Sunday, June 9, 2019

Protest Park

  How about a street just for protests? Set it aside so there are no businesses or anything alongside it. And, a park just for protests. Give it a block and call it Protest Park.
   The street would cut through the center of the park. Now, this street would introduce a new mode of protesting. Electric video signs would carry the protest messages. In addition to the video signs that might be viewed in seconds by those in cars. there could have longer videos for those walking the sidewalks to stop and watch.
   Is there a place for pre-recorded video protesting, or is this an invention?
   So, even when no protest groups were actively protesting in the park, the protesting would continue with the electronic messaging.
   Is there a park anywhere in the world dedicated just to protesting, or is this, too, an invention?
   Protesting can be good, but it can also inflame. I would put rules on the protesting, just as some newspapers have requirements for civil dialogue. The electronic signage would be subject to these rules. I'm not sure you could put such rules on the live protesting, but perhaps.
   I do think it would be neat if you had a place where all the debate was civil. No name-calling and such. Perhaps require it in all the electronic messaging, and just encourage it in the live protesting. Perhaps tell them, No, you are not going to be kicked out. But, we are hopeful you won't use foul language, won't demean each other, won't call each other names.
   When accused of being the thought police, tell them you were not there to enforce, just to encourage, and that your voice, also should not be shut down.
    Having someone actively identifying the incivilities as they went down could discourage such conduct.

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