This is Going to Hurt, but Don’t Close Your Eyes
How long will we turn our backs on the planet?
The American Civil War saw hundreds of thousands die brutal deaths. The central cause behind that war, one that only started after decades of civil unrest, was critical to ending slavery in that country.
Between 1912 and 1914 British suffragettes attacked infrastructure, burned down buildings and engaged in civil unrest that saw 5 people die. More than a century later, women in most civilized countries have the vote, and most of us would agree that this is a good thing.
More recently, in South Africa, Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for more than two decades. He could have massively reduced his time behind bars if he had been prepared to renounce violence as a means of ending the apartheid system. He chose not to and, when he was finally released, he marched out of prison an international hero.
I have chosen just three examples from history but I didn’t have to delve very far. Our past is littered with examples of people rising in popular resistance. Often it is only through the lens of hindsight that we see the benefits of what those brave people achieved.
On April 28th of this year, the British Government introduced the Public Order Bill in an effort to put a stop to the Just Stop…
