The Highlander September 2017 Vol IX Issue I
Carlmont High School — Belmont, California
www.scotscoop.com
@scotscoopnews
Protest
Party
The purpose of protesting is blurred by fads Sophie Penn Staff Writer Hundreds of protesters march through the city of San Francisco, holding signs that read “Black Lives Matter” and “Not My President.” They walk proudly, with their heads held high, as they chant in unison and… grab a Philz coffee as they walk past a food truck. With all the chaos that has occured in the U.S. over the past eight months, protests have become almost an everyday occurrence, especially in the Bay Area. While protesting has been crucial in past movements such as the Civil Rights march on Washington, the Women’s Liberation Movement, and various workers rights movements throughout history, protesting has begun to embody a new image. Recent events such as the Charlottesville protest and the multiple events that have spiraled out of control at UC Berkeley raise a new question: could violent protests be counterproductive? Rosie Asmar, a senior, said, “I think as soon as a protest becomes violent, it becomes inherently ineffective. You are giving those who oppose you an excuse to lump everyone together and say ‘all liberals are violent, none of them will listen to us, they only want to talk to people who share their opinions, etc.’ which is untrue, at least for me.” Kaylie Moropoulos, a junior, flew to Washington D.C. last January to participate in the Women’s March on Washington. “My experience at the Women’s March [following Trump’s inauguration] was simply incredible. I’d never been to any political event of that scale ever. It felt empowering to a whole new level and I’m so grateful for all the people I was able to talk to and meet there. I’ve never been affected by any other event like I was by the Women’s March,” said Moropoulos. The Women’s March was one of the first major protests in Trump’s presidency, as well as one of the more peaceful ones. Although protests like the Women’s March gained national attention and were positive experiences for the majority of those participating, more recent protests have CAMPUS 7been far from amicable. In February, provocative conservative writer Milo Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak at UC Berkeley, but the event was cancelled when protesters took to the streets September 2016
throwing things, starting fires, and breaking windows, resulting in damages costing $100,000. However, Yiannopoulos publicly announced that he would be returning to UC Berkeley for a “Free Speech Week” that is set to take place from Sept. 24 through Sept. 27. Protesting, although a fundamental aspect of U.S. history, is beginning to be seen as counterproductive by some, due to the spike in violence. On Aug. 12, hundreds of torch wielding white supremacists converged on a small group of counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, while chanting phrases such as “White lives matter” and “Jews will not replace us.” The protest resulted in the death of counter-protester Heather Heyes, and several injuries. On Aug. 27, thousands of counter-protesters converged in Berkeley in response to Patriot Prayer’s planned protest in San Francisco the previous day, which had been cancelled at the last second. There were 13 arrests and multiple minor injuries. Protests have historically been a powerful way for the people to express opinions and create change. With the rising trend in violence, there comes a risk of diminishing the effectiveness of protesting. “Violent protests are ultimately useless or even damaging as they can tarnish the image of the idea they’re supposed to be representing,” said Moropoulos.
Photos by Connor Lin Illustrations by Jordan Hanlon
English teacher Erik Migdail has attended five protests in the past year. “As the stakes have gotten higher in many people’s minds, the character of protests have changed radically, and not necessarily for the better. They definitely feels more contentious, and it feels like there is heightened emotion relative to other protests I’ve been to in my life,” said Migdail. Despite the growing tensions between political groups at recent protests, many still believe them to be crucial to the democracy of America. Asmar said, “I think protesting is one of the great things about free speech in this country. It not only puts pressure on the government to act, but also puts issues in a public scope so that American citizens won’t be able to ignore the repercussions of those issues anymore. It forces people to talk about things they don’t want to in order to further the public good and protection of basic freedoms.” The threat of violence still remains a concern in modern protests however, and although there doesn’t appear to be a ‘correct answer’ as to how to change the culture of protesting, it continues to provide a voice for American citizens.
Sports
In This Issue
News Campus
Professor Ban List Conservative stuudents avoid liberal influence p. 8
End of the world How humans are killing the earth p. 10
The second civil war Political differences divide our nation p. 15
Environmental issues Lifestyle Features Opinion Why you will die
2-3 4-5 6-9 10-11 12-13 14-16 17-19 20