Non-peaceful protests becoming a trend

Blood seeps down the arms of the fur clothing of a man and a woman while they wear blank stares and hold protestive signs.

This is the image that sparked my interest while surfing the Web a couple days ago. Clicking the photo sent me to an article that I promptly read. Apparently, a bill in Israel may make the country the first in the world to set a law banning the fur trade.

In a day where we can wear denim and cotton, animal furs just aren’t necessary anymore. However, I don’t think it merits the need to ban the very practice itself. The world has more pressing matters at hand in the law-making game.

Instead, I want to say something to those protesters: Sir and madam, in what way does dressing in blood-soaked fur really help to turn people to your side? Even if it’s costume blood and faux fur—which it was—this sort of demonstration is simply distasteful.

I mean, we’ve all heard the stories of American animal rights activists throwing blood-red paint on people leaving shops dressed in new fur coats. These advocates might as well be dropping that shopper’s $700 down a drain somewhere.

Animal rights activists in New York City have been known to harass, insult and curse at customers and owners of horse-drawn carriage rides. As a result, patrons hoping for a calming ride through the city are faced with offensive slurs. How do they expect any progress when they just cause so much annoyance?

Demonstrations like these push the limits of the First Amendment right for Americans “peaceably to assemble.” Fake blood, paint throwing and name-calling don’t quite seem peaceful to me.

And it’s not just the animal rights protesters.

As seen in 2006, the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas picketed a soldier’s funeral with signs reading such phrases as “Thank God for dead soldiers,” “God hates fags,” “God is your enemy,” and “You’re going to hell.”

Even this year, people were seen causing panic in the streets of Cleveland when LeBron James decided to sign with the Miami Heat. Videos all over the Web depict enraged fans burning their LeBron jerseys in protest and berating cameramen for documenting the scenes.

So apparently this non-peaceful assembly is becoming a trend in today’s activist society. This is completely unacceptable. Absolutely no progress can be made when a protester is acting out of hand.

No one should take extremist action as a legitimate argument for or against any cause. This sort of behavior only belittles a protester’s chances at achieving their goals.

Yet I can see it happening all around us.

And considering Kent State’s past regarding protest, I can only hope this is my personal interpretation. I’d hate to see that gathering in the Commons next May to be anything but peaceful.

Nick Glunt is a senior magazine journalism major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].