This confusion is the primary source of America’s mass turmoil and the uptick in protests. Protest which began to percolate and fully erupt as a direct result of either resolved or unresolved issues that does not conform to a diverse community’s interest and demands. It is at this precise point, where the numerous tribal groups, the dissenting American organizations, and individuals start their respective journeys toward personal and righteous protest, as they clamor for attention. 

Some utilize the Constitutionally protected First Amendment right to peaceful protest, while others engage in abrupt and violent protest, putting everything on the table and risking even their own property and personal lives. These violent and highly aggressive protest has led to numerous injuries and damage to family, friends, property, and the global society as a whole. These protest highlight the tension that Americans feel for their leaders coupled with foreign protests in America against U.S. policies associated with their country’s rights.

Nonetheless, although some protest maybe violent, they have their reason for being as they place their issues front and center with those who make decisions and laws. Thereby, resulting in a quick and decisive outcomes, normally in favor of the groups, or individuals wants and needs. Keep in mind the old adage: “The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Oil, First.” 

Most of today’s protests go on until there is a win or, at least an amenable compromise — if possible. However, the more aggressive protest get the fastest results due to their emergent nature of riotous behavior, spontaneous destruction, and desolation of property and bodily harm to individuals. 

As a matter of fact, protest in America and the world over is becoming more frequent, violent, costly, and deadly — day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year. They are fueled by everything from racial inequalities in education, healthcare, Black Lives Matter Movement (BLM), police violence, LGBT and transgender discrimination, abortion rights, cultural and religious beliefs, climate change, wars, and human rights violations. All having strong emotional ties, sparking debate and pandemonium. What’s most troubling and perplexing about our nation’s protest is they’re coming from every direction and appear to not be going away anytime soon.

On the contrary and unfortunately, protests are becoming a staple in society and a political norm here in America and around the world. Many of those who instigate these massive protest are charismatic individuals that have a personal gripe with their government, and use their bullhorn to rally the people into a frenzy and outright lawlessness for more than likely an issues that “the protesters” do not fully understand or do not directly affect them or their family. 

I have personally heard a protest instigator tell a group of individuals deciding what to say, “If you don’t know the issues or what to say, just follow those who do and amplify their voices.” Today’s individuals are followers who become easily inflamed by strong rhetoric of a self-actualizing individual or group indulged in the process of Groupthink. Groupthink is the process which occurs when a group of people reach a consensus without critical reasoning or the proper evaluation of the issues or consideration of possible alternative.  

Groupthink’s psychological premises is to avoid upsetting the equilibrium or consequences of the group and/or protestors. People have a strong need to belong to something bigger than themselves and will normally do whatever necessary to fit in, which is a major problem throughout the world. I call them “purpose seekers at any cost.” I understand standing-up for one’s rights, but to disrupt a process merely to cause anarchy is problematic and dangerous. 

People say who can draw a line between what issues deserve protest and which one’s should be avoided. It is a quite perplexing and daunting question, especially, when peoples emotions and beliefs are involved. Understanding that the peoples rights and issues intersects with the collective rights of the people to be free of things like discrimination and stamping out inequities is crucial.  

I just think [we], “A United America and global citizens,” inclusive of all ethnic divisions should work more closely to evaluating the issues prior to going all out on the limb to protest. The right to protest is real and valid, and peaceful protest should be the primary outcome of protest wherever it occurs, as it intersects with our right to be free of personal harm and discrimination. 

On the other hand, protest should not be the only process for bringing down injustice and speaking “Truth to Power.” People can use much simpler and more effective methods, such as voting. Vote the bastards out of office who are causing the problems and instability in society is a more easier and effective tool to getting a resolution to societal problems. Because, if the political pundits are still in office, they will just find different methodologies to suppress the majority of the peoples voices along with the issues. 

