It’s an economic meeting of, essentially, the 20 biggest influencers in the world. There is no real conspiracy of countries working things behind the scenes- this is it, right in front of everyone. No mystery. These are the countries that pull the economic strings- you want something to happen with the world financial situation, this is the group that is either going to make it happen or not. 

So , there are serious riots going on outside of the G20. People are being arrested, they are wearing gas masks, they are playing Rage Against the Machine songs in their iPods and they are not going to take no for an answer. They want answers and they want, most of all, for something to be done. But… do they know what?

I grew up as a child of a family with parents who spent time protesting this or that in the 60’s. They talked proudly of what happened, from civil rights to the Vietnam conflict. They made things happen- why? A few reasons.

1. New. It had never really happened before. The last time protests resulted in huge societal change was when the Colonies broke away from the British, and then they started a war and got them out of here. But the political and social movements of the 60’s were different- they were not about establishing something completely new. They were about getting things right that the current system wasn’t doing. It worked.
2. Media. The idea of seeing these protests on the television or hearing about them on the radio was new. Before that we had a few wars that people had not seen, and we were all generally behind the cause and the troops. Not so in the 60’s, and the kids had their way.
3. Passion for Positive. For the most part, the 60’s protest culture wanted to create something new- like civil rights. It worked because the were asking for something specific and they got it.

Here’s why G20 protests will not work:

1. Old. I grew up watching the Gwhatever get protested, or the WTO, or whoever. It doesn’t work. Big show that is anti- whatever they are doing in there, some vague group that are bonded by the fact that they don’t want this meeting to rule the world, as if it’s some conspiracy theory. It doesn’t even make lead story on the news. I wouldn’t doubt if they get a permit.
2. Media. The media is very divided between parties and political affiliations. There is little objectivity reporting- so one network will show the protests in a positive light and the other in a negative light. It’s party politics, and it doesn’t shock anyone- certainly not into action. It’s preaching to the choir that isn’t even listening.
3. Negative. The G20 protests are anti-G20. Pro-what? I bet if you ask everyone out there what they want instead, they may not even have an answer. Those that do, well, it’s going to be different depending on who you ask. No solidarity of purpose or goal.

Photo Credit: Downing Street