Boston Tea Party and March for Our Lives Essay

Political protests and public demonstrations are a standard method used by citizens across the world to draw attention to issues affecting their societies. In the United States, these approaches have often been used in search of reforms aimed at changing particular aspects in the community. Protests and demonstrations have been witnessed for centuries in the United States. Masses of people have rallied against or in support of various projects in a bid to effect certain desired changes. In most cases, these marches have had a significant impact on the policies formulated. Different agendas characterize the competitions, though they exhibit some similarities. This paper will compare the Boston Tea Party and March for Our Lives.

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On 6th December 1773, a political protest rocked Griffin's Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. The protest was organized by American colonists rallying against continued high taxation imposed by the British Parliament on tea. Tax on various daily use commodities was rife during the 18th century. Having been subjected to taxation on tea, without representation in parliament agitated the people, hence the protest that resulted in overhauling of 342 chests of British tea into the waters of the Boston Harbor. The March for Our Lives, on the other hand, was a demonstration organized to demand strict gun control legislation and policies on 24th March 2018. Students organized the movement in response to the gun shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17 people.

Both the Boston Tea Party and the March for Our Lives had some similar elements. The two were conducted to decry the state of the society the citizens lived in. The movements advocated for change in how things were done in their respective communities. Through the protest and the demonstration, public attention and support were gained. Therefore, the actions of the two campaigns resulted in the creation of movements that would further push their agendas. The movements would help coordinate activities that would champion their cause. The two also immensely helped in creating public awareness on the ills against which the rallies were organized.

However, there existed a few differences in the two movements. The critical difference was that the Boston Tea Party was organized to protest against dominance and injustice by a foreign power. The March for Our Lives was ideally organized to demonstrate against lack of stringent policies and laws on gun control in the US. The tea party also resulted in the loss of property and revenue by dumping the tea into the sea. Thus, the actions of the colonists were termed as wrong. The event, however, was non-destructive and civil. Consequently, leaders, among other public figures, joined in supporting the youth for taking the initiative in the fight for better gun control laws.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that the public, when pushing for reforms, adopts various approaches in airing their concerns to the relevant authorities. In the US, the use of demonstrations and protests has become a part of the American culture when citizens desire to express themselves. The two are perceived as the most convenient means of communication by which advocacy groups can draw the attention of leaders and policymakers to loops and faults in the existing laws and systems. Therefore, when people unite to stand against or for a particular issue in society, organizing of protests and marches become a convenient approach for addressing concerns.