Saturday, August 10, 2013

Protesting to feel good rather than to cause a change.

I find it typical that Americans would boycott Stoli vodka in protest of the new anti-LGBT law in Russia.  In case you haven't been following, Russia has this law that prevents LGBT "propaganda."  You can't talk about it because it might corrupt the impressionable youth of Russia.

BUT, here is the problem.  The Stoli sold in the US is made in Latvia, which actually has very strong LGBT equal rights.  So this protest is exactly backwards.  The protestors are protesting the good guys.

Now here is why I think it is "typical."  When told about the error, the protesters didn't seem to care.  It made them feel good to take a stand.  They were making a statement, so they kept it up.  They were happy to live in reassuring denial.  They weren't really protesting to force any changes.  They were just doing it because it made them feel good.