Anti-war protest shakes up holiday shopping
A bizarre scene unfolded amid the festive holiday atmosphere at Westlake Center on Saturday, as men in U.S. military uniforms stormed through the crowd, tossing civilians to the sidewalk and handcuffing them.
It was all part of a "street theater" style anti-war protest staged by opponents of the proposed troop surge in Afghanistan.
The uniformed men and civilians were all acting out their parts, and no bystanders were actually hurt in the holiday crowd.
But many people were caught off-guard by the unorthodox scene only a few steps from Westlake Center, where lines of young kids waited their turn to ride the carousel and shoppers hurried by with their bags.
As the "soldiers" screamed profanities at the "civilians" on the ground, many frightened young children were asking their parents what was going on. Meanwhile, some adult shoppers walked by - seemingly oblivious to the freaky scene.
The protest's organizers, a group called "The World Can't Wait," say they're trying to show what a military occupation is like by re-enacting scenes of soldiers mistreating civilians.
"A troop surge means nothing but suffering, killing ... and it's not in the interest of people living in Afghanistan or the people living in this country," says Emma Kaplan, one of the organizers.
She claimed that President Obama is planning to announce a troop surge on Tuesday that will send 34,000 more soldiers to Afghanistan, and that it is up to the American public to stop it.
"People living in this country have a responsibility to stop the crimes of their government no matter who the president is," she said.
What do you think of these types of 'performance protests'? Do you think they are more effective way to drive home a message or are people so shocked or worried about their children that they are too ticked to care about your message?
At no point am I suggesting these should be against the law so please don't start in on their Constitutional rights; I KNOW they have the right to do this. The question is do you think these types of protest are effective not should they be legal.
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yes, i think that they should slow down a bit on the war effort. but protest like that are too much. they are just going to scare and frighten people especially children. i probably would have gotten mad if i seen that. that's too much. it doesn't do any good. they should go do that on the white house steps , then it might make a difference.
I think given the venue that it was totally inappropriate. If this had been staged at a function where the crowd was adult like at a convention or outside of a courthouse than it may have had more effect.
I am glad protest isnt dead, and I applaud the creativity at work here, but I am not comfortable with the methodology at all. I also think that subtlety is a better way to communicate, but I understand what they were trying to do.
How far you go in life depends on your being: tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of both the weak and strong. Because someday in life you would have been one or all of these. GeorgeWashingtonCarver
Quoting sherriemorgan:
yes, i think that they should slow down a bit on the war effort. but protest like that are too much. they are just going to scare and frighten people especially children. i probably would have gotten mad if i seen that. that's too much. it doesn't do any good. they should go do that on the white house steps , then it might make a difference.
I was thinking white house but , really, they wouldnt be able to get anywhere near it. They would likely be arrested at the capital building as well. I would imagine just showing up in fatigues would be enough to get arrested ya know?
How far you go in life depends on your being: tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of both the weak and strong. Because someday in life you would have been one or all of these. GeorgeWashingtonCarver
"A troop surge means nothing but suffering, killing ... and it's not in the interest of people living in Afghanistan or the people living in this country," says Emma Kaplan, one of the organizers".
I agree with the above and have to ask...I wonder how frightened the children of Afghanistan are......
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Quoting tericared:
"A troop surge means nothing but suffering, killing ... and it's not in the interest of people living in Afghanistan or the people living in this country," says Emma Kaplan, one of the organizers".
I agree with the above and have to ask...I wonder how frightened the children of Afghanistan are......
You have a point Teri, but this happened here, and we have laws on the books against this type of behavior. It's even in the Constitution.
Quoting BlueStarMom88:
What part of our Constitution states that this is legal?
The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights:
But they weren't being peaceful were they? Therefore, I think, they should have been arrested for causing public alarm.
People who stand across the street of abortion clinics with photos of bloody babies screaming at women are not "peaceful" yet they are not arrested..
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