May 9, 2011 | 1:56 pm

Protesting in the U.S.A. - A waste of time?

Posted by Julia Bendis

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I am a huge advocate for standing up for what’s right, freedom of speech and people’s right to speak their mind; when it has direct impact on their lives, like a local issue.  Most often than not, I am raising hell over various issues, opening my big mouth and trying to change things even when no one will listen.  If there is a protest scheduled on a random street corner, I guarantee you will find me there.  My husband will guarantee that it usually results with him dragging me out of there, with the fear of me getting arrested.  However, here is where my big mouth and hutzpah stop.

Protesting and picketing over an international issue or problem makes no sense to me.  What good does it do to the Libyan people when Americans are standing on the streets protesting Gaddafi’s dictatorship?  I fully understand that it is support and solidarity for people throughout the world, but does it really matter?  Its not like Muammar Gaddafi is sitting around watching American news: Oh crap they are rioting in Orange County, I better step down!  Maybe I am missing something, but every time I read about citizens throughout the country protesting something that is happening around the world, I wonder if its a waste of their time.  Wouldn’t there be a much better outcome if those same people wrote nasty and threatening letters to dictators around the world, instead of wasting their time standing on street corners?

Like I said, I could be missing something and if I am, please enlighten me.

Same goes for all the Israeli supporters here in the U.S.  What good does it do for us to organize marches, speeches and protests to help Israel combat the war with Palestinians?  All it does is make pro-Palestinians angry and attack the pro-Israelis here on our very own streets.  We, Americans do a great job of stirring up trouble but rarely do we follow up with anything.  If the same protesters were asked to continue their demonstrations and picketing in Libya, for instance I guarantee they all find an excuse to run home.

Unless you are prepared to speak out about the injustice of that specific country, why waste time doing it at home?  Has anyone ever heard of anything being solved simply because the American people took to the streets with giant signs?