by Roisin O'Carroll
In the United States, we preach of the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed to each person outlined in our Bill of Rights. Among these rights is the right to assembly which, according to the First Amendment, “guarantees the right of citizens to assemble peaceably and to petition their government.”1 The right to protest has been exercised by the people at almost every point in history to instill change in their communities. Although the Bill of Rights guarantees the right to peaceful protest, protests often escalate, and those hoping for more radical change often turn to violence. However, seeking change through hostility may not be the best way to achieve an overall goal. As shown throughout American history, violent protests are a less successful way to gain support of leaders than peaceful protests. Violent protests tend to be less successful than peaceful protests because they give authority figures an excuse to interfere with a movement’s progress. Founded in 1966, the Black Panther Party was an activist group that advocated for equal treatment of black Americans and was involved in violent protests, shootouts, and beatings.2 In 1968, J. Edgar Hoover, director of the FBI, called the Black Panthers, “One of the greatest threats to the nation’s internal security.”3 Although group members had some notable accomplishments in their communities, their violence resulted in an FBI investigation and a massive shootout that largely contributed to the group’s fall.4 As shown by the Black Panthers, the methods of violent protesters can easily be turned weaponized against them. Violence gives authority figures a reason to condemn protesters and stop movements in their tracks. Government officials like J. Edgar Hoover have the power and resources to put down protests and control press coverage of movements. Even if protesters are fighting for noble causes, such as justice and equality, the destruction used to spread their message can be great enough for officials to put a stop to their movement. Being an enemy of powerful people makes it much more difficult to make real changes. Overall, violent protests and the resulting interference prevents protesters from achieving their overall goals. In contrast, peaceful protests are more successful because they can withstand the scrutiny of authority figures and are harder to put down. School Strike for the Climate is a global movement started by Greta Thunberg, a teenage activist, in 2018. For over a year, Thunberg has been organizing school strikes across the world to demonstrate the importance of climate action.5 During the Global Week for Future in September 2019, over one million Americans were on strike.6 The peaceful school strikes have received a much different response than violent protests: while violent protests are condemned by authority figures, the climate action movement is being supported by government officials. The peaceful nature of the movement makes it much more appealing to everyday people, allowing it to continue to grow. The protests do not break any rules and therefore the protesters are protected by their rights. Because of the movement’s huge following, it is almost impossible for it to be put down. Officials have no choice but to support the climate movement, or at the very least to accept it. When the question, “what is the biggest geopolitical threat to our country?” was posed at the Democratic Presidential Debate in June, almost half of the candidates responded with “climate change.”7 Regardless of how the candidates actually feel about climate change, the large number of potential voters who care about this issue makes it crucial that candidates prioritize climate change when explaining their plans for their potential presidency. If politicians try to interfere with the movement or speak poorly of the cause, they risk losing the vote of millions. The threat of losing votes puts power back in the hands of the people rather than leaving everything up to government officials. Government officials are not only unable to put down the peaceful protests, but they are being controlled by the movement and forced to hear the people. The best way for a protest to gain the support of leaders in a democracy is to protest peacefully. Although violence may seem like the best way to empower a group of people, peaceful protests force politicians to listen and bring movements closer to their goals. Peaceful protests bring power to the people and allow change to happen. Because of its capacity for causing change, the right to protest is one of the most valuable rights citizens have and, if used correctly, give Americans a voice.
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