Is political protest rude? Should we care?

[NotCinderell]

"Well-behaved women rarely make history"  --Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Another thread prompted me to write this.  I know that political discussion is verboten here, so I will limit my discussion to politics in the abstract and not mention any specific political hot buttons.

The nature of protest is to create a disruption and make oneself noticed in order to make a point.  This is anathema to etiquette, which advocates against creating undue disruption or calling more attention to oneself than is necessary.  Does this mean that it is impossible to be socially conscious and polite?  Does this mean that we who have an interest in being polite should refrain from social protest?

[Trillias]

Well, speaking from the perspective of both an activist and a political staffer, protesting in and of itself is not rude, I don't think, but there are ways to do it politely and ways to do it rudely.

example:

where I work, there is an area outside where many protests take place, it's well trafficked and the background is symbolic for the news cameras. That's fine, but it's also an area that is a major walkway for staff members trying to get from one place to another in the course of their daily duties.
When protesters block the way of staffers who just want to get their lunch, that's rude. Particularly when you have no way of knowing if that staffer happens to agree with you or not.

example 2:

I was once marching in a protest that was a counter to another, larger protest on the same day. I am proud to say that our designated area was picked up when we adjourned. Our leadership was determined to leave a good impression, and that included not littering. I can't say the same for the other group. Additionally, as I was marching, ignoring the participants in the other protest (our opponents) as was, I felt, proper, one of them got in my face and spit on me. I don't care what your views are, or how much you despise mine, there is never a good reason to spit on me. Particularly when I didn't even acknowledge you were there, much less provoke you.

Obviously there's other examples that could be used, but really, it just comes down to the golden rule, which all etiquette does, in a sense.

[gjcva1]

since the right of protest is granted to us, i do not see this as an etiquette issue, per se.  a group protesting a view that i do not hold is not being rude to me personally.  they are espousing their views, and so long as they are doing so in the manner perscribed by the law of whatever area they are in, then it's no biggy for me.  now if they start throwing things, impeding traffic, or rioting in the streets, that passes from peaceful protest, and becomes a legal issue.

protesting on private property without the permission of the owner of said property would be rude if they had been requested to leave by the owner (and since it is also illegal, i hope they would be arrested politely).

if this is in response to the fur coat story, then yes, that was rude.  it is rude to accost a stranger whether you are asking for money, asking for the phone number of a hot babe, or giving your unsolicited political or moral opinion.

my opinion only, ymmv.

[Lunadiana75]

Protesting, if done within what the law allows, is never rude.

Since destruction, obstruction, public obscenity and harassment are illegal, that is obviously not protected by the first amendment.   

[lolane]

A protest in and of itself is not rude... however, it can be made rude by the actions of individuals. Accosting people, harassing people, protesting on private property without permisstion, assaulting people, waving signs in peoples faces, blocking the paths of cars (I'm not talking about when the street has been blocked, but rather when an individual protester decides to block the way) - these are all rude.

[blue2000]

Peaceful protest is fine, IMO. You are giving your opinion on something. It is just your opinion. You are not preventing others from giving their opinions. You are not causing damage to property, or distress to others (if they are distressed that you have an opinion, that doesn't count. That just makes them rude).

Violent protest is not a good thing, not only because of damage and distress, but because looking rude and nasty isn't going to help your cause.

[kingsrings]

Well, speaking from the perspective of both an activist and a political staffer, protesting in and of itself is not rude, I don't think, but there are ways to do it politely and ways to do it rudely.

example:

where I work, there is an area outside where many protests take place, it's well trafficked and the background is symbolic for the news cameras. That's fine, but it's also an area that is a major walkway for staff members trying to get from one place to another in the course of their daily duties.
When protesters block the way of staffers who just want to get their lunch, that's rude. Particularly when you have no way of knowing if that staffer happens to agree with you or not.

This I agree with. This also goes for those who block the Golden Gate bridge protesting, etc. When you do something like that, all it usually does it aggravate and enrage the people who are being incovenienced by it. They are very turned off by you then, and therefore, your platform. You have not succeeded in getting your message across at all, only turning people away from you, instead of towards your cause. There are many other attention-getting ways of public protesting that don't inconvenience others, and people should stick to those.

[Clara Bow]

As Americans we have a responsibility to our nation to make our government work. Sometimes the only way that that can be accomplished is through exercising our Consitiutional right to free assembly and protest. When this is carried out in accordance to laws and regulations there is no disruption and no property or individual is harmed. Rioting is another matter, of course.
Imagine what would happen if no one stood up and made the system take notice...imagine what could have happened if the German people had stood up in the thirties and kept the Nazis out.
Pardon me, I'm the child of hippies

[HogwartsAlum]

Peaceful protest is fine, IMO. You are giving your opinion on something. It is just your opinion. You are not preventing others from giving their opinions. You are not causing damage to property, or distress to others (if they are distressed that you have an opinion, that doesn't count. That just makes them rude).

