today I want to explain to you why we
protest ever since my undergraduate
degree at Oregon State University go
Beavs I consider myself a student of
history it intrigues me more than any
other scholarly subject as a matter of
fact I think we’re living in historic
times if you think about it every decade
of the last century it seemed to be
historic
we went from World War one the Great
Depression World War two the civil
rights era the fight against Vietnam the
Cold War in its ending to 9/11 even in
the past decade we saw our nation elect
its first black president marriage
equality become law of the land in and
end of marijuana prohibition in many
states and then we’re met with the 2016
election but why would we stop making
history now these are still historic
times the question becomes how do you
want the history books to remember you
are you brave enough to storm Normandy
now what I can tell you is that the
history books will not read that Joe
Smith couldn’t get on the freeway as
quick as possible on November 10th 2016
or that jane doe’s flight was delayed 20
minutes on a February afternoon instead
what they will say is when America
almost regressed into fascism the people
stood up for some reason we don’t hear
about those in 1773 who just wanted to
sip their morning tea however we do hear
about those who took a stand and through
precious property into the harbor are
you bold enough to dump tea into the
Boston Harbor now I’d be lying if I
didn’t recognize the dark past that
America has and in many ways the dark
orange present however
thank you however what America does
allow for is progress for those whose
marriage was illegal five years ago
until marriage equality we have
progressed for those such as my parents
whose marriage was illegal 70 years ago
until the civil rights movement we have
progressed the progress isn’t easy
change is inconvenient to those who are
comfortable however for those who
require progress to survive changes of
necessity sit-ins were inconvenient to
summon a necessity to others who do you
want to be in 1961 twenty two percent of
Americans approved of the Freedom Riders
sixteen percent thought sit-ins at lunch
counters were beneficial to civil rights
yeah we don’t hear about those who just
wanted to have their meals without the
interference of Negroes disturbing the
peace are you brave enough to sit out at
lunch counter in the Jim Crow South now
we do hear about the bull Connor’s or
the George Wallace’s of the civil rights
era those characters made it into the
history books you know I bet they
thought they were doing the right thing
they thought they were Patriots they
wanted to restore law and order in their
streets they wanted to make America
great again
in 1963 27% of Americans thought
protests were helpful to civil rights
yet for some reason every year we
celebrate Martin Luther King Day dr.
King was famously arrested for
protesting without a permit constantly
blocked roads however now people like to
dangle MLK over the heads of the new
wave of protesters as an example of how
it should be done yet in 1966
only 36% of Americans thought he was
helpful to civil rights who do you want
to be at what point do we say that those
facing oppression are probably the ones
we should follow in fighting that
oppression the basic notion that you
don’t know what it’s like to be me in
1964 when Americans were asked and I
quote if you were in the same position
as Negroes do you think it would be
justified or not to march in protests
and demonstrations 54% said not just
46% said justified over half the country
thought if it was them facing oppression
they would not be protesting Oh
hindsight is twenty-twenty now we have
the benefit of history to look back and
say the half of the country you said
that we’re wrong yeah they were lacking
empathy
however the smaller portion of the
country who instantly in naturally
trusted black people in their fight for
equality did not need the benefit of
history because they had the benefit of
empathy and in historic times empathy
guides the actions of the protagonists
what America needs today in these
historic times is a healthy dose of
empathy more people are mad about the
death of harambe than about quanis Hayes
who was killed by the Portland police in
Portland riot cops were sent to a vigil
for a kid who was killed by those same
cops more people are upset about who
goes to the bathroom next to them than
fighting against the oppression of those
people we live in a country where even
saying the words black lives matter is
controversial black lives matter that’s
two radicals are too radical to believe
I matter – is that really so fringe
nonetheless understanding works both
ways we’ve gotten to a place in America
where people think if if they disagree
with you they have to hate you or that I
understand what’s in your heart since
it’s different than what is in my own
however we who have decided to be on the
right side of history acknowledge that
