I was just thinking about how so much of the present day protests remind me of the 1960’s, in spirit at least, if not strictly on issues. Protests of the 1980’s and 2000’s era seemed, to me at least, to get watered down too easily with every well intended “people oriented” cause of the day. IMHO, this is probably why, for the most part, they don’t appear to have been very successful (though they did keep the ball rolling, so to speak). If the current BLM protesters can stay focused and disciplined they do have a decent chance of actually influencing the evolution of social change as much or more than their predecessors. But they need to stay focused on a few issues and their leaders need to have a concrete, but flexible program for specific steps that can be taken to correct the social and economic inequity that has now surfaced for all to see.
Sooner or later in this process people who are not themselves protestors will turn to the protestors, and the leaders who support them and say “What changes do you want to see enacted?” Not what meta-issues do you feel (or know) are unjust and need to be corrected, but what enforceable steps do you think need to, and can be, taken? I hope there is a short list of answers to this question. Because if there is not, then the initiative, and its spirit, will quickly dissipate and the motivation to take corrective action will simply compete with the other issues of the day.
It is also important to understand that whatever solutions percolate out of the protests they have to produce two results, both measurable in a defined time frame. Number one is a reduction in the occurrence of undesirable events, for example, unjustified murders by those who are expected to maintain order. And second, a skewing, or slight flattening, of the wealth distribution curve. I say “slight” because I would hate to see a disincentive to wealth creation in general.
I wish the peaceful protesters well.
Birkdale Computing 