Midnight Thought #5150

Whether you agree with a protestor's opinions or not, it's important to recognize they have a right to get their point across to the government.  If they're allowed to be punished for whatever form their free speech against the government takes, the level of punishment used on them is now the precedent by which you'll be punished should you disagree with government in the future.  The government is where the people should direct their protests, as the government has taken on the responsibility of ensuring the people's rights aren't violated, no matter where that violation originates.  Since the government belongs to all the people, that's where frustrations should be directed.  Failure to protect this right sets a dangerous and chilling precedent.

Many believe politics exists on a single, one-dimensional line.  You're either left or right.  This is a gross over-simplification and only serves to polarize and inhibit any real progress.  Every person is multi-faceted in their beliefs, holding positions that vary as much as fingerprints.  Just because you agree with the oppressor of your opponent today doesn't mean that oppressor won't turn against you for some other belief you hold, tomorrow.

Also, if the people are discouraged from protesting their government, they will turn against each other.  If a group feels its rights aren't being protected by government, but aren't allowed to channel their frustrations at that government, they will turn against those in their community they perceive to be violating their rights.

This becomes a self-sustaining and destructive cycle.  Say one group burns the other's businesses, beating and murdering a few of them.  When the government refuses to defend them against the arsonists, and the victims of the arson are denied a redress of grievances, they will seek vengeance against those in the community they see as opposed to them by burning their homes or attacking their neighborhoods.

This happens over and over in history.  Tyrants love this behavior, as it allows them to misbehave at will, while the people are distracted with hatred for one another.  If the people don't recognize this tyrannical behavior, they're doomed to fail as all the others have.