we cannot begin to understand another
person’s experience the basic notion
that I don’t know what it’s like to be
you we can’t leave this value behind
when dealing with those with opposing
views we’re not going to convince a
white supremacist they’re wrong by
yelling racist on the other hand we
can’t combat racism by excusing it as
conservatism or patriotism what we must
do is talk to each other
plead to one another ask them what side
of history they want to be on because
just because someone voted differently
than you does not mean they voted
against the Constitution it was once
said the founders were so great they
created a system so brilliant even
idiots could run it and we shall see
but the point is we are supposed to
differ on policy that is natural what we
cannot differ on is humanity that should
be friends you don’t expect empathy you
bring it to their front door in 1964
when Americans were asked if they think
the protest should stop 74% yes said yes
they said we get it
we heard you we’re working on it but
your protests have become an
inconvenience
now I understand being stuck in traffic
is inconvenient but you know what else
is inconvenient being black in America
being a houseless when it’s below
freezing outside being gay in America
being an immigrant in today’s political
atmosphere they say do it in a way that
won’t impact other people what about
what the system does which impact is
greater traffic or deportations
Starbucks windows or oppression flight
delays or racism Howard Zinn said
protests beyond the sanction of the law
is not a departure from democracy but
it’s absolutely essential to it it’s not
American to oppose freedom of expression
that is unamerican fascism is an
American in the notion that dissent is
inherently violent is that the core of
fascism just as you don’t need to be a
self-avowed racist to advance the grip
of white supremacy in America you don’t
need to be a self-avowed fascist to
advance the rise of fascism in America
it’s not enough to simply recognize your
privilege you need to use it as a
platform to lift others up because
obviously some of America can’t hear it
yet are you brave enough to join the
Freedom Riders on their bus trip to the
Jim Crow South people say I support your
movement I just don’t support the
tactics well you don’t support the
movement you aren’t being empathetic and
this is a movement of empathy
don’t criticize how people fight their
own oppression but when you do finally
recognize that oppression fight
alongside them we will always accept you
with open and sometimes broken arms we
should be expanding our right to protest
not restricting them on January 20th the
day Donald Trump was inaugurated I was
at a peaceful protest that was gassed
pepper spray subjected to all types of
violence
the next day women’s March an incredibly
powerful and also peaceful event that
occurred with no violence at the hands
of the police and the excuse for the
discrepancy well first one didn’t have a
permit well you don’t get a permit for a
lunch counter sitting and you don’t get
a permit to dump tea into the Boston
Harbor
what if I took the position that some
people take for the first amendment for
the second what if I said that because
there was a murder last night I’m going
to gasp pepper spray and subjective
violence all the people that peacefully
exercise their second Amendment rights
because well someone messed up last
night people would be up in arms
literally yet for some reason those same
people are quite willing to say that
since one person is accused of a crime
at a protest that we should take away
the whole city’s First Amendment rights
to catch one person for the heinous
crime of disorderly conduct in the
second degree what if I said that about
guns
you know the First Amendment is first
for a reason a lot more people have
voices than guns so how does the Second
Amendment apply to ak-47s in the First
Amendment doesn’t even apply to standing
in the street at a protest as much as
this is a war of ideas it’s also a war
against complacency today only 29% of
voters think protesting the current
president is helpful
sound familiar resist how you can just
do not be silent because when your
grandkids ask you what you were doing
during these historic times you want to
be able to look at their history books
and point to the good guys and say I was
standing with them I was standing with
them it’s not that rewarding George
Soros isn’t paying me that much but
being on the right side of history is
priceless that said take care of each
other keep each other safe get out of
your social media bubble talk to a
stranger talk to the people who seem
scary to you these are going to be
historic times whether we succeed or not
we need to get money out of politics now
we need to deal what climate changed now
the rise of fascism does not
to be the last chapter of this unit we
can be a beacon of light let’s be that
page in the history books thank you
[Applause]
