What do you think of protestors: Selfless hero's or willfully ignorant, self-indulgent children?

Question

What do you think of protestors: Selfless hero's or willfully ignorant, self-indulgent children?

Answer 1

Also welfare cheats

In San Francisco we have the "rent a mob"

These are primarlily people who live on welfare and general assistance who work as professional protesters and are often paid in cash under the table so they do not have to report the income and pay taxes on it and have their welfare or general assistance payments reduced or eliminated altogether.

Answer 2

I think they are First Amendment supporters and necessary voices in a free democracy

Answer 3

The day of the urban hero protesting in the name of the downtrodden is long gone.  He has been replaced by self-indulgent children who are not necessarily willfully ignorant, but who are either anarchists who believe that the destruction of all existing things is necessary before true change can take place or by those young people who are only looking for an excuse to destroy property, shout obscenities and defy the police.  In practicality, it is usually the former goading the latter.  They are not merely supporters of the 1st Amendment guarantee of free speech.

Answer 4

They are just people following what they believe in. It is their right to protest if this is what they choose. I'm glad to see we aren't like China in this regard.

Answer 5

I go with the latter and add often crazy..

Answer 6

Well, some of them are willfully ignorant, particularly those that protest for protests sake and really do not know what, or why, they are protesting. You have that right to demonstrate or protest in this country, but where I draw the line is where these people try to enforce their beleifs on others through force!

Answer 7

THEY ARE ALL A BUNCH OF SPOILED BRATS. I BET MOST OF THEM COME FROM MONEY & DON'T HAVE TO DO A DAY'S WORK.

Answer 8

Infantile self absorbed children with tourette's syndrome

Answer 9

It really depends on what they are protesting and how they are going about...  

Answer 10

Those who do not protest and lay down in front of whosoever challenges what they believe in are frankly despicable - regardless of what their views are. These are the people who would not raise a voice against a dictator in their own lands, who would suffer any injustice and keep their heads down. If it wasn't for protesters then we'd still be living in the dark ages.

I may not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it.

Answer 11

It depends on how they go about the protest.  I strongly agree with their right to express their opinions, even if they are directly opposite of mine, as long as the protest doesn't trample on the rights of others.  Unfortunately,  what many groups call "protest" is in reality harassment (i.e. the church group that hold protests at veteran's funerals).  According to CBS news there is a segment of people planning a protest at the DNC whose motto is Recreate '68, which was the bloodiest riot at a political convention in U.S. history.  Those are not protesters, they are thugs looking for a fight.  

Answer 12

Remember the Boston Tea Party? Well that started it all. One of my uncles died in the Revolution. Then in the Civil war we lost our 5x Great grandfather. In world war one we lost another uncle, and two cousins. In world war two we lost a Grandfather, and an uncle, In Korea we lost uncle Bob, In Vietnam we lost our Father, in Desert Storm I lost an Eye lucky I guess. We did it all for Americans no matter who no matter what they believe in, to protect their rights one of which is to protest! Those brave people at the Boston Tea party that protested tyranny were considered by the Brits just a bunch of ungrateful fools as some of us do those that now protest. Please when you see them think of our fathers that have protected our and their right to do so. We live in a free country because of the sacrifice of others.

Answer 13

I agree strongly with your second choice here.

Answer 14

I agree those willfully ignorant anti-abortionist really need to get a hobby.  One that doesn't involve hanging out at clinics yelling at women seeking medical care.

Answer 15

Depends what and where they're protesting.

It's pretty easy to gather a bunch of hemp jewelry-wearing teenagers in white middle-class suburban America to protest pollution, or the war. We do have freedom of speech and all, and occasionally it is our civic responsibility to exercise it.

But protesters in countries where the government will persecute any source of dissent--like Burma or Russia or North Korea--have true courage because they are choosing to exercise basic civil rights WITHOUT the permission of their rulers or a constitutional guarantee.

Edit: And for for christ sake, if you're a teacher it's about time that you found out that the plural of "hero" is "heroes". Sorry, but my inner granny was too appalled to let that one slide.

Answer 16

Protesters are dissatisfied citizens who want to be seen and heard. They have may many different opinions, but they all agree that the first amendment right of free speech is very important to our democracy.