I believe protest is an art; and with any art, some do it better than it others. The Occupy Wall Street Movement, Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. are exemplary examples of the art of fine protest.
And then there’s our local movement.
The (un)Occupy movement is one of the confusing protests I have seen in a while. While I respect and sympathize with their efforts, I still don’t understand their stance on corporations.
They protest big corporations, yet readily hand their money over to them. Case in point: I see many of the members with iPhones, which are constructed in Foxconn plants.
This company’s working conditions are so awful workers routinely threaten and/or commit mass suicide in the hopes of making their life a bit better, according to an article “‘Mass suicide’ protest at Apple manufacturer Foxconn factory” in “The Telegraph.” The company’s response: put up safety nets around tall buildings. Is this the sort of thing (un)Occupy is in favor of?
I don’t believe it is, but the members who buy and continue to use Apple products might suggest otherwise. After all, what is money other than a vote of confidence? Every time an Apple product is bought, we, as consumers, say “We are okay with your labor practices and we will continue to give you more money.”
Let me clarify. I know not all members of the protest have iPhones. This is directed to the ones who do have them.
If we really weren’t okay with their practices, I think we would stop giving them money and smash our iPhones, as a letter earlier this week suggested.
I will admit, I am not one to judge others. I use an Android phone probably built in the same factory, but, then again, I am not shouting on the street corner about the evils of corporations.
What I will shout about is the continued effort of massive companies such as RIAA and the MPAA to shut down the Internet.
I have written on this subject many times before, when SOPA and PIPA were major concerns. About a month ago, the Internet shut down and the bills were effectively killed in Congress. That, my friends, is the art of protest.
The interwebs, not content to rest on their haunches, has gone a step further and organized a month-long boycott of all media industries in an effort to stop media lobbying in the government.
It’s called Black March, and the idea is that if enough people don’t buy anything in March, these companies will be forced to recognize the power of the Internet to be used to collectively organize protest.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
This power has already been seen with the Internet Blackout, and I believe it will be seen again this month.
So if you want to protest, and I mean really protest, by giving up something you love, don’t buy any entertainment-related media in March. No movies, no video games, no books, no music, no magazines. This should send the message loud and clear: “We will not tolerate the media industry’s lobbying for legislation which will censor the Internet.”
Thanks again for your time, and have a great weekend.
