Quote of the Day - Ben Jonson, Catiline

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   Kenna McHughposted 6 years ago

   
   "The dignity of truth is lost with much protesting."
   -- Ben Jonson, playwright, poet, and actor

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      greenmindposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Honestly I'm not sure that's what he meant! I think the context he had in mind was more like when a person says "No, I'm not a racist!" over and over, protesting innocence. Kind of like Shakespeare's "Methinks he doth protest too much."
      In a democracy, where the right of the people to assemble and peacably protest is in the First Amendment of our Constitution, "protest" has a different meaning, no?

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   Kenna McHughposted 6 years ago

   But, people, these days, are protesting way too much. Particularly Anti-Trump and falsehoods get spread like crazy. Then, people are desensitized and no longer care what is being said and it all becomes a generality. "Trump is Crazy" or "I am Tired of Hearing about Trump!" "Trump Gets Blamed for Everything"
   
   We had a situation in my town where a young black man was shot down by the city police after he burglarized a home, ran from the police, and pulled out a cell phone. Please thought the cell phone was a gun. The young man died at the scene. It was very sad and I felt for the family of the boy. Protests on the streets followed. They became violent, irrational, and unruly.  I ask: Who is going to listen to that?

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      greenmindposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Kendra -- right, violent/un-peacable protests are not protected by the Constitution. They often turn people against otherwise important causes.
      
      But to simply say, "people are protesting too much" sounds like you want people to sit still and be quiet, even when things they see offend their sense of right and wrong. I didn't think you meant that to be the message!

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         Kenna McHughposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Jonson lived during 1500s - 1600s. Mild protests were massacred. Protests are the last resort. Negotiate and parley is more effective.

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   paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

   My feelings on this are mixed.
   
   Sometimes riots, demonstrations, and protests are the only thing our government understands. It was the anti-war riots and protests that finally got us the heck out of Vietnam. It was the Watts riots that finally forced the government to pass some decent civil rights laws.
   
   Then there is what Kenna says: "these days, are protesting way too much". She is absolutely, dead bang right. However, greenmind is also right.
   
   The world is a mess and that's all there is to it.

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      Kenna McHughposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Yes. The world is a mess but we don't have to contribute to it. MLK protests were mild and educational. More importantly, they were effective. That is why he was killed.

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   threekeysposted 6 years ago

   I loved the MILK cards!
   The truth once revealed just cannot be shaken off or away. If we want healthy relationships/systems we have to be willing to be transparent with our needs and then  learn the art of negotiation together with accepting the outcome. Not an easy thing to do when the stakes are high. But try we must.
   Very sadly he paid dearly.

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      Kenna McHughposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Yes. MLK did pay dearly.

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   paradigmsearchposted 6 years ago

   I have never participated in a riot, protest, or demonstration. Maybe I should put that on my bucket list. I'll defer on the riot option, but a worthy protest or demonstration could be interesting. No specific cause comes to mind at the moment, but who knows what the future will bring?

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      Kenna McHughposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      I participated in a protest, every day for about a month. It was non-violent and effective.

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