Hundreds of protesters march through the city of San Francisco, holding signs that read “Black Lives Matter” and “Not My President.” They walk proudly, with their heads held high, as they chant in unison and… grab a Philz coffee as they walk past a food truck.
With all the chaos that has occured in the U.S. over the past 8 months, protests have become almost an everyday occurrence, especially in the Bay Area. While protesting has been crucial in past movements such as the Civil Rights march on Washington, the Women’s Liberation Movement, and various workers rights movements throughout history, protesting has begun to embody a new image. Recent events such as the Charlottesville protest and the multiple events that have spiraled out of control at UC Berkeley raise a new question: could violent protests be counterproductive?
Rosie Asmar, a senior, said, “I think as soon as a protest becomes violent it becomes inherently ineffective. You are giving those who oppose you an excuse to lump everyone together and say ‘all liberals are violent, none of them will listen to us, they only want to talk to people who share their opinions, etc.’ which is untrue, at least for me.”
Kaylie Moropoulos, a junior, flew to Washington D.C. last January to participate in the Women’s March on Washington.
“My experience at the Women's March [following Trump’s inauguration] was simply incredible. I'd never been to any political event of that scale ever. It felt empowering to a whole new level and i'm so grateful for all the people i was able to talk to and meet there. I’ve never been affected by any other event like i was by the women's march,” said Moropoulos.
The Women’s March was one of the first major protests in Trump’s presidency, as well as one of the more peaceful ones.
Although protests like the Women’s March gained national attention and were positive experiences for the majority of those participating, more recent protests have been far from amicable.
In February, provocative conservative writer Milo Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak at UC Berkeley, but the event was cancelled when protesters took to the streets throwing things, starting fires, and breaking windows, resulting in damages totalling $100,000.
However, Yiannopoulos publicly announced that he would be returning to UC Berkeley for a “Free Speech Week” that is set to take place from Sept. 24 through Sept. 27.
Protesting, although a fundamental aspect of U.S. history, is beginning to be seen as counterproductive by some, due to the spike in violence.
On Aug. 12, hundreds of torch wielding white supremacists converged on a small group of counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, while chanting phrases such as “White lives matter” and “Jew will not replace us.” The protest resulted in the death of counter-protester Heather Heyes, and several injuries.
On Aug. 27, thousands of counter-protesters converged in Berkeley in response to Patriot Prayer’s planned protest in San Francisco the previous day, which had been cancelled at the last second. There were 13 arrests and multiple minor injuries.
Protests have historically been a powerful way for the people to express opinions and create change. With the rising trend in violence, there comes a risk of diminishing the effectiveness of protesting.
“Violent protests are ultimately useless or even damaging, as they can tarnish the image of the idea they're supposed to be representing,” said Moropoulos.
English teacher Erik Migdail has attended five protests in the past year.
“As the stakes have gotten higher in many people’s minds, the character of protests have changed radically, and not necessarily for the better. They definitely feels more contentious, and it feels like there is heightened emotion relative to other protests I’ve been to in my life,” said Migdail.
Despite the growing tensions between political groups at recent protests, many still believe them to be crucial to the democracy of America.
Asmar said, “I think protesting is one of the great things about free speech in this country. It not only puts pressure on the government to act, but also puts issues in a public scope so that American citizens won't be able to ignore the repercussions of those issues anymore. It forces people to talk about things they don't want to in order to further the public good and protection of basic freedoms.”
The threat of violence still remains a concern in modern protests however, and although there doesn’t appear to be a ‘correct answer’ as to how to change the culture of protesting, it continues to provide a voice for the citizens of America.
I don’t like going places alone. Let me rephrase that.
I hate it. Being home alone? That’s fine. Not preferable, but fine.
But making a grocery run? Going to the gym? Studying at the library? I almost always end up dragging a friend with me. If no one agrees to accompany me, chances are I won’t end up going.
I’m going to college in the fall, and I was determined to overcome my strange aversion. To challenge myself, I decided to go to the movies alone. I chose a Wednesday night, which in hindsight probably wasn’t the most effective. It was a school night, so I expected the theater to be pretty empty. For the whole day, all I could think about was this movie. I spent about 10 minutes just deciding what to watch. “Baby Driver” was out of question because it’s rated R, and showing my ID could lead to a conversation, which could lead to questions about why I was there by myself, and that was too big of a risk. Horror movies weren’t an option either; what sane person watches a horror movie alone?
I finally decided on “Spiderman: Homecoming,” not just because I had been wanting to watch it, but because it seemed like the safest option.
At exactly 6:25 p.m. I climbed into my car and turned on the engine. According to my Google maps, I would get to the theater right as the previews ended.
I anxiously walked up to the counter, trying to avoid making eye contact with the cashier as I requested my single, lonesome ticket.
As I passed the popcorn line, I slowed my walk as I weighed the pros and cons of buying popcorn.
Nope, not worth it. Just keep walking. Okay, theater 11. Where is theater 11? Okay, I see the sign for Spider-Man, it must be this way.
Wait. I really need to pee. Where’s the bathroom?
Maybe it’s down this hallway. No, that wasn’t right, this is a dead end. It’s fine, I can hold it. Just three more hours, right?
Okay, here’s theater 11. Where’s seat number 10, that’s where I’m supposed to be.
Wow, there’s exactly five people in this room. Of course my seat is right behind a couple - I’m just going to walk down a little further.
I took a deep breath. I made it. Now I just have to get through the movie. That’s the easy part, right?
Except I still needed to pee.
The couple in front of me turned back and glanced at me, and my face immediately turned bright red as I frantically slouched down and stared straight ahead, trying to look cool and unbothered. I shoved my hands into my jacket pocket, and waited for the lights to dim.
I regretted not buying popcorn - isn’t that supposed to be the best part of going to a movie alone? Too late now. If I got up to leave the theater, I would have to walk past the couple, and then they would see I was alone. Which meant I couldn’t get up to use the bathroom either.
The couple in front of me was whispering to each other, and I immediately came to the conclusion that they must be talking about me. I heard a soft giggle, and cringed.
I breathed a sigh of relief as the lights finally dimmed, and the movie started. At least now nobody would notice me.
The movie itself was actually quite enjoyable, and the lack of people in the audience made it feel as though I was merely watching a movie in my living room at home. At the very least, I was getting to see Spider-Man instead of doing my homework.
When the movie ended and the credits began to play, I jumped out of my seat and quickly walked out the exit, with my head pointed at the ground.
I was slightly more comfortable now, although I still felt like I was being silently judged by the moviegoers that passed me.
Stepping out of the building, I started to feel pretty good about myself. That wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected. I hadn’t seen anyone I knew, or gotten any comments. No one even noticed me for the most part.
My euphoria almost came to an end when I temporarily forgot where the entrance was to the parking garage, but I quickly found it.
Sliding into my car, I turned on the engine with a smile on my face.
I never did get around to finding the bathroom though. I wouldn’t say I’ve completely overcome my aversion to going places alone, but at least I know I can do it, if I have to.