Protests and pundits

In general, I hate protests. They hardly ever seem to actually accomplish anything, and the protests around here have an annoying habit of inconveniencing me when I'm simply trying to get from Point A to Point B.

Mayor Gray's and the city council's protest on Monday in front of the Dirksen Senate Office Building against the riders in the budget bill that infringe upon D.C.'s rights, is no different. The odds of their actions changing the mind of even one person in Congress were less than the odds of every D.C. sports team winning a championship this year. But I think you have to respect Gray and company's willingness to get themselves arrested for something they believe in. Was it largely a political stunt? Yeah, maybe. But they could have just given a speech in front of the Wilson Building and called it night. Instead, they went and got arrested, which, I don't care who you are or what the circumstances are, isn't a fun experience.

So this tweet from Matt Yglesias, who I generally like, rubs me the wrong way:

What smug, sanctimonious bullshit. Civil disobedience only counts if there's the possibility of a lengthy jail sentence or getting knocked around by the cops? Did I miss where Gray compared himself to Martin Luther King Jr. or something? And how many times has Yglesias himself practiced "real civil disobedience"?

Gray and Yglesias are both D.C. residents. Gray and Yglesias are both progressives. Gray and Yglesias share similar irritation about Congress's actions. So their interests are clearly aligned. Yet Gray actually got up and did something to achieve those interests. A futile and largely symbolic something, sure. But it was something. Yglesias simply advocates for those interests on his blog. And while that serves an important function, it doesn't give him the standing to sneer from the safety of his keyboard, either.

I've never been arrested for civil disobedience. But even if I had, I doubt I'd take it upon myself to try and separate the "real" from the "faux." Especially if those committing it were doing so in support of an issue I supported. I'm not saying Yglesias had an obligation to be out there with Gray, or even cheer him on from the sidelines, but it seems like while someone's getting arrested and going to jail for a cause that you believe in, the very least you could do is refrain from making snide comments on Twitter before going out for happy hour.