Why protest? you're wasting your time...!

Recently I had a short discussion with someone on the merits of protesting against what I will call "the system".

I had just marched down O'Connell Street with a group 15 strong against the austerity measures imposed on the Irish  people by the Troika, supported by the Irish government (which is by coincidence a group of 15 people....)

My friend's argument went something like this : "...and has protesting done much good for you? it's unfortunate corporations dont give much of a fuck about statements, but surely you can bribe them with something of monetary value. corruption doesn't even begin to explain (smiley face).

"I've been to a fair share of peaceful protests/marches, but mostly i prefer to keep informed. that works the best for me" (another smiley face)

ME: "..and what will you do with all this information? If you have a better plan I'm in ..."

Friend:  "don't know if it's a better plan, but you can make your own choices. you can yell all you want, they never fucking listen. I gave up, it works out the same"(smiley face tongue out)

Me: "great plan ..... surrender"

 Friend: "whether you like it or not we're all the same. some of us march, others don't. either way - you still pay taxes, you have an ID number, you want the best for your kids by sending them to private schools for an education and earn an income which the state/government steals a percentage of.. and if you don't do any of the above, you're not a "credible" source or a citizen. shit, isnt it."

Me: "that's some future you're looking forward to......." 

Friend: "sure am. I'm going to work hard and provide for myself and the people i care for, and take well earned holidays and have a ball of a time. what do you do?" (smiley face) 

 Me: "I try to be free"

Friend: "and how do you be free? i think homeless people are as free as they come, they avoid everything, really.. security, a warm home, a family, pensions. you might wanna think twice about the freedom you want" (smiley face)

Me: "you don't understand freedom"

Friend: "clearly you do..."

I stopped there.  It seemed best to agree to disagree and anyway, I obviously wasn't going to get the last word.

So - protesting is pointless because you can't change anything and you're better off just carrying on in "the system" without questioning anything, without challenging anything, without protecting your rights, without fighting for your children, without trying to save the world or even improve your own little community.

To anyone who says "it's a waste of time - one person isn't going to achieve anything - there's no point... " let me simply provide a list of names of those "one persons" who would agree with MY point of view.

Nelson Mandela
Martin Luther King
Malcolm X
Gandhi
John Lennon
Daniel O'Connell
Padraic Pearse
James Connolly 
Jim Larkin 
John Hume
Mairead Corrigan
Lech WalesaWang Weilin
Kevin Carter
John Pilger
Aung San Suu Kyi
Constance Marckievicz
Hellen Keller
Che Guevara
Eli Wiesle
Gloria Steinem
Harvey Milk
Quentin Crisp
Terry Fox
Christina Noble
Colm O'Gorman
Seamus Sherlock
Aisling Fitzgibbon
Bradley Manning
Julian Assange

The list is not exhaustive, in fact if there's anyone you think belongs on it please feel free to comment.

What I found most surprising about my discussion is that my friend is a young person, a student, and a musician.  I especially would have expected a musician to be someone who understands what it is to be inspired.

The argument that "you can't change anything because that's the way the system works" fails instantly because it refuses to see the possibility that there might be ANOTHER SYSTEM!

To anyone who agrees with my friend's point of view, that protest is futile, I would ask one question - 

do you think Rosa Parks should have sat where she was told to?

I have no idea if I will change anything


but I know if I do nothing, nothing will change.