Protest is an important and a viable tool which enables ideas or dissent to move forward in the face of institutional and political policies that are contrary to the voices of the people. I believe voting should always be the first option to employ when trying to resolve an issue. To [VOTE] is one of the most powerful methods for disrupting the balance of power — not only through compromise — but by outright overthrowing negative decisions by those elected to represent our collective voices. This is done by voting them out of office and replacing them with a like minded representative who share the peoples collective values. 

To Vote is one of the best options for addressing political conflict and is arguably the strongest four-letter word in Webster’s dictionary — which delivers a precise and powerful blow. Voting is the citizens of America’s solvation and beacon of light towards calming the people and getting accountability, justice, and true equality. Change is closer than we think — it’s at the ballet box. Those looking to decry someone else’s problems and in a rush to engage in others’ pleas for condemnation should think twice. 

Ask yourself a question: is this proposed protest made through a viable individual’s judgement of the issues and beneficial to a diverse constituency? More than likely, the decision to engage in protest is motivated by some self-righteous, egotistical individual(s) with a personal dilemma. A gripe which they want changed to fit their narrow definition of righteousness for personal financial gain or other private benefits to them alone. Many of today’s protest are, at best, illusions of mass confusion. That’s not to say all protest are unnecessary; many are valid and prevents injustice. However, some are self-serving, to say the least. 

Interestingly, while writing this article today, Friday, March 17, 2023, a news flash came across my television screen stating a possible indictment and arrest of the former President Donald J, Trump for a matter in New York — whereas Trump paid $130,000 in hush monies to the adult film star Stormy Daniels for sexual favors. The former President (Donald J. Trump) responded by calling on his staunch loyal supporters through his “Truth Social” website to “Protest“ should he be arrested, Tuesday March 21. (Please note: the alleged arrest of Mr. Trump was not confirmed at that time.) 

Some believe it was a marketing ploy by the former president to increase the size of his presidential rallies “by emotionally upsetting his followers” as he is now running for the 2024 presidential election. Nevertheless, this is precisely the type of charismatic leader I mentioned earlier. Trump is an individual who can spark massive self-interest and wide-spread protest as he did on January 6, 2021, following his defeat for the presidency of the United State by Joe Biden. A protest founded on a lie and served one person’s benefit — Donald J. Trump. 

The violent capital riot and protest by loyal Trump supporters cost the American people and the government $31 million dollars and rising. According to the special January 6, Hearing Committee, the former President Donald J. Trump did in fact incite the massive and deadly protest by way of his supporters at the Capital Building in Washington, D.C., by steering his supporters to perform illegal acts of treason.  

The protest resulted in almost 10 deaths, according to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), and over 125 Police Officers from the Capital Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, as well as Local Police were injured, along with multiple White House workers who were traumatized by the violent mob. This attack should be a reminder that we must not jump to conclusions. We should always be conscious in thought before arbitrarily rallying the American people to false causes on behalf of a dictator, or blindly follow those who advocate for protest for selfish reasons. 

For example, calls for false protest reminds me of the story of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” Such actions can—and most likely will—lead to dangerous consequences. In the short fable, the boy was a prankster who repeatedly fooled the villagers into thinking a wolf was attacking the town’s flock. 

The danger of his falsity was evident when an actual attack did occur, and the Boy called for help from the people again. Unfortunately, they had lost hope as well as belief in the boy’s pleas for help, thinking it was just another false alarm. However, this time it was real, and the wolf devoured all the town’s flock, leaving them bewildered, distraught and hungry. Wow…very sad, very sad indeed. This serves as a poignant lesson: repetitive false cries to protest can weaken one’s legitimate cause to rally the people towards a meritorious movement is why we must consider the organizer(s) decrying particular issues, and conduct our own individual and collective research prior to protesting. 

False protest disrupts the natural motivational flow of concerned people toward a cause, leading them to lose interest and drive. I am personally exhausted by the multitude of protest and riotous actions that are taking place everywhere, especially those lacking a real purpose or direction. 

