The Benefits Of Peaceful Protests

Peaceful Protests for the Betterment of Society Throughout the history of the world, there are usually two sides to every story, from the point of view of the oppressed and from the point of view of the oppressors. Most often, the oppressors or victors get to tell the version that they find most convenient, but they often leave out certain things that would make them look less glorious in the eyes of history. However, the oppressed have a voice that the oppressors cannot completely silence in a free society. Just like the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, Dr. King-led peaceful protests created substantial change free from the burden of superfluous bloodshed. Because civil disobedience has both de jure and moral benefits to a free …show more content…
In 1980s Poland, a group of workers rose up to combat Communist restrictions on the rights of the laborers. At its height, more than 9.4 million people joined the movement that ultimately led to the destruction of Communist rule in Poland. Polish workers grew tired of the harsh restrictions imposed by the Soviet government, and the lack of freedom that they created. The Polish people, despite their distrust and fear of the Soviet military, refused to resort to violence to combat their opposition. It is completely possible that they feared they could not win militarily with the Soviets, but a peaceful protest proved to be the best solution as they fought over words on “scraps of paper” (Geremek). Bronislaw Geremek, a leading figure in the Solidarity movement, said in a discussion with other Polish leaders about their protest that these games involved scraps of paper, that were, in the end, “as defenseless as we were. They could be swept up and thrown in the trash. I fought over what should be written on those scraps of paper.” Never easy and always dangerous, Geremek and his Polish brethren’s quest for the change in laws was ultimately successful but never completely secure. In reality, millions of Polish people sacrificed and risked so much for an alteration of words. Changing these laws was very important to these …show more content…
Modern America has become a platform of peaceful protest in the past few years. As African Americans, feeling threatened by police, take to the streets to voice their displeasure and help to spark necessary dialogue between members of society. It is too early to tell how these protests will help our society, but as of now, they are creating the beginnings of procedural reform and helping whites to understand the burden of the black