It's November! The month of polls and votes and political tomfoolery! There are heaps of local elections going on around Minnesota this week, and while they're not quite as riveting as last year's elections, they're important nonetheless.
I vividly remember being 18 and not particularly interested in the entire political process when Dad Von literally threatened to revoke my driving privileges if I didn't get my behind into the voting booth. I was, perhaps, not the most informed voter in that moment, but I'm glad I took part. I'm a big fan of standing up for what you believe in and being able to back up your convictions in an articulate and respectful manner ... and also make witty protest signs. Seeing all of these signs makes me wish that the one time I protested (against tuition hikes at the University of Minnesota) I had come up with something more clever than "Don't Screw the U"
How politically involved are you?Have you ever protested anything?
22 comments:
I've never protested anything, but I've been involved in political parties on the local level and have participated in community forums concerning our city's budget. Time well spent.
I've never protested anything either, mostly because time, work and / or transport costs have prohibited me from doing so. It frustrates me when people are sticking up for a cause and I can't participate due to such mundane reasons!
I set up a protest in 4th grade. I don't remember what it was for, but i do know i got sent to the principals office. Then i won a leadership award eventually from the same principal. Sigh.
I'm an activist when it comes to women's rights and lowering tuition fees. The schools in my city have a huge rally every year to drop fees and we get acedemic amnesty (don't have to go to class, take tests, etc.), so that's pretty cool, though despite all of this, tuition rates are going up about 14% next year -.-
I've never taken part in a demonstration, but I try to share my views. I talk about it on Twitter, on my blog and among friends. I don't feel that I can help many people by standing on the street with a sign, but I do feel that talking about important issues among friends can help change people's attitudes. On the other hand, when there are pro-choice counter-protestors out in my neighborhood (down the road from a clinic that provides abortion among other things), I wave and give them a thumbs up. I appreciate their being there to support a woman's right to choose.
I'm very politically minded and a huge believer in that catch cry of the feminist movement "the personal is political", so I try and live my life in tune with my political convictions. I have a bunch of friends who work in politics (running activist organisations, or working for members of parliament) so it's easier for me to get involved - but then again I made those friends through my political involvement. I have been to a handful of demonstrations but I've since come to the conclusion that many of them detract from the issue (i.e. when people are arrested for violence at a peace rally!) Now I volunteer for organisations that run campaigns and lobby the government. It's more effective and it's great being able to do such things one-on-one with a decision maker. I must say, I don't like it when older people say our generation isn't as politically involved as theirs because we protest less, because firstly, that's not true, we still do an awful lot of protesting; secondly, we choose to change the world in different ways, but this doesn't make us any less political!
I've helped make signs for them, and political rallies, but I generally had class when the thing was going on. I definitely am more interested in these living close to D.C.!
I wish I was, apart from petitions I've never participated. I can finally vote this year though, hooray!
Some of those signs had me laughing out loud, awesome!
i love the homo sex is great sign, so awesome! i've protested a bunch of stuff, my key issue is climate change awareness and action, most recently i've hit climate camp and g20, both in london.
I love these signs. Some of them are genius. I'm actually a politics graduate, so my last year at uni meant that I was quite involved: we spent a lot of time in Parliament and bumped into some high profile politicians as well.
I LOVE protesting and do it as often as possible. Gay rights rallies have been especially inspiring and funny lately with all the wonderful and witty signs showing up! I went to one with my little brother recently and we had a blast.
The most recent protest I participated in was against the current Canadian government. What we the protesters wanted, was for Steven Harper and his tories to step down, being replaced by a coalition gov't featuring the librals, NDP, and Bloc Quebecois. Needless to say, Harper pulled some strings and the Govener General decided to halt parliment for a month...He didn't step down, but I doubt he will last much longer anyway...
The protest was fun, lots of Canadian flags everywhere, and lots of counter-protesters trying to cause shit. Good times in my opinion. I love a good debate!
ps-Canadian politics are rather lame in contrast to American politics, I will admit.
Right now I'm writing a paper about George Bush's torture policy and the war on terror...verrry interesting (and horrifying) stuff. People need to stay informed in politics, they are so involved in everything we do!
I am all against war, though have never protested, but in response to 'Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity' laughed when I heard the response 'Can you think of a better way to make more virgins?'
I went to UC Santa Cruz, and I feel like we had demonstrations at least once a month. I also attended rallies, and debates. I did the same when I lived in D.C. The issues that I am interested in now are comprehensive sex education, and safer cosmetics...
hahaha. that last sign. omg, gotta catch my breath from all the lol'ing. my new catch phrase for everything is going to be "I can't believe we're still [blank]ing this shit."
i'm going to use that all. the. time.
I set up a protest once, in 7th grade. My friends and I protested that segregation of grade levels on the playgroud and got called into the principal's office and we negotiated with him. Then, this year I went into a new school and learned that they went back to the old way. Le sigh.
This reminds me of my favorite protest sign EVER! http://tinyurl.com/yfuxx6x
To answer your question, I went through this phase of dating militant animal rights activists after high school (that was weird), and got kind of. . . burned out on the idealism/self-righteousness of the protest crowd. But come to think of it, I would love to protest for gay rights. I should get on that.
I am not all that politically active. About the best I have done is being a representative for the Graduate Student Association and Staff Employee's council at my university. But I do love these signs. :)
BAHAHAHAHAHA! Genius.
The 'Homo sex is great' sign is on of the best I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot of witty political signs.
Wow, those pictures had me laughing so hard!
I'm not politically involved and I've never protested...
just stumbled upon your blog via the maiden - love it!
i think we have similar views on life.
The final image in this post is a photograph taken by me. Please credit and link to this page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10296997@N03/3067847182
Thank you.
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