G-20

                Recently in class we watched a slide show on the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh.  Before viewing the slide show, I had never even heard of the G-20. That seems to happen to me quite often in this class. I learn something new just about every time I come to class. As for the issue of the G-20, I do find it kind of alarming that a room full of “important” people make some very crucial decisions that affect everyone on the planet. They are our elected officials (at least some of them) but we have no idea what is being discussed or what decisions have been made until the meeting is over. 

                I also am kind of alarmed that all of the protests and rally against the G-20 fall on a deaf ear. People take time out of their lives and probably spend some serious money to travel to where the G-20 meets and rally their cause to the world’s most powerful men and women, only to be met by police barricades and heavily armed riot police. It seems like no matter what people do or say, the leaders in Washington and around the world ignore the voice of the people. It’s scary to think about.  The people that came to protest even got permits to march in the city and were supposed to be helped out by the local police, only to be denied any help by anyone. The protesters had to take matters into their own hands and stop traffic themselves in order to begin their march. It seems to me like the men in uniform that we trust to protect us in our day to day life become out worst enemy when we have a voice against what’s going on above us. It is a constitutional right of the American people to peacefully protest, yet when they do so, they are intimidated and threatened, and often times even beaten. When the protesters in Pittsburgh marched through the streets they were closely watched by fully armed police men who felt the need to beat their batons in their hands the entire time as a form of intimidation. There were even instances of officers in uniform driving alongside protestors and throwing them in the car and carrying them away. It was just like being abducted.

                It seems that no matter what the voice of the people, our leaders will always find some way to cordially turn the other direction.  People gather and protest peacefully about a myriad of different policies, and ideas, and practices, yet when it comes to things taking place in our nation’s capitol, nothing ever changes. In a sense it pretty much voids our right to protest and voice our opinion. Sure we can protest and sure we can have the freedom of speech and express our disgust for some of the things happening in our country. But are we any better off than the people of a nation who don’t have to luxury of these rights? Does it really do us any good to exercise these rights to protest and voice our opinion if all its good for is a means for us to blow steam?