protest ever since my undergraduate
degree at Oregon State University go
Beavs I consider myself a student of
history it intrigues me more than any
other scholarly subject as a matter of
fact I think we’re living in historic
times if you think about it every decade
of the last century it seemed to be
historic
we went from World War one the Great
Depression World War two the civil
rights era the fight against Vietnam the
Cold War in its ending to 9/11 even in
the past decade we saw our nation elect
its first black president marriage
equality become law of the land in and
end of marijuana prohibition in many
states and then we’re met with the 2016
election but why would we stop making
history now these are still historic
times the question becomes how do you
want the history books to remember you
are you brave enough to storm Normandy
now what I can tell you is that the
history books will not read that Joe
Smith couldn’t get on the freeway as
quick as possible on November 10th 2016
or that jane doe’s flight was delayed 20
minutes on a February afternoon instead
what they will say is when America
almost regressed into fascism the people
stood up for some reason we don’t hear
about those in 1773 who just wanted to
sip their morning tea however we do hear
about those who took a stand and through
precious property into the harbor are
you bold enough to dump tea into the
Boston Harbor now I’d be lying if I
didn’t recognize the dark past that
America has and in many ways the dark
orange present however
thank you however what America does
allow for is progress for those whose
marriage was illegal five years ago
until marriage equality we have
progressed for those such as my parents
whose marriage was illegal 70 years ago
until the civil rights movement we have
progressed the progress isn’t easy
change is inconvenient to those who are
comfortable however for those who
require progress to survive changes of
necessity sit-ins were inconvenient to
summon a necessity to others who do you
want to be in 1961 twenty two percent of
Americans approved of the Freedom Riders
sixteen percent thought sit-ins at lunch
counters were beneficial to civil rights
yeah we don’t hear about those who just
wanted to have their meals without the
interference of Negroes disturbing the
peace are you brave enough to sit out at
lunch counter in the Jim Crow South now
we do hear about the bull Connor’s or
the George Wallace’s of the civil rights
era those characters made it into the
history books you know I bet they
thought they were doing the right thing
they thought they were Patriots they
wanted to restore law and order in their
streets they wanted to make America
great again
in 1963 27% of Americans thought
protests were helpful to civil rights
yet for some reason every year we
celebrate Martin Luther King Day dr.
King was famously arrested for
protesting without a permit constantly
blocked roads however now people like to
dangle MLK over the heads of the new
wave of protesters as an example of how
it should be done yet in 1966
only 36% of Americans thought he was
helpful to civil rights who do you want
to be at what point do we say that those
facing oppression are probably the ones
we should follow in fighting that
oppression the basic notion that you
don’t know what it’s like to be me in
1964 when Americans were asked and I
quote if you were in the same position
as Negroes do you think it would be
justified or not to march in protests
and demonstrations 54% said not just
46% said justified over half the country
thought if it was them facing oppression
they would not be protesting Oh
hindsight is twenty-twenty now we have
the benefit of history to look back and
say the half of the country you said
that we’re wrong yeah they were lacking
empathy
however the smaller portion of the
country who instantly in naturally
trusted black people in their fight for
equality did not need the benefit of
history because they had the benefit of
empathy and in historic times empathy
guides the actions of the protagonists
what America needs today in these
historic times is a healthy dose of
empathy more people are mad about the
death of harambe than about quanis Hayes
who was killed by the Portland police in
Portland riot cops were sent to a vigil
for a kid who was killed by those same
cops more people are upset about who
goes to the bathroom next to them than
fighting against the oppression of those
people we live in a country where even
saying the words black lives matter is
controversial black lives matter that’s
two radicals are too radical to believe
I matter – is that really so fringe
nonetheless understanding works both
ways we’ve gotten to a place in America
where people think if if they disagree
with you they have to hate you or that I
understand what’s in your heart since
it’s different than what is in my own
however we who have decided to be on the
right side of history acknowledge that
we cannot begin to understand another
