Krista

==**__ Protest__**== Well, first of all, what is Protest? Officially it means "[|the act of making a strong public expression of disagreement and disapproval]//"//. Put simply, that basically means voicing your opinion in a way that gets people's attention. These ways of showing an opinion range from non-violent protests, to all-out riots.

__Methods of Protest__ There are many different ways to protest, some violent, others non-violent, but it all comes down to the type of person who is protesting.

Some non-violent ways of protesting come in the form of These ways of protesting are non-violent but still get the message across without harming anyone. Things such as billboards and signs can be seen by a lot of people and can help get support for the protest.
 * protest marches, as shown in the picture;
 * creating a picket line with signs;
 * singing [|protest songs] [click here for more info]
 * letters [to the government, to a newspaper, etc]
 * petitions;
 * posters;
 * bumper stickers;
 * or a sit-in

media type="youtube" key="AD4iQs3rym4&hl=en&fs=1" height="344" width="425" [|Where have all the flowers gone], sung by Joan Baez, about a the futility of a war without an end. It was originally written and sung by Peter Seeger.





//Violence//. Violent ways of protest are riots, or any way where people could get hurt. Sometimes peaceful, non-violent protests turn into riots and can get dangerous, especially if protesters come face to face with people who are against the protest. In some situations, if a protest starts getting out of hand, the riot police maybe called in.

[//G8 protest riots throwing stones]//

media type="youtube" key="PVvUdTNA8Io&hl=en&fs=1" height="344" width="425"

__Why Protest__? Protesting is basically about getting yourself heard. The ways people go about it really depend on the person. But people really protest about anything, including People can protest when they disagree with something. An example is when workers want a pay increase. If they don't get a pay rise, then they may protest in a way such as a strike. Protesters may organise some sort of protest with lots and lots of people to get lots of attention and to have their views listened to. Signs, bumper stickers and t-shirts are other ways that protesters can get attention and supporters. If no one protested then nothing would be changed. Some people protest about laws that they think are unfair, or if there isn't a law for something and there should be.
 * War [protesting for peace]
 * [|Human rights][Child labour]
 * [|Animal rights] [against cosmetic testing on animals]
 * Wages/tax
 * Independance
 * International Issues [Refugees, action in War]
 * Sports
 * Against other Races, Religions or Cultures
 * Homosexuals and gay marriages
 * Abortions, freedom of choice
 * Vandals
 * Some people even protest against the protesters

__Who Protests?__ There are protest groups for all kinds of things, eg Greenpeace and PETA [Protection for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] but many people protest. Even everyday people might get up and join in a march if it was for something they believed in. Over courses of history, many people, and groups of people have protested about things such as Rights [black, womens], Anti-War, for their beliefs, etc. Some other protesters/protests:
 * Martin Luther King and Martin Luther King Jr
 * The Pankhursts
 * Nelson Mandela [//click here for another page on Nelson Mandela//]
 * 9/11 and Osama Bin Laden
 * Greenpeaceand protests against whaling
 * The KKK
 * The Black Panther Party [Black Rights]
 * The Los Angeles Riots
 * Anti-Iraq War Protests
 * Coca Blockades in Bolivia
 * Ruby Bridges

__Overall, is protesting a good idea?__ Yes. If done peacefully then protests //can// acheive the desired results. Protests can get laws changed, or grant people rights that they didnt previously have. They can also help abolish laws and things that the majority of people didn't like. In some protests, people //can// get hurt, and sometimes the goal isn't achieved, meaning that sometimes, the protest doesn't succeed. But without trying to change things by protesting, then things would just stay the same and people might possibly get more and more annoyed by something if they were against it -or perhaps they would come to live with it and accept it eventually. Protesting is our way of speaking up and speaking out and saying what we really want. It may not succeed, but it lets the people in power, eg government, know that something needs to be changed. That way, even if it takes a few years, possibly longer, the government may consider and even change what is being protested about.

__Resources__:
 * //[|en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protest]//
 * [|www.youtube.com]
 * [|www.sfheart.com/protest/index1.html]
 * [|www.spinner.com/2007/07/13/20-protest-songs-that-mattered-no-20/]
 * [|www.onlinedictionary.com]