Does everything need to be a protest nowadays?

Do you ever worry that people aren’t using their time wisely? I’m not talking about endless scrolling on social media or wasting away at a job they hate, I mean focusing on things that they have no control over.

While I appreciate people speaking their mind and standing firm to their beliefs, I’m confused about why so many issues are becoming protests nowadays. Is it the “in” thing?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a person who tells others they should shut up or back down when they have an opinion about something. In fact, I encourage it. It’s also kind of why my company is called SpeakFree Media.

Across the country, it seems more and more groups of people are converging to protest different issues. It could be the war in Ukraine, it could be vaccine mandates, it could be residential schools. And while many of them might have a direct impact on the lives of people in their respective Canadian communities, I wonder what impact, if any, some actually have.

Last weekend, there were protests in Toronto about China’s new “zero-COVID” policies with the message, “Down with the Chinese Communist Party.” Local reports said nearly 1,000 students rallied outside the Chinese consulate in Canada to protest.

I appreciate the outrage of people in Canada but what exactly is that Sunday-night rally supposed to accomplish?

According to the Epoch Times, “The protesters, mainly overseas Chinese students, said they felt it was their responsibility to join in the rally, and they were not afraid of retaliation from the CCP.”

Again, so, like, what do they think it’s going to accomplish?

At the risk of coming across as an insensitive jerk, is China really going to listen to tiny groups of protesters in Canada? If you answer yes, you obviously haven’t been tuned into world events for, well, decades.

As much as I sympathize with what’s happening in Ukraine, I say the same thing when protests and marches happen in Canada. Putin couldn’t give two sweet F’s about Canadians being outraged. I mean, let’s be real.

True, the messages of support from Canadians can boost morale of those in the impacted regions but it’s likely as effective as “sending thoughts and prayers” to end gun violence in the U.S.

Now, the trucker convoy in Canada had an impact. Whether you agree or disagree with how that whole thing played out earlier this year is another discussion, but that initiative was effective. It was people in our own country standing up for people in our own country. They were noticed, they were heard.

While I appreciate people exercising their right to protest and speak up, it’s going to get exhausting if everything outrages you and gets you fired up, especially if it doesn’t impact your day-to-day life.

Yes, I understand Chinese students in Canada having family overseas impacted by so-called Communist rules does impact their life, but is it wasted time taking to Toronto streets when you figuratively and literally won’t be heard by the powers that be?

Maybe this is my age talking but I recognize the value of picking and choosing your battles. Given today’s outraged society, it’s two or three full-time jobs to rally for every cause and concern in the world.