Engaging Locally: The Missing Link in Making Public Protests More Meaningful

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The article discusses the effectiveness of public protests and other methods of opposing government policies and decisions. The author suggests that such methods often result in dismissal or patronizing responses from politicians and bureaucrats who view the public as a nuisance and have a distorted perception of their roles as public servants. They argue that to make public involvement more impactful and government more accountable, efforts should be more focused locally, using trial and error to find ways to engage and influence policy meaningfully within communities.

</p> <h4>Understanding the Power of Public Protest: A Call for Local Engagement</h4> <p>My visit to the No Kings protest got me thinking about the effectiveness of such public demonstrations. As I awaited my order from a popular food truck, I interacted with protesters and asked them about their goals. Most resonated with the camaraderie of like-minded people opposing Donald Trump.</p> <p>Although this is a valid personal motivation, I questioned its strategic political strength. Why not channel such collective energy into direct community benefits like blood donation or park cleanups? However, it’s understandable that they resist government policies they oppose.</p> <p>There’s a vast gap between the perceived importance of public policy and the public’s ability to impact political decisions. The sentiment is that the state and nation are heading in the wrong direction, yet many are unsure of how to influence this trajectory.</p> <p>People want to change the course of politics, but often they don’t know how. Sometimes, they resort to measures such as the 2014 People’s Climate March or the No Kings March to compel politicians to listen.</p> <p>Petitioning isn’t the only method used. Many people also directly contact their elected officials. In the recent legislative session, over 110,000 people voiced their opposition to the new state income tax. However, does this really make a difference?</p> <p>The response from Donald Trump and his supporters to the No Kings protests has been to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-reacts-no-kings-protests-saying-im-not-king-i-work-my-ass-off" rel="noopener">mock them</a>. In Olympia, legislators dismissed the large number of income tax opposers as “bots.” Even the income tax law includes a “necessity clause” to prevent it from being directly voted on by the public.</p> <p>This dismissive attitude extends beyond the legislature. Government bureaucracies often make public engagement a challenge. Having worked at a state agency, I’ve experienced how public comments can be marginalized or ignored.</p> <p>People perceive that politicians don’t regard themselves as public servants. They feel patronized, their opinions dismissed, and their lives harder due to political decisions. This leads to increased public frustration, resulting in more extreme public expressions of dissent.</p> <p>However, increasing the public’s volume and stridency does not necessarily result in meaningful change. Some politicians even further disenfranchise the public by gaslighting them. Moreover, politicians and bureaucrats often see themselves as the saviors, not the servants, of society.</p> <p>To empower public voice, government must be closer to the people. Using local knowledge and a trial-and-error approach, we should strive to break the cycle of public dismissiveness described in Martin Gurri’s book <em>The Revolt of the Public</em>.</p> <p>Historically, local protests have proven effective. The civil rights marches started with local issues like Rosa Parks’ protest and the Memphis garbage strike. We need a diversity of approaches where local efforts play a key role.</p> <p>Public influence requires moving away from just influencing politicians and recognizing our own power. The first step is to stop relying solely on the social benefits of protests and start seeking new means to regain our power.</p> <p>The public’s voice can make a difference, but we must strive to make it meaningful.</p> <p><noscript>Please enable JavaScript to view the <a target="_blank" href="https://disqus.com/?ref_noscript" rel="nofollow noopener">comments powered by Disqus.</a></noscript><br />
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