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Write a short paper applying “the Dimensions of Collectives and their Dynamics” to the “Student Protest Paper” included under content. At a minimum, this should touch on crowds, mobs, panics, collective movements / social movements, contagion, and Social Identity. Refer to the attached document as well as the textbook. Forsyth, D. R. (2019). Group Dynamics (7th edition). Cengage Learning Inc.Refer to chapters 16 and 17. Again please just cite from the textbook.
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STUDENT PROTEST PAPER
(submitted by another student)
So I would like to talk about the black lives matter movement, and how it is been
affecting our community recently. I’m sure by now or at least have heard something about this.
As each major city in the United States has participated in protests for the police brutality against
African Americans. It seems our nation has taken three sides. You’re either for it, you’re against
it, or you are neutral / not involved.
As a white college student, I feel that it is my duty to use my voice for what I believe in.
Although I am not African-American, nor have I ever gone through the hardships and struggles
that someone of that race has. I think it’s unbelievably important to connect with my fellow
students and put myself in their shoes. These protests are not about taking one side for a
particular race, it is so we can all be treated equally. Which we should have been doing a long
time ago. I know that some people may not agree with that and that’s fine, but if you were in
their shoes, I’m sure you would feel a lot different than being white.
So I live in [town redacted] and last week my friends and I who are all white decided to
actually organize a protest in Elmhurst. It was a peaceful protest. We wanted to make it a point
that these protests are not to involve looting, not to do with the violence, but to stand our ground
peacefully. So we went out there on a busy intersection on a Monday morning in 90-degree heat.
With the signs that we made the night before and we peacefully protested for about 4 hours. It
was only about 8 of us and two on each street corner. But we made a lasting impact and we
definitely turned some heads. A lot of people were honking in positivity and letting us know that
they are on our side and that they support our cause. And then some people were just plain
rude… flipping us off or screaming that we were losers and had nothing better to do with our
time then to protest.
But two events particularly come to mind when I recall that day. One was a very
unfortunate situation, and the other situation will definitely leave a lasting impact on me for
many years to come. The first situation was when I was grabbing my backpack and the CVS
parking lot which is legal to do, I was not disrupting any traffic, I was not in anybody’s way. Yet
a middle-aged white woman ( what I call a Karen) thought it would be a great idea to hit me with
her car. Unfortunately, that’s not a joke this woman actually hit me with her car knowing well
aware that she was going to cause pain against me. As she screamed out of her car that I’m a
loser and that I have nothing better to do with my life, I simply just took a deep breath in and
stayed peaceful. Of course, I think anyone would have wanted to slam her car door and start
being aggressive, which don’t get me wrong I really would loved to do that. But I was making a
point that I was going to stay peaceful, even if she wasn’t. I stayed peaceful I let this woman hit
me with her car and I proceeded on my way knowing that she’s going to go home tonight and
have to look her children in the face and know that she did something absolutely horrid and
disgusting. I didn’t react and she didn’t get the reaction she wanted out of me. I hope she lives her
best life or at least learns that being childish like that and violent will literally get her nowhere in
life, clearly if she’s doing this kind of stuff at the age of 40 she’s already in a bad spot.
And the other event that happened was an African-American father drove up to me,
walked out of his car crying, and came and hugged me. Thanked me for what I was doing and
said that it was really encouraging that me being a white female and speaking up for people that I
can’t relate to was amazing. As I’m sure you’ve heard “white silence is violence” if we stand and
not say anything, then what better are we then as if we were not supporting this protest? We
should use our white privilege to get our message across, if people aren’t going to listen then let’s
bring all the people we can together and make sure they can be heard. I really think that I made a
lasting impression on that man and it really did leave a lasting impression on me. I was just
happy to help, I was just happy to be a part of something I really didn’t care about any
recognition, I didn’t care that people were happy or sad about what I was doing I just wanted
them to know that I was doing something.
So in conclusion, those two people who created a lasting impression on me will follow
me for years to come down the road. The woman who hit me with her car, I hope she gets
exactly what she deserves. Which something tells me her life isn’t too jazzy. And then the man
who got out of his car and thanked me, I hope he has a wonderful life and he continues to
prosper and grow.
If you are even considering participating in these protests, please the only thing I have to
say is stay peaceful, stay mindful, please stay protected. Not everyone is going to have the same
opinion as you and unfortunately, those people may not realize that violence isn’t the answer.
And just please stay true to yourself and stand up for people who can’t always get their voice
heard.
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