Peaceful marches are a start. They give a chance for Jill and Joe Suburbanite to do something, not too scary, to show that they aren’t happy. The next time, they bring their friends, who also aren’t happy. The crowd gets bigger. They feel more free to express that they aren’t just not happy. They are angry. They bring more friends and find themselves near the front of the March leading the chants. They feel empowered. They bring more friends. They are now on the stage giving rousing speeches, inspiring others. They bring more friends. They have a balaclava in their back pocket, a burner phone, an umbrella, some milk in a small water bottle. They have no more friends to bring. There is a state sanctioned murder. They take to the streets with their brothers and sisters with whom they’ve been peacefully marching. They return the tear gas canisters. They subdue the overwhelmed security forces, they claim the small victories. A leader takes up their cause. They may win, they may be crushed. It will be bloody, lives will be lost.
No one starts with violence. Even though it’s the only way to win.
