On Protests

  Currently great attention is being paid to football quarterback, Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand when the American National Anthem is being played at sports games. This a local phenomenon, familiar in the liberal San Francisco area, but its influence is being felt far beyond the Bay area. The debate over civil rights is on…and very loudly. Yes, in this American democracy, all know of their right to protest perceived injustices by, in this case, refusing a flag courtesy. But this time there is much more at stake than a seemingly rude act. In this case the issue of tradition, sometimes considered sacred, is being challenged.

 The value of traditions...

The value of traditions may seem very un-current in a fast-moving, tech world, but they provide roots, means by which people identify themselves, especially if they happen to be a nation-wide object of affection. Some things and circumstances are sacred. (Note: I am not talking about sacred “cows,” which are unexamined items whose values have been long diminished.) I speak of the truly sacred as ideas, symbols that hold meanings that uplift and are not to be casually messed with. They can be flags, religious objects, works of art, things that bind people together in the best possible ways. They point to ideals which are always to be aimed for and often never fully reached. Ideals deserve respect and should be set on high pedestals, not to be disrespected lest the protests and protestors, no matter how well intentioned, get overshadowed by a responding sea of anger and disgust.

 An important place...

Protests have an important place in a democratic society, and the means of protest need to be as well considered as the objects of protest. If they are ill conceived and grossly offensive, they may simply open wounds that may overwhelm the outcomes the protestors seek to achieve. They could create more harm than good, and this would be a terrible waste of change-making energies.