Article -- Protests

To Protest or Not to Protest –

That Is Not the Question!

By

B.D. Adams  ©2017

   There are many reasons to protest in the world. For more understanding, more righteousness, more justice. Some reasons are extremely hard to comprehend --- ISIS or ISIL, for example.

   When there are even two people who do not see eye to eye, an eye for an eye confrontation can occur. Even with the non-violent protests, violence seems to rear its ugly head.

   And, with these thoughts, differences of opinion are more common – and as ridiculous.

** Several Readers might deem me as anti-veteran. That was and is the farthest from the minds of MOST people I know and knew. We wanted the war and discriminations to end – peacefully. However, the angry activists got more attention. **

   When I was 20, I decided I wanted to go back to Texas, which made my mother deliriously happy. I had been attending Ohio State University in Columbus OH. I had experienced the protests/ riots against the university and the establishment and the Vietnam War. Those were our reasons in 1970.

   For my (ahem) personal reasons, I went back to Ft. Worth, Texas. My mother and younger brother, Eddie, lived there.

   I hadn’t gotten that far in college, so I got a waitress job at a Big Boy Restaurant. I wanted to decide what my major should be in Texas.

   My brother, age 17, and I had rapport back then. He worked in a grocery store so his days off and mine did not coincide. He wanted me to meet his supervisor.

   Finally, we had days off at the same day. His coworkers were considerate. To me, though, it seemed some of them weren’t sure of what to say to me. I passed it off that they didn’t speak “northern.”

   Then Mr. Murphy, the supervisor, came to meet me and speak with my brother. The man seemed nice. A little older than me and my brother, but that was all right.

   Since my brother was an assistant manager, someone got his attention.

. Then, Mr. Murphy and I were left to each other.

   “I guess you’re not new to Texas,” Mr. Murphy said.

   “No, sir. Was born in Ft. Worth,” I said nicely.

   Perhaps, he thought he needed to show me what he knew about “the north,” so he commented, “You got tired of all the craziness up north to bring you home again.”

   “Excuse me?” I asked rather surprised.

   “I’ve seen the news about all the college riots up north. You were in New York – right?”

   “There were riots in New York. Columbia University. But I wasn’t in New York. I was in Ohio, the University of Ohio,” I proudly informed. “And, yes … we had student riots.”

   “Oh … right. Where those hippie protesters were shot for attacking the National Guard Soldiers.”

   I just looked at this man who really had no idea of what he thought he knew.

   “Excuse me, Mr. Murphy. The students were not hippie instigators. The killings happened at Kent State University. In Kent, Ohio. Many miles from Ohio State. Four students were killed by gunfire from the soldiers.”

   I didn’t berate him for his lack of knowledge or his self-righteous attitude. It was usually next to impossible to correct someone who is so entrenched in their beliefs. I felt it best to tread lightly.

   Thankfully, Eddie returned to rescue me from this man. I gave a small smile and shook Mr. Murphy’s hand. I had always been as polite as possible.

   As my brother and I began to turn away from Mr. Murphy, the older man flashed hand gestures to us. And he laughed heartily, belly laughed.

   Not all that aware of what the gesture meant, I asked Eddie, “What was that about?”

   “Nothing,” Eddie said quickly.

   “Well, Mr. Murphy seemed to think it was pretty funny. Tell me,” I urged with a smile.

   “You won’t like it,” he stated.

   “Hey, brother … I’m a big girl.”

   We were now in the parking lot of the store by his car. Eddie held up four fingers with one hand and with the other hand, he made a zero.

   “It means ‘Kent State zero, the National Guard four.’” Eddie was obviously embarrassed.

   “Next time I say I’m a big girl, tell me to shut-up.” I was calm and stunned.

   That man knew exactly what he was saying when he asked me about the universities and riots. He baited me – the girl-from-Ohio. I fell for his behavior, his country lawyer treatment. No, he was not a lawyer. But that is a good analogy for his behavior. He got what he wanted – his fun.

   I never let anyone bait me again.