On the Proper Way to Protest

It pisses me right off that these things always devolve into looting and vandalism.

If you're pissed at the government, take it out on the government, not the local pizzeria.

Go throw rocks at the cops, with my blessing*.  But you start burning down buildings, that's not "protest".  That's ARSON.

You start stealing TV sets from the electronics store, that's not "anger at the police having shot an unarmed man".  That's "rank opportunism".

If you want to be perceived as having morality and ethics, and to have people take you seriously, then act morally and ethically, and be serious about it.

Burning down your neighbor's store is not the way to show "the man" that you're angry.  It's just a damn good way to hurt your neighbor, and make sure he leaves and takes his store with him.

*On second thought, let me clarify.  Yeah, don't do that.  Don't throw rocks at the cops.  The point I MEANT to make was that if you're mad at the government, take it out on the government.  At least that makes sense.  The point could have been made without approving of doing bodily harm to someone's Dad.