It’s still early days for Donald Trump’s presidency, yet hundreds of thousands across the world are taking to the streets in retaliation for what he stands for, and rightly so. These people believe that what they are doing will in fact make a difference. However, there are still many who feel the actions of these protesters are pointless.
I for one love a good demonstration, so of course I’m going to argue that anti-Trump marches will stimulate change. Regardless of what the issue is, it’s impossible not to feel hopeful when so many stand united against what’s wrong with the world.
The result you have in mind might not happen overnight, but that doesn’t mean we should put down our placards just yet. Persistence and determination will do much more than choosing to ignore the problem.
To say that protesting is a waste of time is utterly ridiculous. There are various examples throughout history when it was a driving force for change. A prime example is the march on Washington for jobs and freedom in 1963. Over 200,000 people gathered in the US capital city, making it one of the largest civil rights rallies in American history.
This is where Martin Luther King Jr made the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech which is something that will always be remembered. The events of this day were a catalyst for the Civil Rights Act being passed the following year which then lead to the Voting Rights Act in 1965.
Times have changed since then and we now have social media. It should be noted that this doesn’t make protesting unnecessary – if anything else, we need to do it now more than ever. Posting on Facebook and Twitter does get the word out there, but it’s led us to believe that we can change the world from the comfort of our own homes. If this is all we ever do, then we can’t expect much to happen from it.
After all, Trump as well as other corrupt establishments aren’t going to feel particularly threatened by a hashtag. It’s fair to assume that they don’t read every tweet that calls them out for their wrongdoings.
It’s easy enough to turn off the notifications on your phone, but that function doesn’t apply to thousands of people chanting in the streets. The whole point of a protest is that you can’t ignore it. The fact that there has been many anti-Trump protests outside of America doesn’t reflect well on his reputation. Considering the US President is a prominent figure in global politics he’s going to have to do something about it eventually.
I’m a strong believer in being the change you want to see in the world. If we stay silent and do nothing, then we’re only making Trump’s job easy for him. It’s something everyone, regardless of where they come from, should be concerned about. Being passive about racism, homophobia and misogyny allows hate to win.
So, get out there, join the crowds and shout louder.
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