person’s experience the basic notion
that I don’t know what it’s like to be
you we can’t leave this value behind
when dealing with those with opposing
views we’re not going to convince a
white supremacist they’re wrong by
yelling racist on the other hand we
can’t combat racism by excusing it as
conservatism or patriotism what we must
do is talk to each other
plead to one another ask them what side
of history they want to be on because
just because someone voted differently
than you does not mean they voted
against the Constitution it was once
said the founders were so great they
created a system so brilliant even
idiots could run it and we shall see
but the point is we are supposed to
differ on policy that is natural what we
cannot differ on is humanity that should
be friends you don’t expect empathy you
bring it to their front door in 1964
when Americans were asked if they think
the protest should stop 74% yes said yes
they said we get it
we heard you we’re working on it but
your protests have become an
inconvenience
now I understand being stuck in traffic
is inconvenient but you know what else
is inconvenient being black in America
being a houseless when it’s below
freezing outside being gay in America
being an immigrant in today’s political
atmosphere they say do it in a way that
won’t impact other people what about
what the system does which impact is
greater traffic or deportations
Starbucks windows or oppression flight
delays or racism Howard Zinn said
protests beyond the sanction of the law
is not a departure from democracy but
it’s absolutely essential to it it’s not
American to oppose freedom of expression
that is unamerican fascism is an
American in the notion that dissent is
inherently violent is that the core of
fascism just as you don’t need to be a
self-avowed racist to advance the grip
of white supremacy in America you don’t
need to be a self-avowed fascist to
advance the rise of fascism in America
it’s not enough to simply recognize your
privilege you need to use it as a
platform to lift others up because
obviously some of America can’t hear it
yet are you brave enough to join the
Freedom Riders on their bus trip to the
Jim Crow South people say I support your
movement I just don’t support the
tactics well you don’t support the
movement you aren’t being empathetic and
this is a movement of empathy
don’t criticize how people fight their
own oppression but when you do finally
recognize that oppression fight
alongside them we will always accept you
with open and sometimes broken arms we
should be expanding our right to protest
not restricting them on January 20th the
day Donald Trump was inaugurated I was
at a peaceful protest that was gassed
pepper spray subjected to all types of
violence
the next day women’s March an incredibly
powerful and also peaceful event that
occurred with no violence at the hands
of the police and the excuse for the
discrepancy well first one didn’t have a
permit well you don’t get a permit for a
lunch counter sitting and you don’t get
a permit to dump tea into the Boston
Harbor
what if I took the position that some
people take for the first amendment for
the second what if I said that because
there was a murder last night I’m going
to gasp pepper spray and subjective
violence all the people that peacefully
exercise their second Amendment rights
because well someone messed up last
night people would be up in arms
literally yet for some reason those same
people are quite willing to say that
since one person is accused of a crime
at a protest that we should take away
the whole city’s First Amendment rights
to catch one person for the heinous
crime of disorderly conduct in the
second degree what if I said that about
guns
you know the First Amendment is first
for a reason a lot more people have
voices than guns so how does the Second
Amendment apply to ak-47s in the First
Amendment doesn’t even apply to standing
in the street at a protest as much as
this is a war of ideas it’s also a war
against complacency today only 29% of
voters think protesting the current
president is helpful
sound familiar resist how you can just
do not be silent because when your
grandkids ask you what you were doing
during these historic times you want to
be able to look at their history books
and point to the good guys and say I was
standing with them I was standing with
them it’s not that rewarding George
Soros isn’t paying me that much but
being on the right side of history is
priceless that said take care of each
other keep each other safe get out of
your social media bubble talk to a
stranger talk to the people who seem
scary to you these are going to be
historic times whether we succeed or not
we need to get money out of politics now
we need to deal what climate changed now
the rise of fascism does not
to be the last chapter of this unit we
can be a beacon of light let’s be that
page in the history books thank you
[Applause]
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