Image Credit: The Canadian Press
By Mel Rothenburger
ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: ‘Rolling Thunder’ just another pointless protest with no message

May 2, 2022 | 5:02 AM

THERE WAS A TIME when rallies and protests meant something. They had a purpose, a message. Apparently, these days, it’s entirely optional.

Sure, some, like the dozens of May Day rallies around the world on Sunday, are legitimate. People took to the streets to express their displeasure with the working conditions, with certain politicians, and called for an end to the invasion of Ukraine. There was a purpose to them.

Even the traffic blockades by anti-old growth protesters at the Coast have an actual goal. We may not agree with their methods but there’s a goal.

Then there’s the so-called Rolling Thunder rally in Ottawa this past weekend. Compared to the truckers’ “Freedom Convoy” earlier in the year, it was, fortunately, relatively uneventful, but can anyone tell me what it was about?

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There were various snippets of messages but nothing coherent. I saw one interview in which a guy said authorities “desecrated” the national war memorial by putting fences up around it, and Rolling Thunder was there to reclaim it.

Wait, what? The fencing was put up after a participant in the Freedom Convoy disrespected the memorial by dancing on it but it’s since been removed.

Without elaboration, others said the rally was in support of veterans. Another participant decided he was there in opposition to having to take COVID precautions on airplanes. After all, he said, Canada is a “free country.”

Ah, yes, “freedom.” Indeed, there were Mel Gibson-style shouts of “Freedom!” from the crowd at Parliament Hill on the weekend.

Freedom? Freedom from what, exactly? Most of the COVID mandates have been removed so there’s not much to rally about on that score. As far as air travel goes, I’d like to have freedom from virus-spreading fellow passengers.

“Freedom” is such a good word. The Rolling Thunder crowd exercised their freedom to protest but, otherwise, this was a pointless rally against nothing in particular.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.

by Mel Rothenburger

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