This is really a letter to activist/protest types, but I'd appreciate input of the spectators too.
It just seems to me that protesting McDonald's for one day of the year is not the way to destroy capitalism. I was talking to a McD worker about this and she said she didn't pay attention to protesters because McDonald's is "just doing their job". Although I think she meant it in a different sense than I took it, she hit on an important point that I don't think alot of us are realizing:It's not McDonalds, it's the capitalist system!
I'm sure many of you understand this already- I know the folks at London Greenpeace do. But the people who are at this moment holding signs and chanting in front of the local McD's don't.
Imagine enough people protested and McDonalds Inc. fell. All that would happen is another merciless corporation would take their place. Burger King, Lever, Gap, etc. are all just as bad.
besides, standing outside a McDonalds' scaring the customers isn't always the best strategy. Especially because most of the protesters in my town subscribe to the punk fashion (spikey hair, steel-toe boots, trashed jeans and fake leather jackets covered in anarchy signs, for those who don't know) all it does is alienate people from the cause. Chumbawamba said something to the effect of "We need to be building bridges rather than ghettos in which to stagnate." Actually talking to customers (NOT preaching at them) will do alot more than chanting slogans.
As for the sabotage/ALF view of burning the Golden Arches down, there's this thing called insurance.... besides, as I said before, some other fast food chain will jump into ronald's smoking shoes.
So what's the solution? I think we should be demonstrating alternatives . Instead of shouting yourself hoarse at an action, stay home and work on your garden! Take the organic veggies you grew and give them to a poor person. Start a food co-op. Shop at health food stores and TALK WITH the people there. Circulate local currency.
Um, i was never very good at writing conclusions, so here's where my essay ends. Bye!
