I believe that there are three main factors that influence the decision of whether or not an activist should be allowed to do what they want:
- how much harm does their action cause?
- if their actions cause harm, can it be mitigated?
- does their action help achieve the goal of their organization?
If you take all these factors into consideration, then you will come up with the conclusion that most often the answer to the question is yes, the action of an activist is justified.
Let's look at each of the above points in more detail.
1. How Much Harm Does Their Action Cause?
The first thing we need to understand is that activists do not go out into the street just because they feel like it; they do so because they have a problem that needs solving. Usually this problem has to do with some sort of injustice, such as poverty, pollution, etc. Therefore, it makes sense for them to try to solve it through peaceful means, i.e., by protesting. They are trying to achieve something good, which is why it makes no sense to judge them negatively for inconveniencing people. It is important to remember that sometimes there is no other way to achieve your goals without causing some harm. For example, if you are fighting against a corporation that pollutes the environment, then the only way to fight it is to cause some inconvenience to the company's employees and customers. And that's fine! Because the end justifies the means.
2. Can Their Actions Be Mitigated?
This is the second point that needs to be taken into account. When an activist decides to protest, he must weigh the potential consequences of his actions. He needs to think about whether or not the protest will accomplish its goal. If it won't, then the protesters' actions might even make things worse. However, if the protest is successful, then it will certainly bring about positive changes. That's why it is necessary to take this factor into consideration when judging an activist.
3. Does Their Action Help Achieve The Goal Of Their Organization?
The third point that needs to be considered is whether or not the actions of an activist are beneficial to their organization. As mentioned earlier, usually the goal of an activist group is to achieve justice. And in order to achieve this goal, they need to find ways to draw attention to their problems. One way to do this is to inconvenience people. For example, if you are protesting against a factory that produces toxic waste, then the best way to attract attention to your cause is to shut down the factory. Or, if you are protesting against a corporation that pollutes the environment, then the best way to attract attention is to set up a tent city in front of their building. But again, the end justifies the means.
If we consider all these factors, then we can say that the majority of times, the actions of an activist are justified. Sometimes they may inconvenience people, but that doesn't mean that they are bad people. On the contrary, it is quite possible that their actions are the only ones that can save the world from certain destruction.
Now let's look at some examples of actions that are justified and those that aren't. I'll start with the ones that are justified.
1. Animal Rights Activism
Animal rights activists are the most common example of an activist who causes inconvenience to others. Their goal is to protect animals from cruelty. Most of the time, this involves going to zoos, circuses, laboratories, farms, and so on. And it's obvious that in order to stop the abuse of animals, you need to cause some inconvenience to people. For example, if you want to stop the circus from performing, you need to disrupt the show. Or, if you want to prevent the slaughterhouse from killing cows, you need to occupy the slaughterhouse. And that's okay! Because the end justifies the means.
2. Environmental Protection
Another very common example of justified action is environmental protection. These days, it is very difficult to protect the environment because the government does not do enough to enforce laws that regulate pollution. Therefore, it is the responsibility of citizens to act in accordance with the law. There are many examples of environmental activists who have caused inconvenience to others. For example, if you want to stop a factory from dumping toxic waste into the river, you need to block the entrance to the factory. If you want to stop a dam from being built, you need to block the construction site. That's okay!
3. Anti-War Protests
Another example of justified action is anti-war protests. These types of protests occur when there is a war and the government is supporting one side of the conflict. In order to prevent the escalation of the conflict, it is necessary to disrupt the military supply lines. This is the only way to stop the war. In order to do this, the protesters need to block the entrances to the factories where the supplies are manufactured. Or, if the factory is located near a city, they need to block the road leading to the city.
4. Civil Rights Protests
Civil rights activists are another type of activists who cause inconvenience to others. Their goal is to ensure equal rights for all citizens regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and so on. For example, if you want to stop discrimination against African Americans, you need to disrupt the school system. You need to stop the police from arresting innocent black men. And that's okay! Because the end justifies the means.
5. Anti-Corruption Protests
Another example of justified action is anti-corruption protests. The goal of these protests is to expose corruption in high places. For example, if you want to stop a politician from taking bribes, you need to put pressure on him by creating a scandal. You need to organize demonstrations, hold press conferences, and so on.
6. Anti-Fascism Protests
An example of a justified protest is anti-fascism protests. These types of protests occur when the government supports a fascist movement. In order to stop the fascists, it is necessary to disrupt their rallies. You need to block the roads leading to their meetings. You need to prevent them from recruiting new members. And that's okay! Because the end justifies the means.
7. Anti-Sexist Protests
Anti-sexism protests are another example of justified protests. These protests are aimed at exposing sexism and racism. They are usually held during a sports event. For example, if a football team has a racist player, then it is necessary to disrupt the game. You need to force the referee to disqualify the player. Or, if the team is playing a basketball game, you need to make sure that there is only one girl on the court.
8. Anti-Hate Protests
Another example of a justified protest is anti-hate protests. These protests are aimed at stopping hate speech and violence against minorities. In order to do this, it is necessary to block the entrances to the buildings where hate speeches are held. You need to block the roads leading to the places where hate crimes are committed.
9. Anti-Racist Protests
Another example of a justified protest is anti-racist protests. These protests are aimed at preventing racism and discrimination. For example, if you want to stop discrimination against immigrants, you need to block the border between the country and the country from which they came. You need to block the entrance to the building where the police station is located.
10. Anti-Homophobia Protests
Another example of a justified protest is anti-homophobic protests. These protests are aimed at stopping homophobia and transphobia. In order to do this, it is necessary to block the entrances to the buildings where homophobic speeches are given. You need to block the entrance to the places where homophobic crimes are committed.
11. Anti-Capitalism Protests
Another example of a justified protest is anti-capitalism protests. These protests are aimed at stopping capitalism. For example, if you want to stop the exploitation of workers, you need to disrupt the factory where they work. You need to disrupt the factory where the products are made.
12. Anti-Authoritarian Protests
Another example of a justified protest is anti-authoritarian protests. These protests are aimed at stopping authoritarian rule. For example, if you want to stop a dictator from ruling your country, you need to disrupt his speeches. You need to block the roads leading to his office. You need to block the entrance to the building where he lives.
13. Anti-Nuclear Protests
And now I would like to finish my post with an example of a justified protest. The goal of these protests is to stop nuclear power plants from operating. In order to do this, it is necessary to block the entrances to the buildings where the reactors are located. You need to block the roads leading to the cities where the reactors are located.
So, in summary, I believe that most of the time, the actions of an activist are justified. Sometimes they inconvenience people, but that doesn't mean that they are bad people. On the contrary, it is quite possible that their actions are the only ones that can save the world from certain destruction.
Therefore, we should support them, because without them, the world will soon become a much darker place.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Thank you for your time!
Nice detailed post. Lots of interesting points, and well put together. ❤️🤗💕
Thank you so much for your kind words, I am honored to have your feedback. I do my best to share what I know and learn from experts in the field.
Well explained! In some cases, their actions should be justified especially when they are focusing the issues to the concerned and not affecting other sectors who are more like innocent, even though they also are in support of it. But if it goes beyond inconveniencing other people instead of those ones they should direct to, then I think their acts shouldn't be justified because they have shifted their focus from the right channel.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the insightful feedback!