Protesting With Your Kids: Would You? Have You?

Despite my strong opinions on most things (no!) and apparent urge to share them, I continue to surprise myself by failing repeatedly to attend protests.  I also don't post political signs in my yard.  Not for any good reason I can think of - or recall, anyway.  Recently, though, I've been considering changing my ways - mostly to allow my children to experience protesting, to let them see how it can feel to strongly object to something the larger society supports, to stand up for their beliefs, and to exercise a freedom that I don't appreciate nearly enough.

I thought about it some more one morning this week when we noticed peace supporters waving anti-war signs (OK, giant bed sheets) about this weekend's peace protest on the Morrison Bridge.  It took my 4 & 1/2-year-old son less than 10 seconds to start pumping the questions:  Mama, why are those people holding those signs?  What do they say?   So we discussed the whole thing, right there on the #15.  Which, incidentally, is where we seem to hold most extremely controversial and alarming conversations; where I have - truly -  honed my now phenomenally tactful and PC explanations on a wide variety of touchy subjects.  Thank you, Tri-Met, for putting those 'opportunities' in our path.

The bridge protesters have already served a great purpose, simply by evoking a conversation with my son about protesting in general and how I feel about our country being involved in 'battles.'  At 4 & 1/2, battles are on the tippy top of the fascinating topics list, even above police cars/ambulances/fire trucks and monsters.  But I'm unsure of taking him to a protest at 4 & 1/2.  Having attended so few, I can't  accurately assess the pros and cons.  Have you attended a protest with your child?  How did it go?  What age seems appropriate? 

Read on for specifics about the protest this Saturday, September 29th.

If you're up for it and it reflects your beliefs, join the fray this Saturday.  Here's what PDX Peace says about the event: 

More than sixty organizations from Portland's peace and social justice community have joined forces in mobilizing against war and occupation as the debate over troop levels, funding, and what constitutes a functioning democracy drags the conflict into its 55th month. The march, entitled "Stop the Wars and Occupations: Bring All the Troops Home Now" is scheduled for Saturday, September 29, 2007 at 11:00 AM in downtown Portland. The event will begin at NW Park and Flanders, in the North Park Blocks.

The march will end at the World Trade Center at SW 1st and Salmon, where literature tables will be set up as a "peace fair" in the afternoon. Check www.pjw.info and other community sites for more information.

You can also join PDX Peace and go from there.  Who knows where it could take your family?

Comments

[KMat]

I am not a protester. I feel I should be more active in the protest community, but we all know how it can be with the young-uns. That being said, my mother is an extreme protester. When we all lived in New York, she would bus down to Washington DC about once a month for some protest or another. And in New York, it seemed like any day off she had was an excuse for another protest. From the time my now 5 year old could talk, he has been apprised of the Bush agenda, the pros of Dennis Kucinich (she used to hold meet-ups at our house), the carbon footprint and a myriad of other topics most other kids his age have no clue about. (It's actually almost frightening to hear him expound on Iraq and how we can support the troops at the same time we oppose war.) And, of course, she would take him to protests. Not so much the sign-waving, angry-marching kind (funny how sometimes even the peaceniks seem aggressive), but he would frequent the Women in Black protests (they wear all black and hold candles--an anti-war group), and on a few occasions did multiple-mile walks (well, he was in a stroller) protesting something I can't remember now. He loved it. And while on one-hand I was a little opposed to the degree of information my mom was giving him, I was also very glad he was learning at a young age a positive way of affecting change.

[Kristin]

I was a protester for a long time -- in college I think I just might have attended more demonstrations than classes. Now, with two young kids and as a continuing activist you would think I would be going to them all. I'm not - because I have been to so many that I'm just too nervous to put my kids in the middle of it. True, there are many, many protests that are totally fine -- peaceful, calm events. But I've been in protests with tear gas, rocks zipping by my head, pushing, shoving, trampling, impromptu jails, arrests without much warning, etc.

I do tend to talk a lot about the issues (a long conversation about Vietnam this morning with my five year old as an example), but I think it will be some time before I will go to a protest with them...

[Sara]

I've taken to my daughter to a couple of the big antiwar protests, all of which had a pretty friendly festival-y feel, and all of which I knew were okayed with the police and pretty well managed to prevent breakout violence. She likes it; she thinks it's a kind of a street fair, what with all the singing and drumming and puppets. There are usually a fair number of families present. Last time we went, this spring, when she was 2.5, she had a lot of questions, and I answered them as honestly as possible given the limitations of communicating with a toddler. I think it's important for her to understand what I believe in, and that I think it's important to physically stand up for what you believe in. I had no fears for her safety (though now that she's pottytrained, I think I'd have some concerns for the availablity of bathrooms!). I wore her in the Ergo every time - I would probably hesitate to use a stroller, because it can get pretty overwhelming down there at knee level, away from physical contact with a parent. I also left early, since it's exhausting and overstimulating for me and her. Do whatever feels right for you. You can communicate your beliefs and values in other ways (and you'll do it without even realizing it). But I would say that you shouldn't be afraid of protests - check them out in advance, but go for it!

[Beth]

I'm not much of a protester, but I have taken my kids (now 5 & 2.5) to numerous rallies. We just moved here from a small liberal town in WA, where I hauled the kidlets to World Breastfeeding Week, Take Back the Night, and Pride Rally (I'm straight). Granted, there were not a lot of angry demonstrators at these events, but I thought it was important to show my kids that I'm willing to go public with my beliefs.

[olivia]

I would say that my husband and I are not protesters. We have brought the kids to a rally a couple of times. We are Asian American and my husband helped organize an anti-tobacco youth rally. We marched, made signs, and shared statements like "Big tobacco has got to go!" The girls still march around and randomly say it. "What do we want?" "Smoke free air!" "When do we want it?" "Now!" We talk about smoking and its effects on a person, even if s/he isn't the one doing the smoking.

I also thought it was great that my Filipina daughters could participate in this sort of event with other Asian American youth (mostly teens). They were great role models for my very little girls.

I think it's great that we are exposing our children to our beliefs and the ways we express our views or support issues. Rallies and protests are a couple of ways to show the kids what issues really matter to us and how to responsibly express ourselves.

[LeeAnn]

Proud yard sign displayer here! (YES ON 49!) I have brought my daughter to rallies, marches, and more. Luckily, there are all sorts of fun, family-friendly ways to engage publicly in a large group while making your political point.

As just one recent example, check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/raceagainstpollution -- this was an afternoon of rallying and paddling on the Willamette held by the Sierra Club as part of their Clean Willamette campaign to draw attention to the mixing zones issue (more on which perhaps Lisa can contact me about for a future Activistas post? It's a bit technical, but important stuff nonetheless).

It was great fun that included live music, prizes for best costume, tasty treats, and even a guy in a Salmon Suit. Something for the whole family...

[Lisa]

Lee Ann, E-mail us at activistas@gmail.com and I'll get in touch. Sounds intresting and great fodder indeed for a future post. Men in salmon suits deserve front page treatment in my book! I was just reading about the one-man show who's been workign tirelessly on the cleanup and jotted it down in my "post ideas" notebook. Thanks for bringing it back up!

[Megan29]

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