Okay, the protests are in full swing and as a Mom, I’m wondering how good or bad is having the children at the protests. Now personally I think the point of the protest is to be a protest and not a riot. When it’s a protest, it can be a powerful tool. When it evolves to riot, it changes the point and evolves into something else.
But that said, to learn more I figured there’s no better place to turn than Twitter! It actually was interesting to see how many children were at the protests. In all of the shots below, children were at the protests but nobody got hurt. That’s extremely impressive and hopefully helpful.
I scoured Twitter and there were actually quite a few photos of children at the protests. I previously had a piece about the child who got maced. But I realized that in a way it paints the protests as all bad.
If you look at each of below I’m hopeful that two things come out of it.
First, it can be an education for children. We are hopefully building a new generation of children who are inspired by this. Maybe they will become social activists or even go into politics.
Secondly, maybe leaders themselves will catch on. Maybe they will look at this situation as not all riots but instead peaceful protests of all colors and all ages.
1) Looking below, maybe the children are learning something from this.
Caravan Protest in Moore County, NC today. If children can understand, so can you. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/CEuUyrflug
— Katie Waddell (@katiewaddell_3) June 5, 2020
2) This Mom is leading the way.
These 2 boys, holding their signs in one hand and holding on tight to their mom’s shirt in the other- this is why we protest. Because no mom should have to be afraid that her children may one day die at the hands of the police. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/FSBkBtzaCf
— jill weitz (@asking4myself) June 5, 2020
3) This is a leader right here. Leading by example!
Today I walked. I walked behind children from my school district who organized a protest with thousands of people following their lead. As a principal, I fight with them for equal rights. I proudly followed their lead. #kidscanlead #equality #proudprincipal #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/5Kl97T2i0C
— Mathew Portell (@principalest) June 5, 2020
4) Educators are teaching their children by example.
Renton Educators and staff along with their children protest in front of Renton High School. They lined both sides of S 2nd Street to bring attention to #blacklifematters #georgefloyd #rentonprotest pic.twitter.com/viJxlfaQ4t
— David Nelson (@wapio3021) June 4, 2020
5) What will be the reaction of the religious right to this?
Matthew 19:14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Today we shot them with rubber bullets, Today we suffocate them with tear gas.I saw many peaceful families coming to “protest” .@realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/EHaitJaQWw
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) June 2, 2020
6) I think I’ve heard of Ellen! 🙂
Ellen Pompeo, who's a mother of 3 black children, took her family to the pacific protest that is happening right now in LA #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/BuovY4nYcH
— luiza shepherd (@greyspostit) June 3, 2020
7) Peaceful protest is good.
Today our children learned how to peacefully protest at the Birmingham Rally for Justice & Peace. pic.twitter.com/zYyoq3yXQE
— Quincy Collins (@quincy_collins) June 1, 2020
8) That’s quite a good migration from armchair to activist.
My 11 and 14 year old at yesterday’s protest. I finally stopped being an armchair activist when I realized that I can’t look at my children in the eye if I don’t show up and speak up. #sfprotest pic.twitter.com/jDiEbVKWyP
— poetryintheaviary (@ashimasarin1) June 4, 2020
9) Look at these signs!
These kids attended a protest rally in downtown Charlotte tonight. Thousands of people attended a peaceful rally that was intended for children. Read their signs. Powerful. #BlackLivesMattter #charlotteprotests pic.twitter.com/lRHan9WzfA
— SD Voter (@SDVoter3) June 2, 2020
What do you think?