Pictures of Protest

This sign, showing Donald Trump as a puppet controlled by a hand labeled “NRA” is really powerful to me because it shows how this movement is educating people. March for Our Lives has made political literacy a major part of its movement goals. Through public discussion, information shared in interviews, and engagement in dialogue with political leaders, the movement professionals aim to show how the NRA influences American political processes. This sign and its message is reflective of the movement’s messaging.

This particular sign was my favorite sign at the March for our Lives in Tallahassee, because it really shows how far this movement goes in impacting personal biographies and changing minds. It was really powerful to me to see this sign because it shows how diverse this movement is and how people's views can change over time.

At the Westcott Building at FSU, Mayor Andrew Gillum welcomes visitors to Tallahassee for the Never Again protest in February by giving a speech and then helping to lead the march towards the Capitol Building. By doing this, Gillum puts himself in alignment with the student protestors and represents Tallahassee and his political views - this may be a political strategy for him, as many activists and advocates switch between activism and political work throughout the course of their personal biographies. 

This sign takes a more specific diagnostic frame, naming on AR-15 semi-automatic rifles as a main “problem.” He connects to the master frame of “rights” used throughout American politics.  The person holding this sign is wearing a “We are Orlando” shirt, connecting the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando to mass shootings at schools under the greater umbrella of gun violence. This also ties this protestor’s vantage point to LGBTQ+ advocacy. 

Seeing this sign, we had a first few reactions. First, it makes the observer think, this boy shouldn’t have to protest for his right to a safe education, he’s so young. He has used bullet hole imagery through the sign, making it more impactful and reminding the viewer about violence. This image makes us wonder: is this young person’s motive to protest his own? Is he with a parent or guardian who has encouraged him to protest? Is it his own initiative to protest? One tactic movements like to take is that they are taking action “for the children” or “for our future.” How is this different when children are not only the focus, but the leadership for a movement?

Students assembled around the Westcott Building at FSU and marched to the Capitol Building in Tallahassee, FL with emotionally-driven signs of statements of collective action. Many of the petition signs were extremely fear-driven. Others took the approach of developing emotional empathy for victims and their families.

Sign: “Let’s rename ‘school’ to ‘uterus’ so maybe Republican lawmakers will want to do something about the children dying inside of them. @nw313″

This photo captures a connection between two movements - when women’s rights meet gun control. This sign is attention-grabbing, and one might say it brings a dark sense of humor to a serious, emotional topic. This tactic can create tension between the pro-life and pro-gun movement, which are both generally conservative movements. However, those affiliated with the pro-choice movement may find this sign problematic, as the pro-choice movement does not define a fetus as a child or abortion as death.

A young woman proudly protests in front of the capital with a sign reading "#NEVERAGAIN" -- a hashtag that has been flooding social media platforms following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting on February 14th. Hashtags help flag attention, become mantras for movements, and help frame the identities and emotions of social movements. 

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AREN'T ENOUGH! The same public reaction from the government that has been used after every mass shooting, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and those affected". While this may be sincere, it does nothing to enact change or reform policy to prevent future massacres.  

In order to make social change, individuals and organizations have to work together and take action.

Solidarity, protest, and charging our “emotional batteries”

Participant observation: Friends gather to protest against the violence that took others friends away!      

We stand in front of the capital building during the rally after the march from Westcott, patiently waiting to hear from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student survivors. As you can see in this photo, the emotions here today weren’t all positive, as we remembered those who were lost and fight against a resistant government.