# data[].attributes.body
"We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed" (King 264)

# data[].attributes.body
The American peoples have a right to gather peacefully and spread their feelings of strife. Often these are performed when a group of peoples does not necessarily agree with their government. Often times, this is because the government is taking more control over the daily lives of people. "It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate" (Thoreau Paragraph 2). These are common beliefs of those that protest the government and want to have control over their own lives. Often times, these peaceful protests are effective and the government will rethink its strategy. These calm yet passionate demonstrations are what keeps the power in the hands of the citizens instead of just those in government.

# data[].attributes.headline
Protesting Government Like Civilized Adults

# data[].attributes.subject
Protesting Government Like Civilized Adults

# data[].attributes.body
When you want to protest a government policy, such as African Americans did with "sit-ins", you must take into account the fact that you could be arrested if what you are protesting is a law and your way protesting it is by breaking said law. "I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government" (Thoreau Paragraph 3)

# data[].attributes.body
When you are protesting, you should be sure to never act violently towards any other person, or else you may ruin the reputation of both yourself and your cause for protesting. If a group of protestors angers those who they are trying to achieve their goal from, they will seem no better than a group of extremists and they will be feared, rather than respected. "So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists will we be? Will we be extremists for hate or love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice?" (King 269).

# data[].attributes.body
At this point, protesting sounds like a let down. With the threat of arrestment and people who passionately disagree, why would anyone want to do it?
Well, for one thing, protesting had been the most common way to express one's strife. Also, not all protests end badly for those involved. More often than not, a protest will be successful in getting the message around, usually with minimal arrests and violence. "Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue" (King 263).

# data[].attributes.body
Yet another notorious protestor was Henry Thoreau. Thoreau was known for being "civilly disobedient" and not paying a tax. Thoreau can be quoted for writing "that government is best which governs least" (Thoreau, Paragraph 1).

# data[].attributes.body
Martin Luther King Jr. believed that peaceful protest was one of the only ways to achieve a society with racial equality. He stated that "oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself" (King 269).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes I Have a Dream Speech Martin Luther King Jr Martin Luther King Jr Clip Art Martin Luther King Jr Drawing Martin Luther King Jr. Assassination Martin Luther King Jr. Family Martin Luther King Jr. Day Martin Luther King Jr.

# data[].attributes.body
When someone uses the term "peaceful protest", they are saying that those who take part in protesting do not harm bystanders, who may be trying to goad those who are protesting peacefully into a not-so-peaceful protest. Remember, if a protestor really is trying to pull off a successful and peaceful protest, they may have their limits tested when those passionate against the protestors rallies against them. Unfortunately, many peaceful protestors are arrested for their actions. This is often because some protests defy laws and ordinances set by government.

# data[].attributes.headline
Peaceful Protesting: A Right of the People

# data[].attributes.subject
Peaceful Protesting: A Right of the People

# data[].attributes.body
Protesting has been in human nature for many years; it has been the way that people express their opinions to others, in hopes that something is done about their situation. Peaceful protesting is the art of standing for what you believe in without causing harm to others who may not share your views. Peaceful protesting is often seen as the most effective way of getting a message to reach a large audience and to ensure that the protestors' arguments do not fall upon deaf ears. In America, citizens have the right to peacefully gather and express their struggles with each other and with those who may not feel the same way. But what does it mean to peacefully protest?