People often disagree with the decisions of governments and protest to defend their positions. There are different forms of protest, ranging from posts on social media platforms to demonstrations involving millions of citizens. In 2020, a multitude of massive public protests occurred around the world, including the United States. Many people argue whether demonstrations are the most effective form of protest or not and present reasonable arguments. Without any doubt, this discussion is worth deep consideration, as it concerns everyone and is extremely relevant. Without any doubt, I belong to the proponents of demonstrations as the way to present public opposition due to various reasons.
First, demonstrations make people politically active and help to get minority voices heard. Unfortunately, numerous individuals are not aware of political problems until they see demonstrations on the street. They do not follow political leaders on social media and neither watch nor read the news. However, some of them solely lack the knowledge to understand complex issues deserving some expertise and are unwilling to invest much time and effort in figuring out how the whole system works. Nevertheless, most individuals have their own precise positions regarding same-sex marriages, police brutality, and minority rights. Therefore, when they discover that government policies oppose their views, they involve in demonstrations and become more politically active. In addition, everyone can express their position despite their race, socioeconomic status, and religion; thus, minority voices get heard.
Second, petitions and posts on social media are not as effective as demonstrations in sending signals to policymakers. They often pay little attention or even ignore such forms of opposition. On the other hand, hunger strikes and civil disobedience can lead to adverse consequences for both ordinary citizens and political leaders. Therefore, peaceful demonstrations appear to be the most effective form of protest. They can involve numerous individuals, so policymakers cannot resist the pressure. Consequently, they feel compelled to reconsider and change their position. Moreover, national and often global media resources represent demonstrations engaging those who are not directly affected and making signals to political leaders stronger.
On the other hand, opponents of demonstrations present numerous arguments defending their position. For example, they state that demonstrations often involve disorder and harm those who disagree with demonstrators. Unfortunately, during different public protests, acts of violence often occur even in developed countries. However, the police should endeavor to keep law and order on the street so that to prevent brutality. Even though most demonstrators may oppose any form of misconduct, there are always individuals who want to benefit. Without any doubt, acts of violence can be prevented by the united effort of police officers and ordinary citizens. In fact, numerous demonstrations are peaceful, and only sometimes exceptions appear.
In conclusion, I am convinced that demonstrations are the most effective form of protest due to powerful arguments. They have more advantages compared to other forms of protest and have excellent potential to lead to positive results. Demonstrations make people more politically active and help to hear the voices of minorities. Moreover, they make sound signals to policymakers and motivate them to reconsider their positions and take action. Even though some people argue that demonstrations necessarily involve violence, this argument appears to be biased. Besides, both demonstrators and policymakers can prevent acts of violence. Therefore, public protests are among the most powerful tools to express one’s views and defend positions.