Personal Narrative: Breaking Away From Brutality

Throughout our history protesting has always been around. It is part of first amendment rights, like freedom of speech and freedom to peaceably assemble. It is essential for a working democracy. From both sides sometimes protesters get out of line to where it is illegal, or police officials violate the first amendment right. Protesters can get violent, but police can create unconstitutional curfews or use illegal force. Everyone right to speech should be respect by everyone, and is protected by the first amendment

Peaceful protest leads to both positive and negative impacts on a free society. The main issue of the society isn't just people making bold moves like these, it has to do with people being able to accept them and not deal with it in a violent way, thinking that, that is acceptable and going to solve anything, when it really make it

I was a dresser for the PDG fall concert, 1968: The Cusp of Hope and Rage. I was backstage doing quick changes, helping with props, and communicating with tech on a headset with any unforeseen issues (which did occur multiple times). I worked with PDG for all of tech week and the six shows that they performed.

Peaceful protesting has been a form of displaying a person’s civil rights through the history of America. There have been several demonstrations of non-violent protest and violent protest in America. For an example, during the Civil Rights Movement, there were plenty of protests that were not violent such as sit-ins, boycotts, and marching. The equivalent to those protest in the present is kneeling for the National Anthem. No one is being harmed during this demonstration, it is simply people expressing their civil rights by kneeling for a cause they believe should be bought in the limelight of America’s attention. However, there have been violent protests in America. In 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama, a riot was provoked by bombings that targeted black leaders who fought for racial justice by the Birmingham police who were apart of the Ku Klux Klan. After the attacks, the African-Americans in the area began to riot because of the police involvement, so the bombings were repressed by the Birmingham Police Department. There as has been several violent riots that would follow but the more recent ones in today’s time would be the riot in Ferguson. After a jury decided that Darren Wilson, a police officer in Ferguson, was not guilty of killing the unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, riots were sparked by the

Taking a look at history, there are many events that have been recorded that involve some type of protest. It usually seems that those who exercise their right to peacefully protest have had a greater impact than those who protest in violent and uncivil manner. Protests that evolve into riots and ensue police brutality have no positive impact on society, rather they cause damage and a strong controversy between people and society and the government. For example: the riot that exploded in ferguson Missouri when Michael Brown was shot. The only thing that resulted from a protest such as that

Peaceful protesting is unfortunately a sometimes necessary action in order to create a dialogue and make negotiations with people who may be oppressing a certain group or community.

Violent resistance to laws often causes the public to side against those who are violently protesting. Most recently, violent protests have occurred in cities such as Ferguson, Missouri, in reaction to police shootings that were seen as unjustified. Protesters did not wait for the judicial branch to rule the shootings as such, and instead smashed windows, and burned businesses. The violent escapades were all captured by the national media, and negative judgements were levied against the protesters. The protesters also had no chance of beating the police officers by force. By the time the last fires were put out, many people were already biased in favor of the police officers. The protesters had actually given legitimacy to the government officials they were protesting. This is incredibly dangerous to society, because violent protests like those in Ferguson, lead people to trust the government more, and lose skepticism about police shootings. Our democracy provides the judicial branch to levy justice against our government, but it can only function if we remain skeptical about the actions of our

“The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened”, said John F. Kennedy. Police Brutality started in 1872 but is also still happening in today’s world. It involves extreme force and weapons in certain situations that may not be needed. Over the years, it has became worse with injuries and deaths increasing. Hearing excessive stories about different victims getting treated like animals. I understand that if you do the crime, you do the time but that doesn’t mean leave them with marks or not even being able to take their last breath. Officers should be retrained the right way on how to handle a difficult situation and be less forceful.

You have those people who want their voices heard in a positive way. You always have to cause destruction and chaos when you feel strong about something; because you think it will help. You can partake in your freedom of speech and peacefully protest. If you do this you do not have to worry about much because it’s your constitutional right to do so. Peaceful protesting in many cases can solve more problems than violence can. It is a simple and easy way to release your frustration in a calm peaceful manner.

Maybe if people start getting arrested and charged for the wrong doings maybe people will think about their actions before doing acting on them. They need to face that it is hurting business around the protests; businesses should be able to sue the protesters. Before protesting, everyone who is apart of the protests must sign in so that they will be liable for any damages done to buildings or businesses during the protest. If people have more consequences they might think before they act. I believe you can have a protest and it is peaceful. There have been many protests for equality that were peaceful. People want to have a reason to fight and get

By the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon) “You have a constitutionally protected right to engage in peaceful protest in 'traditional public forums’ such as streets, sidewalks or parks.” But most people aren't familiar for what they are doing and breaking the law. But most police do not arrest for trespassing like they should. “The right to join with fellow citizens in protest or peaceful assembly is critical to a functioning democracy and at the core of the First Amendment. “Unfortunately, law enforcement officials sometimes violate this right through means intended to thwart free public expression.” These officers don't force this law as much as they should which has many people thinking they should protest how they want. Causing them to do crazy things to get their points

Deanna Clingan-Fischer gave a lot of good advice on how to deal with conflict. Throughout this week I tried to apply what she said to my own experiences. One of her tips was to stop always trying to be right and as stubborn as I am, I knew I had to take this one to heart. Even about simple or unimportant things, there have been countless times where I will be halfway through an argument with someone when I realize that I am in the wrong yet I continue to argue because I hate admitting I am wrong. One example is this week my roommate and I were discussing pop music we listened to growing up, specifically boy bands. I am not even entirely sure why, to be honest. The conversation of a timeless song came into play and we disagreed whether or not

It’s been a long night and everyone was tired. That night I had a nightmare about a dark shape in the bright background. Then, it started to take shape of a human. I got scared and felt like running but I realised that I was stuck to the floor. The darkness of the shape, started to change colour. Into a colour of a person’s skin. It started to look like a person that I knew.

Even though I could die in the process, I knew it was the right thing to do. How could I live with myself if I didn’t do everything I could to help the world?

In 1996 peaceful protesting helped start a revolution in Syria. The oppressed people of Syria rallied behind the nonviolent protests and led several marches leading to their biggest one on New Year’s Eve. The protesters were elated, “This night of complete freedom from fear, of happiness that the future could bring us freedom, will always be our sign that we- the democrats in Syria- will always win.” (Engler 51). Those protests were a prime example of how a protest can leave a community elated with their new found united. But of course we must accept the good with the bad, with that being said throughout history there have been several instances of violent protest. The Klu Klux Klan, for example, during the civil rights movement protested by killing people of color and burning churches. Rather than sit and take it black communities set up neighborhood watches to combat the Klan’s violent and lethal tendencies, “were guarding all of our houses” (Austin). So even in the midst of the violent protest the community still found a way to stand together, it just goes to show that protest whether they be violent or nonviolent will still band a community together in order to reach a common