Introduction
This articles evaluates the nature, wisdom, necessity, and effectiveness of counterprotests.
My article on the incident entitled Charlottesville Virginia Unite the Right Rally August 12, 2017 may be found here.
My article on a protest and counterprotest incident in Boston, MA on August 19, 2017 can be found here.
I must admit in your face counter protests potentially raise issues to a high level of national awareness at least TEMPORARILY. But surely there is a more effective peaceful way.
One thing we ought to remember is that the US Constitution grants each citizen of our nation the right to hold peaceful protests against government actions as I describe in the article entitled Constitutional Right to Hold Peaceful Rallies Without Interference.
It is unwise and unnecessary to counterprotest on the same day at the same time in the same vicinity of a protest as described in the article entitled Unwise/Unnecessary to Counterprotest in Proximity to Protesters. One should presume conflict is likely to occur.
Wrong Should Be Rebuked But Not With Wrong
The above is not intended to say that counter-persons ought not let persons know that such persons are wrong. It is to say that letting persons know should not require violent interaction or actions that incite violence. In your face counter-protests will in most cases lead to violence. It is human nature.
Similarity of Counterprotesters and Those Who Want Ten Commandments Taken Off Government Property?
Counterprotesters like the ones under consideration impede freedom of speech and hiding of history and truth. The influence of the Ten Commandments on our nation legally and otherwise is a historical truth. If a white person is a racist I would like to know that truth. This way I can more easily avoid being prejudice and suspicious toward all white people The same goes for black racist. I want to know the truth about black racist or any racist regardless of race. That way I can watch out for them also.
Similarity of Cowardly, Hypocritical, and Money-Driven Response of Persons in Power
Colin Kaepernick was a black quarterback with the NFL San Francisco 49ers. In 2016 he refused to stand at football games when the National Anthem was played. He says he did so in protest against racial injustice in America. He is now a free agent who is having difficulty finding a team who will sign him. See my article entitled Colin Kaepernick Protests by Not Standing for National Anthem for more details on his case.
A number of persons of power recently resigned from various councils and commissions set up by President Trump. They did so citing his initial response to the Charlottesville incident as inadequate.
Well to me they are in the same category as the NFL Management and NFL Team Owners. They are afraid that their businesses will loose money and/or they will loose political power. Certainly, their work had nothing to do with the President’s initial response to Charlottesville.
My point is that in America no one should be punished for protesting for what they believe so long as they do so peacefully and reasonably consistent with their employment contract. This is true rather I hold their views or not. This goes for Colin. It also goes for Black Supremacists as well as White Supremacist.
The NFL and those who quit the work of the President’s Councils/commissions of which they were members should have engaged more intensively in the fight to make things better for all citizens by doing the work they were gathered to do. But instead those in power are running from the fight. As Jesus said “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-27).
Let the Government & Citizenry Be Wise — Look to God
Let us not be the evil we accuse others of being or having been!
Let us be mindful of what three great preachers said:
1. Jesus said love one another as he has loved us (John 13:34).
2. MLK says not to seek to humiliate white people.
3. Andy Young similarly teaches us not to put down white people.
See article entitled Martin Luther King Jr. and Andy Young on Attitude Toward Whites for info on MLK and Andy Young.
