End of Semester Reflection

After looking back at my original definition of a protest, I would like to change a couple parts. First of all, I no longer believe that a successful protest must be comprised of a large group of people. As outspoken individuals like Michael Moore, Al Gore, and Cindy Sheehan have proven, a single determined and persistent person can cause quite an uproar which can lead to change. Moore has almost become a household name because of his documentaries, while Al Gore just won a Nobel Prize for his passionate fight against climate change. I'm particularly impressed by the impact that Gore has had; it seems like discussion about global warming, carbon credits, and the environment has exploded ever since the release of An Inconvenient Truth.
While Gore is helping to create a grassroots movement, I'd like to amend my earlier statement this semester that a movement must start at the grassroots level to enact real change. If Gore, or anyone else for that matter, can inspire Congress to change a law before the concept catches the attention of your average Joe, that is a concrete change and proof that the routes to a successful protest are as diverse as the tactics used to stage a protest. I'm amazed at the number of creative protests we've seen throughout the semester, and I'm much more aware of the more subtle protests that exist today. I did not think of Jon Stewart as a protester before, but now that I know his philosophy on the mass media and politics, I definitely see his show as a subtle type of protest which reveals all the hypocrisy that the government and major stations refuse to discuss. I've enjoyed this class and aam sure I'll think back to it whenever I see a future protest.