PROTESTING WORKS
Thanks to Kelley Hatlee for writing this fantastic guest contribution (“Does protesting really work?,” May 15). Nonviolent protest does matter, and it does work. The data is there to back it up. Local 50501 chapters, Indivisible, Women’s March and many more organization absolutely need pro-democracy Americans to get involved by making calls, engaging in mutual aid or simply showing up on local protest days to show we care about our future, we see the corruption and we are defending our Constitution.
As early as 1968, Professor Michael Lipsky wrote in “Protest as a Political Resource” that “successful movements have clear, strategic goals; (they) use protest to broaden coalitions, seek to enlist more powerful individuals in their case and connect expressions of discontent to broader political and electoral mobilization.”
Protesting affects how, what and where Americans buy things (i.e., boycotts). It also affects how people vote in the future, based off response to current demands. Protesting affects how many average people flood their congressional representatives with emails, calls, letters, petitions or demands for a town hall. Maybe most importantly, protesting helps create a sense of community cohesion. It provides a permitted space for people to non-violently connect and organize around their political and humanitarian grievances.
It’s odd that Trump supporters often think people are merely protesting the fact that Trump won and we should “get over it.” No one immediately took to the streets due to Trump’s election, but due to the unconstitutional and ignorant actions Trump took shortly after taking office. As of May 14, Trump has already signed 152 executive orders – former President Joe Biden only signed 162 executive orders in four years. This is executive overreach.
These protests are not about a Republican getting elected. We have conservatives, veterans, seniors, moderates and independents at our protests. We have people who have never voted who now want to vote. Keep peacefully protesting.
Amber N. Maler
Springfield
PROTESTS INEFFECTIVE
If you have to write an essay explaining that your tactics are working, I’ve got news for you – your tactics aren’t working. The turnout at these protests is dwindling, not growing. The 50501 movement is co-opted by the Democrats, who want any protests to be narrow and directed at their electoral goals.
Mary Harris
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
CARE FOR OUR OWN
I was reading the recent articles in your May 15 issue, and I found them to be conflicting and contradictory. Here are the titles: “State to end health coverage program for immigrant adults,” “Towns depend on immigrant labor” and finally, “Economic gaps persist for Blacks.”
I have stated for many years that African Americans have continued to take a back seat whenever there is an influx of immigrants coming into this country. We continue to ignore the health issues, employment issues and the continued economic disparities that exist within the African American community, while uplifting immigrant groups of people. Why?
I have suggested and will continue to suggest that we mut take care of our internal issues first and foremost before helping others. 1 Timothy 5:8 states, “But if any provide not for his own, and specifically for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” I have also stated that we in the African American community must not rely on others to improve our communities, but we must find a way to do it ourselves. That includes all areas of dysfunction.
Let us stop trying to help others before we provide the help needed within. Those monies can help our communities where these “economic gaps persist” – which would later mean we would be better fit to spread the so-called wealth that some believe is needed for these other countries’ problems.
Gary T. Pierce
Springfield