Social justice advocates have a long history of protesting, marching, and rallying to provoke dialogue on issues that are often ignored by the majority. These protests are often met with criticism for being too aggressive or provocative. Some people argue that these tactics work against the cause rather than for it.
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Recently, activists have taken to more disruptive methods of protest like blocking roadways, occupying buildings, locking arms together in chains, etc. This has led many to question if such actions cross the line from activism to sabotage. These debates over the effectiveness of various protest tactics are nothing new.
They’ve been raging since public demonstrations first began as a means of social change. Here’s how I can answer this question, stay with me.
Do activists inconvenience innocent people?
This is a legitimate concern and one that many people have when it comes to protesting. If a large group of people is blocking a busy intersection, for example, you will wonder if any nearby individuals might need to get through without being able to do so. However, in the grand scheme of things, I think these concerns are relatively minor.
Many of the issues that activists protest are not just inconveniences but also injustices that adversely affect many innocent people. Take racial profiling, for example, a topic that has become increasingly visible in recent years due to the Black Lives Matter movement. When an innocent person is pulled over by a police officer because of the color of their skin, that’s no mere inconvenience, it’s an injustice.
Do I think activists blocking roads is necessary?
This may be one of the most hotly debated issues when it comes to activist protests. Many people believe that blocking a highway or a major road is an unnecessary method of protest. As it only inconveniences others rather than bringing about actual change. However, the whole point of protesting is to draw attention to an issue and provoke dialogue about fixing it.
Injustice does not exist in a vacuum; it is often ignored by the majority and goes unaddressed. Blocking a road is a way to bring attention to the issue and to make it an issue that people cannot ignore anymore. It is also a highly visible action, making it likely that journalists will cover it and that it will be picked up on social media. Which creates a further platform through which activists can share information and make their case.
Activists engaged in protection because they've been ignored during peaceful dialogues
Another common misconception about activist protests is that activists are only using more extreme methods when more moderate methods have failed. But the reality is that many activists have tried using more peaceful means of protest and dialogue, but they’ve been ignored.
This can be seen in the way that authorities have often failed to prosecute police officers who have killed unarmed African Americans. It's also witnessed in the way that legislation has failed to protect these communities. Even peaceful protests have often been met with disproportionate force. Given the lack of dialogue and the prevalence of injustice in a situation, taking more extreme measures may be the only way to get authorities’ attention and make changes.
Activists are on the right side of history and morality.
While activists’ methods are debated, their intentions are often not. History has shown us that activists’ intentions are usually on the right side of morality and the right side of history. Take the Suffragette movement, for example, which aimed to give women the right to vote. While the means of the movement are debated, the results are clear: the movement was seeking to promote justice and fairness.
Research shows that activists are only seeking to make the world a fairer, safer, and kinder place for everyone. While their methods may be debated, their intention is clear, and that's to promote love and justice for all.
You should be inconvenienced by activists for all the right reasons.
Activists pursue justice, fairness, and equality for all. They disrupt daily life for the sake of progress, standing up for what’s right and refusing to back down. Their actions are often inconvenient, jarring, and disruptive. But that’s because they are trying to make a real difference in the world.
If we want to live in a better, fairer, and more just world, we need to make room for those who are willing to disrupt the status quo to make that happen. If you’re against all forms of public disruption, then you’re probably against all forms of activism. And while activists can certainly do a better job of communicating their message and making their case, their cause is just and their methods are necessary.