My problem with protests

Originally from June of 2010, this is re-posted from my older, now defunct blog.

What a mess in Toronto this weekend. While it's not completely unexpected, when we actually see it come to fruition, it is still a significant black eye on our great country.

What ever happened to peaceful, hippy-esque protests? Today, it seems people with an issue with authority sink to violence far too soon. Harvey Milk is rolling in his grave.

You know that guy with the Ed Hardy tee shirt and six different tribal tattoos, none of which he knows the meaning of, thus making him completely full of shit? That is what the majority of protesters are today. Like I said yesterday, I doubt half the people in downtown Toronto\ on Saturday even know what they were protesting. I would LOVE, LOVE for a reporter to ask a protester "Hey, what are you here protesting for today, what do you have an issue with?" The answer you get back would be comical.

For the life of me, I'll never understand the violence associated with protests today. Why bother smashing windows to Subway? Are you anti-subsmarine sandwiches? If you are, you really shouldn't be. They are delicious. Hell, most people smashing windows in Toronto yesterday probably work in retail themselves. Hypocritcal morons.

If you were a politician at the G20 or G8, which type of protest would be more willing to listen to: The calm, peaceful, marching, singing type, which started off so innocently yesterday? Or the mob-mentality, let's burn a cop car, flip off every cop we see, candy ass type?

If the "Black Bloc" even know what they have a problem with, how do they think their point is going to get across to anybody of significance by pulling the type of bullshit they did yesterday? Real tough, those Black Bloc members too. Dressed in black, hiding their faces (just like the KKK mind you), and then retreating and changing into normal civilian clothing so they blend it. Gutsy. Then they likely go back to their retail job where they peddle clothing made in Taiwanese sweat shops to earn a living. Again, making them COMPLETELY FULL OF SHIT.

Look, a protest done right is a powerful thing. It can be moving and can have a real purpose. Just look at what Harvey Milk did in San Francisco in the 1970's. Just look what the flower children did a decade before that.

Throwing a brick through an Eatons Centre window or throwing rocks at police officers is not going to accomplish anything. Pussies.