other words, people are protesting the Trump administration’s violent authoritarian approach to dissenting opinions, human rights, and personal liberties… but it’s actually their own violent authoritarian response to these protests that best highlight what’s going on, and shine a light on the problem. 

Which means, if we’re being completely honest with ourselves, the fact that these protests have become so dangerous for civilians is exactly why they’re so important. 

The uncomfortable truth is that the more they hurt us, the more they make our point.

But this brings up the question of how to balance our personal safety with our moral compass, doesn’t it?

There are many people who simply can’t risk bodily harm, due to things like mental, medical, or physical limitations, because they’re responsible for people whose wellbeing they can’t jeopardize, or because something about their identity simply puts them at too high of a risk for being targeted.

But there are many more who (quite reasonably, I might add!) are just scared of what they’re seeing in the news, and don’t want to get hurt. 

Of course, there are many ways to fight for justice that do not put you at risk, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of them. (This is a bit embarrassing to admit, but I actually just learned how to “call my representatives,” so now that’s going on my action list at least once a week!)

And for the record, I don’t believe in a moral hierarchy when it comes to this kind of thing, nor do I judge anyone for opting for lower-risk actions when it comes to fighting for liberation and justice. 

But I do believe in making a few things clear to anyone who is considering attending a potentially scary event, and asking themself the question of “how much risk is the right amount for me?”

1. Your presence matters, even if you’re not on the front lines. There are many ways to show support and make a difference, even if you opt out of these kinds of protests completely! But if you do decide to attend, your presence alone is enough.

   
   

   It’s ok to make choices that honor your own personal risk tolerance with regard to where you stand, what you do, and who you surround yourself with, so please don’t let your fear of being on the front lines (or your belief that being on the front line is the only way to make a difference) keep you from showing up and engaging in whatever way feels doable for you. We are safer in numbers, and your presence matters.

   
   

2. If you’re able to, and you choose to, put yourself and your body on the front line, you are a hero.Nobody should ever have to risk bodily harm to ensure we all have personal freedom and human rights, but unfortunately that’s the situation we’re in. So if you do choose to take on that risk for the sake of liberty and justice for all, please know that you are a hero, full stop. 

All of this is to say that in this political climate, it’s normal to be scared, because there are scary things happening. 

But I hope that you won’t let your fear keep you from participating in the fight for freedom, equality, and morality in whatever way is accessible to you.

Happy fourth of July everyone!

Jessi