Collegiate Times

People get upset over things that happen in life. It's a fact. How many times a day do you hear somebody complaining or arguing over something? How many times a day do you do it yourself? Disagreements lead to change, and change - despite getting a bad rap for forcing everyone to do something different whether they want to or not - is a necessity. This begs the question: who makes the biggest and most important changes in the world? That answer is simple - those who are in power.

Those select few are looked upon to make the changes that are supposed to be good for the rest of us. Our politicians and bureaucrats do it, our company presidents do it, our religious leaders do it and our sports team owners do it too. The basic problem with people in power is that although we obviously need them to make decisions, the rest of us are rarely given the chance to make those decisions ourselves. When Joe Worker from Averageville, USA thinks the government is taxing away too much of his paycheck, what is he to do? He is not in a position of power to make the change that he wants. He doesn't have a seat in the state legislature when they're writing the yearly budget or a way to speak to the federal Congress or the courts to plead for the change he wants.

What is Joe Worker to do when the Averageville Town Council won't help him and even his letters to his Congressmen go unanswered? It seems as if he is destined to be stuck in Averageville, with no chance for a fair wage. But hope is not all lost for Joe. It dawns upon him that perhaps he is not the only one who is upset with his paycheck. He works with hundreds of others in his factory - surely they feel the same way he does! Joe has stumbled upon a basic truth about individuals who aren't in power. A group of normal citizens who join together in agreement to make changes become a very powerful force indeed. These groups, if they work in support of an issue, can create entities as influential and important as any president or congressperson. Often these groups become permanent and massive establishments, such as organizations like the National Rifle Association.

But often these organizations, which were first created to influence those in power and give voice to the ?little guy?, end up in power themselves. The NRA, for example, has become notoriously influential to politics, contributing reported millions to political campaigns and starting to act like the very leaders they mean to influence. It is almost as if the old fashioned drive for normal people to unite to make a specific change has all but disappeared. But there is another way.

Reactionary, spontaneous and highly energized, the protest is the fastest and most popular way for the average citizen to make his or her voice heard. They are visual, loud and relentless. Heaven forbid you ever become the subject of a protest, because the disgruntled protester will stop at nothing to defend their argument and, especially, express their opinion. Protests have taken many forms over the years. They range from peaceful picketing and non-violent sit-ins to full blown riots and flag burning.

It seems that there's a protest for almost any situation. But when does a protest actually cause an immediate change? It really depends on how many people support your protest. They often start as a few motivated individuals who take the time to make themselves be heard and seen. That is often half the battle.

If Joe and a dozen of his worker friends take the weekend to make signs, buy a megaphone and drive to Washington D.C. to march in front of the Capitol building, they stand a good chance of getting noticed by others who could possibly support their cause. At the heart of a protest is an idea, an idea that a person who normally would not be able to make changes has the chance to be part of something that actually might.

It is important to realize, however, that a protest does not necessarily guarantee a change, but if you believe strongly enough in something, it is not hard to find others who feel the same way. So I say protest away, Joe Worker! Because even though the world may not change for you overnight, fighting for something that you believe in can be just as satisfying as finally seeing that something come to pass.