“f the [literal] streets could only speak, I think they would say enough is enough. I can no-longer bear the weight and pressure of so many protesters, victims of police brutality, and the disillusioned individuals who participate in protest for no other reason than it being the thing to do at the time.” 

“The screaming, running, jumping, looting, crying, laughing, killings, shootings, murders, etc. — I can’t take it any longer. My asphalt is beginning to crumble and violently tear apart across this nation and world. The very foundation that was laid to support the people and their institutions are becoming all but unsafe and a pile of unsanitary rubbish.” 

The blood-filled and riotous streets of American protest stretches across this nation, from state to state and to countries abroad. Those countries, also filled with riotous behavior, are spilling their equally negative, overtly discriminatory, violent, and massive protest for equal rights, disenfranchisement with their governments modus operandi, anger, and its hate back to America.

Foreign protest organizers are bridging their causes with their political factions in America, thereby causing even more instability in this country without anyone questioning the validity of the protest or their issues. With all the undocumented immigrants coming to America, how do the American people know whether their cries for help through demonstration are legitimate, and not a scheme to turn America on its face by initiating a widespread deadly riotous protest? (And yes, the First Amendment applies not only to United State citizens but also protects international visitors who protest lawfully in America as well.) However, we must be cautious and show due diligence prior to joining international protest.  

Keep in mind, protest from international organizations can be quite deceiving and in fact, may bring to America its waring factions, damning rhetoric, violence, and senseless murders similar to the one on September 11, 2001 where more than 2,763 people died and approximately 6,000—to 25,000 people were non-fatally injured. All in all, by fueling an endless unsettled, on-going nationwide and global protest can pose a backlash of devastating effects on the American people and the world at large. 

To throw gasoline on a particular uprising, can initiate a protest unlike none we have ever experienced in modern times, which I strongly believe is looming. America and the world must be on guard regarding the current rise in protest. We must take better care of our people by listening to their demands and try to ameliorate the matters in question early-on, thereby quelling potential protests and establishing synergy among protestors before a full-blown demonstration ensues.  

Some of the people I spoke with for this article, said they feel that protest had its time during the 1960’s with movements like the Civil Rights, Voting Rights, Workers Rights, the Anti War in Vietnam Fiasco, and the Women’s Suffrage Movement for a Women’s Rights to Vote. Unbeknown to them, those protest were only the beginning. 

Today, we have protest for the wars between Israel and Hamas, Russia and Ukraine, the conflict in Sudan (the Army Chief vs the General), Abortion Rights, Racial Justice, Gun Violence, Black Lives Matter, Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Animal Cruelty, Climate Change, LGBTQ Equity Rights, and the Confederate Monument Removal Protest, and many more — too many to name. Where does it stop? America is in a never ending intensifying crisis of unresolved issues and political complaints. 

I strongly believe in protest against injustice and abuse, particularly forthright protest as in the context mentioned above. I also believe that some protest can be set-a-side for people to organize and vote the politicians out of office who are the causation of the peoples issues. I am also of the opinion that too many protests and especially those lacking merit, will ultimately destroy peoples belief in their constitutional rights to protest, as large and frequent protest have a tendency to disrupt one’s community, families, and their ways of life. Ultimately, they (protest) can seriously devalue and diminish the overall effectiveness toward attaining positive results due to protest exhaustion. 

And as for these absent minded pugnacious individuals that only desire to cause destruction, I pray for them to get a life and stop the unproductive menacing. It’s essential to engage with the issues, but you must do so by listening to the issues and act in good faith during “meaningful” protest and demonstrations. 

In closing, as stated, I believe in protest and one’s Constitutionally protected rights to voice their opinion and desires, but by doing so through legitimate protest that’s [well founded, planned, organized, peaceful, and directional ].  Specifically, toward a meaningful objective that meets the needs of a broad, multicultural, and diverse constituency.