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Protesting seems to happen a lot in this day and age, sometimes under unfortunate circumstances as we saw in Charlottesville, Va. in August, and sometimes in quieter ways like NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem.
So, whether it's a protest where things get violent and people get arrested, or where divisive political rhetoric pushes people to boycott a massive media franchise — is it worth it? How much change does protesting implement in a society, and what have we gleaned from famous protests in the past?
We talk it over with Leandra Zarnow, assistant professor of history at the University of Houston.
- White Lives Matter protesters confront Smash Fascism Austin counter-protesters during the unveiling of the Texas African-American History Memorial on Capitol grounds last November. (Photo Credit: Gabriel Cristóver Pérez/KUT News)
- Players from the New England Patriots kneel in protest during the national anthem prior to their game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Sept. 24. (Photo Credit: Michael Dwyer/AP )
- People receive first aid after a car ran into a crowd of protesters in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday Aug. 12, 2017. The car struck the silver vehicle pictured, sending marchers into the air (Photo Credit: Getty Images via NPR)
- Counter-protesters respond to the "anti-sharia" rally in Seattle on Saturday. (Photo Credit: Ted S. Warren/AP)
- Protesters gather outside the federal court house, Monday, July 10, 2017, in San Antonio, where a redistricting trial is taking place. Federal courts earlier this year found that Texas passed election laws to purposefully discriminate against Hispanic and black voters and the trial starting today could redraw Texas voting maps before 2018 and bolster Democratic efforts to reclaim Congress. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Photo Credit: AP)
- Protesters dressed as characters from "The Handmaid's Tale" chant in the Texas Capitol Rotunda under portraits of former Texas governors George W. Bush and Rick Perry in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, July 18, 2017. State lawmakers begin a special legislative session Republican Gov. Greg Abbott felt compelled to call in order to tackle conservative priorities that stalled previously, chief among them a "bathroom bill" targeting transgender people. (Photo Credit: Eric Gay, Associated Press)
- An injured police officer is attended by fellow officers during skirmishes with demonstrators on the first day of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany, Friday, July 7, 2017. The leaders of the group of 20 meet July 7 and 8. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) (Photo Credit: AP)
- Stephanie Odam of Austin marches in a campus carry protest in Austin, Jan 8, 2015. (Photo Credit: Bob Daemmrich)
- Police officers detain demonstrators during a protest against the G-20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany, Thursday, July 6, 2017. The leaders of the group of 20 meet July 7 and 8. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) (Photo Credit: AP)
- Paramedics carry a person during a protest against the G-20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany, Thursday, July 6, 2017. The leaders of the group of 20 meet July 7 and 8. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) (Photo Credit: AP)
- Indigenous Venezuelans gathered in Puerto Ayacucho on June 13, 2017 to protest against Maduro and the new constitution (Photo Credit: Thomas Van Linge/@arabthomness on Twitter)
