Do you hear that sound? It would seem that people everywhere (or at least on Facebook) are getting ready for the next holiday season. And if you can throw together a quick Elf on the Shelf prank or decorate a tree, you can make a quick protest sign.
The first step is to choose a cause. Christmas tends to be a happy time for some so maybe you’re not in touch with your anger. Here in Addis Abeba, many people have been outraged by the recent gang rape of a student, Hanna Lalango, who was kidnapped while still wearing her school uniform. She died from the injuries inflicted on her by five men who kept her over days and then dumped her broken body in a remote part of town. Hanna’s father is grateful for her passing so that Hanna doesn’t have to experience the shame of being a victim of rape.
All you need is some cardboard, some tape, a stick and a marker. There’s no standard size for a protest sign so don’t worry – there’s no wrong way to do it.
Tip alert! Be sure to tape the inside of the sign to the stick to make it more stable.
Take your cause to the streets. You might already be in LA, NY, Ferguson or Cleveland. But maybe you’re in Winnipeg, St. John’s or Vancouver. Bring on the chaos because it is not business as usual. I’ll see you out there.
“I am tired of waiting,
Aren’t you,
For the world to become good
And beautiful and kind?
Let us take a knife
And cut the world in two –
And see what worms are eating
At the rind.”
-Langston Hughes
