Freedom of Assembly

Many people think our country is falling apart because of the recent presidential election. Whether they’re right or not, everybody under the 1st Amendment of the Constitution is free to peacefully protest against what they think is unjust and unconstitutional.

With the recent executive order passed that has banned immigration into the United States from certain countries, there has been a huge outbreak of protests across the country. Almost every major college city and urban area has had at least one peaceful protest regarding their disagreement with the ban, including Bloomington, where one was held on January 29th. However, as the protests occur, they are broadcasted on the news where viewers can see trash cans set ablaze, flags on fire, and people attacking police officers and fellow protesters. These violent scenes make one question whether protests can truly be peaceful.

I found myself accidentally attending this Bloomington protest with a friend, where I learned the true nature of peacefully protesting. Nothing was burned, nobody rioted, and nobody yelled. A crowd of maybe 200 people silently listened to the host of the protest and either cheered or booed with what she said. Following her came several speakers from IU who dealt with international student relations and foreign admissions. They each had prepared speeches on how they feel about the ban.

Everything was peaceful, and nobody started anything negative or violent  during the event. So, in the end I learned that most of the protests being held are not violent at all, but quite peaceful. What I once thought was so fiery and angry ended up being one of the most peaceful congregations I have ever been a part of.