The Guide: Protest, stick it to the man
While mass protesting and petitioning has dwindled in recent years, there are still ways to protest effectively both on and off campus. Be sure to know the laws before hand to make the protest go easier.
From left, Jessica Richey, Stewart Stout, and Mark Prichard prepare to pass out signs to the crowd during an anti-war protest in San Francisco Oct. 27, 2007. The protest was organized by the ANSWER Coalition and drew a crowd of about 30,000 people. File Photo.
History
There have been trends in history that have caused the amount of protesting on college campuses to rise and fall tremendously, said Frank Hartigan, a University of Nevada, Reno history professor. During the ’60s, students heavily protested the Vietnam War, both on campus and around the country.
“We have never had anything again like the Governor’s Day protest on campus,” said William Rowley, UNR history professor.
In May 1970, at the height of the Vietnam War, students marched and protested against the Cambodian invasion on the afternoon the governor was supposed to arrive on campus. Several hundred students were involved and gained national media attention.
Student protesting has declined since that time period, which is most likely due to the removal of the draft, Hartigan said. Since the military is now only recruiting on volunteer basis, people feel much less personally affected by the wars. However, protesting still occurs sporadically, regarding issues such as politics and price increases.
The laws
- As long as participants follow general traffic rules, petitioning and protesting in Reno is allowed, the Reno Police Department said.
- Protestors cannot block traffic, crosswalks or the entrances and exits to any facility.
- Permits are required to set up a stage and sound system. Permits are available at City Hall, 1 E. First St., 775-334-2099.
- Permits are also required to gather in and protest in parks.
- The First Amendment protects everyone from the abridgment of speech and petition. Therefore, protesting is allowed as long as no other laws are broken.
Protesters demonstrating against the Iraq war in 2006. File Photo.
Do it yourself
While many students are socially involved, they are not formally protesting like they once did, Hartigan said.
Campus clubs, such as Students for Liberty and the Resident Hall Association (RHA), often protest informally as a way to get students thinking.
“We like to let our opinion be known,” said Barry Belmont, vice president of Students for Liberty. “For our Nobody ’08 campaign we wanted to inform people. We just put ourselves out there and if people are interested they can learn more about us.”
On Nov. 25, RHA will sponsor a silent protest. Students will wear shirts supporting causes of the participants’ choice and not speak the entire day to show their dedication to changing it.
“The purpose of this event is to raise awareness towards voices that have been suppressed in society,” RHA committee member Ashley Greiman said. “It’s like a demonstration to raise awareness.”
Ways to protest
Like these clubs have done, there are many other informal but effective ways for students to protest and voice their opinions.
- Picketing is an easy way to draw attention to whatever it is you are protesting and to get others thinking about the issue.
- Silent protesting is a passive way to take a stand about an issue.
- Boycotting certain stores or services will make an impact without causing conflict.
Gather Supporters
Research other clubs or organizations with similar interests to your own.
- Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are great places to send out mass messages advertising your cause.
- Put together a forum where students can meet and discuss the cause. Advertise these meetings with posters around campus.
Plan a key location
- Protest in a place that will attract a lot of attention or is related to the issue you are protesting against. Places such as the Quad or the Joe Crowley Student Union lawn on campus are always crowded with people to educate about your issue.
- Make sure you have the right to protest in your chosen location. Be sure to obtain any permits if necessary.
Tara Verderosa can be reached at tverderosa@nevadasagebrush.com.
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November 19th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Yeah,the Governor’s Day thing really brought back memories. If there’s any old timers around (real old timers) ask them to tell you the story about the end of The Hobbit.