Violent protest is not a good thing, not only because of damage and distress, but because looking rude and nasty isn't going to help your cause.

Hear hear.  When I was living in CA, there was an ordinance passed in my city about sitting on the sidewalks downtown.  Most people, including me, thought that it was unfair.  A small group went downtown one day and sat down quietly, without speaking, screaming or harassing any passersby. (They chose a spot where it was easy to walk around them, too.)  Police came and just as quietly lifted them up off the sidewalk and took them away.

Outside agitators from another town had heard about this and came down in full force.  They had no stake in the protest since they didn't live there, and they were loud, threatening and bullyish. Police in riot gear arrived (a decision that was criticized later as agitant, but I suspect they knew these people were coming and had had dealings with them before).  I was hanging around taking pictures of some of the more interesting people, but as soon as I saw a rock fly through the air and bounce off a police officer's helmet, I left.

Later that night on the eleven o-clock news, they reported that the ensuing violence had sent several people to the ER and around twenty-three windows were broken in downtown businesses.  The ordinance DID get repealed, but it was because people went to city council and wrote in to the newspaper and buttonholed the mayor on the street (you could talk to the mayor!) and in his business and made their peaceful opinion known, in a town that actually listened to its citizens.

Frankly, as soon as people start throwing rocks and bombing clinics and tossing red paint, I stop listening to them even if I agree.

[kingsrings]

Not so much about street protesting, but about political preferences in general. Not only is it not okay to be disruptive and impeded others in a street protest, but it is also just as rude to do this verbally to someone concerning their political opinions. If someone wants to engage in a political discussion then fine, they opened the door for that to happen. But it is not okay to object to or question someone's political views if they don't! I don't know why so many people think it is okay, upon hearing that somoene is the opposite political view than them, to just start haranguing them about it. Why can't people tolerate and respect other's political views? Sorry, but this is a sore point with me as I live in a very liberal area and I'm not, so I get this a lot unfortunately. I got this a lot when I did volunteer work with my side's campaigns. Someone would ask me say, what I did last Wednesday night, and if I mentioned that I was busy doing such-and-such work for said organization, sometimes I would get my head bit off. Very rude.

[Lunadiana75]

Hear hear.  When I was living in CA, there was an ordinance passed in my city about sitting on the sidewalks downtown.  Most people, including me, thought that it was unfair.  A small group went downtown one day and sat down quietly, without speaking, screaming or harassing any passersby. (They chose a spot where it was easy to walk around them, too.)  Police came and just as quietly lifted them up off the sidewalk and took them away.

Those are the kind of protests I engage in.  I never harass, block, or threaten anyone.  Civil Disobedience, like thekind you mentioned, has its place and I support it.

[blue_bunny_paz]

I agree that protests do not have to be disruptive.
For example, making your views known through discussion or tasteful leafletting is fine. Shouting at people who disagree is not. Apart from anything else, causing trouble doesn't exactly help your cause.
I have lobbied MPs and been on various demos and have been frustrated by people who do not seem to know anything about the cause or are overly dogmatic, rude or very loud.

Personally I do not have an objection to political protest, but I feel that it is not an excuse to behave incorrectly.

[Morty'sCleaningLady]

I whole-heartedly agree with everyone so far.  I work for a living.  I have a limited amount of time for lunch.  If you wish to protest on your lunch hour, have at it, but don't impeded me.  This includes if you wish to picket a location I wish to access.  Say, as a protestor you find Wendy's offense.  Great.  Have fun picketing.  Don't block me from my bacon single with cheese and frosty, though.  Don't harass me as I enter or exit.

A couple years ago, I was attending a political event that was very heavily protested.  My best friend and I were waiting at a bus stop.  A group of bicycling protesters rode by shouting their opinions.  Susan and I didn't pay any attention really.  We were noticeably attired in suits on a Saturday afternoon, though.  One of the cycling protesters rode back and verbally harrassed us, assuming correctly that we were off to hear a prominent speaker.  That was incredibly rude.  Eventually our bus came.  It got stuck in traffic two blocks later.  The cycling protesters were arrested by the police for blocking traffic.  It was nice to see something not-so-nice happen to that one particular individual.

[snowball's chance]

It's also rude to yell things at people who are protesting a cause you don't agree with. ("Get a job!")  And whether or not you agree with the cause, name-calling is never okay.

[kingsrings]

It's also rude to yell things at people who are protesting a cause you don't agree with. ("Get a job!")  And whether or not you agree with the cause, name-calling is never okay.

Agree wholeheartedly with you. There is a weekly protest going on in an area I frequent quite a bit. Their political opinions expressed are extremely incensing and offensive to me, and there are plenty of things I'd love to yell at them. But I don't, because they have the right to protest and are doing it in a non-intrusive, non-abusive way.