Power in Numbers
A mob mentality can be a very powerful thing. One of the most powerful of all mobs is when a protest turns to a riot. Protests have a tendency to turn from signs and chants to homemade bombs and riot shields. The violence behind the riots usually stems from only a few extreme individuals, but seems to influence the majority into engaging in the violence. I find it funny how individuals who are in a protest can so easily adopt the philosophy that if everyone else is doing it, it must be okay. Isn't that one of the most cliché sayings we hear from teachers and parents alike? "If they jumped off a bridge, would you jump off to?' How easily individuals in a riot seem to forget what they were taught as children. However, the Canadian government may have just made it a little more difficult for rioters to turn to violence so easily.Off come the masks
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Photo credit: Artur Coelho |
Don't get me wrong I support individuals attempting to have their voice herd. I believe it's important to stand up for what you believe in and a good protest can be one of the most effective ways to show people how important an issue is. The larger the better, and greater numbers make a protest appear more intimidating and powerful. Although I may support a good protest I just don't think that because a large group of individuals can be powerful means that they have the right to become violent and cause serious damage to public and personal property. I believe the new bill passed will help reduce the amount of individuals who use riots as an excuse to commit crimes under the pretence that they won't be caught. In my mind that is a good thing for our society.
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