In this week's episode of A Couple Thinks, we dive into a question that's been popping up everywhere lately: Is there a right way to protest?
We've seen a lot of chatter, both online and off, about how protests should look, who should show up, and whether nonviolent protests actually work. Some folks criticize protests for being too tame, too broad, too white, too much fun (yes, really). Others argue they're not disruptive enough to grab media attention or make real change.
In this episode, we push back on that framing. We talk about why building protest muscles by showing up, especially when it's joyful, imperfect, and nonviolent, is a crucial part of creating momentum. We also look at how protests, even when they don't dominate headlines, quietly build networks, shift public conversations, and prepare us for moments when rapid, large-scale action is needed.
We revisit ideas from one of our earlier episodes, Resist, Protest, Disrupt, and share some fresh real-world examples, including:
Why small-town protests matter more than you might think
How the Overton Window can shift
How peaceful resistance protects protestors and highlights injustice
Ways to spread protest energy beyond traditional media bubbles
And, of course, we wrap up with a joyful moment from our week — because finding and creating joy matters, too.
🎧 Tune in to the full conversation above or wherever you listen to podcasts!
(And if you're fired up after listening, we'd love it if you shared the episode with a friend.)
Thanks for thinking — and acting — with us.
Visit Mobilize.us for May 1st actions.
Mentioned in this episode: Aaron’s Radio Show, every Tuesday, live on Stationhead.com.
