Peaceful Resistance
Does peaceful resistance to laws positively or negatively impact a free society? I feel it ultimately impacts in a positive way by raising awareness of pertinent issues. Non-violent action tends to win more support than does violence. Peaceful resistance is a method of social change that can employ strategies such as strikes, sit-ins, boycotts and civil disobedience. One example is of the numerous protests against the petroleum industry to transition to a renewable energy source. We have become so dependent on petroleum that we put ourselves and our climate at risk especially when issues such as the recent gas line breakage that occurred in Alabama resulting in undetermined amounts of damage both now and in the years to come. Not only do we see the damages to climate and wildlife, but risks we see to transportation from gas shortages and rising costs from price gouging put the economy that is unprepared with alternative means of fuel at risk.
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It's our responsibility to protect our environment for future generations and by participating in peaceful resistance activities, we help to raise awareness of these problems to those that might otherwise be unaware...
or simply too busy to notice. These resistances are necessary and growing more urgent as we face increasingly undeniable global climate changes due in part to the effects of the petroleum industry. When people come together... from the young students to the retirees, from the hippies to the veterans... for a common cause, that gets attention and that raises awareness. The goal is to make everyone aware of potential environmental and safety concerns and to show that our voices and opinions matter. It is empowering for the participants, promotes feelings of capability, solidarity and sense of
purpose. Participants in these peaceful rallies do much planning to ensure a well-organized deliberate protest that will occur in an as non-violent fashion as possible. They stand firm on their beliefs but do not actively resist any police authority. Several will be arrested, most times on criminal trespass charges. They peacefully submit to this knowing that ultimately this will get their message out. The goal is to disrupt the business of petroleum companies in the short term... but in the long term, the ultimate goal is to draw attention to the climate crisis, and to show commitment to shutting down the oil companies. Thru mass participation and flexible tactics, non-violent protesters can leverage immense economic and political pressure. Movements that opt for violence often unleash terrible destruction and bloodshed in both the short and the long term, usually without realizing the goals they set out to achieve. Will they ultimately affect the petroleum's bottom line for that rally? Probably not, but they do make an impression on the community and on many others who will read about or watch the event in the media. Non-violent action allows widespread participation and when people stand together as a result of increased awareness, then we stand a chance of making meaningful changes and thus have a greater opportunity for communication.
It's our responsibility to protect our environment for future generations and by participating in peaceful resistance activities, we help to raise awareness of these problems to those that might otherwise be unaware...
or simply too busy to notice. These resistances are necessary and growing more urgent as we face increasingly undeniable global climate changes due in part to the effects of the petroleum industry. When people come together... from the young students to the retirees, from the hippies to the veterans... for a common cause, that gets attention and that raises awareness. The goal is to make everyone aware of potential environmental and safety concerns and to show that our voices and opinions matter. It is empowering for the participants, promotes feelings of capability, solidarity and sense of
purpose. Participants in these peaceful rallies do much planning to ensure a well-organized deliberate protest that will occur in an as non-violent fashion as possible. They stand firm on their beliefs but do not actively resist any police authority. Several will be arrested, most times on criminal trespass charges. They peacefully submit to this knowing that ultimately this will get their message out. The goal is to disrupt the business of petroleum companies in the short term... but in the long term, the ultimate goal is to draw attention to the climate crisis, and to show commitment to shutting down the oil companies. Thru mass participation and flexible tactics, non-violent protesters can leverage immense economic and political pressure. Movements that opt for violence often unleash terrible destruction and bloodshed in both the short and the long term, usually without realizing the goals they set out to achieve. Will they ultimately affect the petroleum's bottom line for that rally? Probably not, but they do make an impression on the community and on many others who will read about or watch the event in the media. Non-violent action allows widespread participation and when people stand together as a result of increased awareness, then we stand a chance of making meaningful changes and thus have a greater opportunity for communication.