by Zain Jaffer
Political and war events around the world have galvanized people for or against certain countries or groups. I will not argue for or against each of these sides, even if personally I do have my stances on these issues. Rather I will comment today on the line that divides our rights as people and citizens to protest, versus the right of businesses and other employees to go about their work without harassment.
You may have heard that Google recently fired several of its employees who participated in a protest against the Company’s business with Israel. This is not really about whether they had a point or not. Maybe they do. Maybe I even agree with them.
However they crossed the line when they impeded the general conduct of business, which was what they were hired to do. All of them should have known about this since they all signed their employment contracts with these clauses in mind.
I am not saying people should not protest especially since it is a constitutionally guaranteed right. America is no stranger to protests. Some of our most powerful men and women today were protesters during the Sixties and Seventies against the Vietnam War. In the heat of the moment, when you subscribe passionately to a cause, things can get out of hand. Years later, you can tell yourself that you participated in a protest and did not simply accept what was going on in silence.
I guess if you are young, and really passionate about these causes, just like generations ahead of you, each action you do will have a price you need to pay. If you get arrested for protesting, or get fired from work, maybe that is something you feel you can live with. That is the point. Make sure that the consequences are something you can live with.
Then there is also the matter of convincing more people to your cause. If they see you are protesting properly and see the logic and emotion of your argument and they buy into it, then maybe your movement will grow over time. The problem is when protesters go overboard. If you crossed the line into something illegal and criminal, then not only do you have to live with that, but you may actually turn more people off.
I think many of us are hardwired to protest when we see wrong doing that goes against the grain our beliefs in how the world should run. Over time as we grow older, we realize that there are simply certain compromises, short comings, realities that we need to accept. We can protest as much as we want but sometimes we are just being naive.
If we really feel that something is wrong, then it is our right as Americans to protest. But do it properly. Get a permit. Do it in a designated place. Do not harass people. Do not do it at your place of work or involve your Company, since you are being paid to work and not to protest. Keep your behavior within the bounds of decency and the law, and use logical arguments coupled with emotional ones to advance your cause.
If we are harassed or turned off by your protest tactics, not only will you need to pay the price but you will also end up wasting your sacrifice of your future potential because you failed to convince others.