They Came, They Saw, They Protested!

They Came, They Saw, They Protested!
Amnesty International Protesters take to the streets of New York

By Talia Whyte
Copyright 2005

When most Americans think about today’s young people, they envision slacker kids who only have time to think about Ipods, cell phone rings tones and the latest hip hop video on MTV. What those observers don’t see are the few young citizens who want to be agents for social change.

Over 1000 high school and college students from ten states in New England and the Mid Atlantic converged in the streets of New York City April 15 for a day of peaceful protest and human rights education at the 10th Annual ‘Get On The Bus’ program. The event, organized by Amnesty International Group 133 of Somervile, MA, allowed attendees to take their voices to the streets and to the four selected consulate offices of India, Jamaica, Mexico and China to protest human rights abuses alleged to be occurring in the respective countries.
The enthusiasm of these young activists was not only in the air with their chants and posters, but also deeply embedded in their hearts.

"I am so excited to be here," said Rossana Bianco, a second year law student at the New England School of Law, " It is so inspiring to see so many young people here making a difference in their own small way." Bianco is seriously thinking about starting an Amnesty International chapter at her school.

"I really didn’t know what I was getting into when I came here this morning, but now I feel really empowered," said Kerry Sharington, 19, of West Roxbury, MA, holding a ‘Free Tibet’ sign. "I feel like I am going to have a direct impact on someone who is going through a something challenging in another part of the world.

This year activists took action on four distinction issues – the lack of care for Bhopal victims by the Indian government, Jamaica’s anti-sodomy laws, the suspicious abductions and murders of women in northern Mexico and the imprisonment and alleged abuses of Tibetan monk Tenzin Delek Rinpoche by the Chinese. For the first time in the history of this event, the Amnesty protesters were met by a counter demonstration. It was led by New York-based Jamaicans who feel that Amnesty International’s efforts to point out alleged abused against Jamaican gays and lesbians is another way of enforcing Western values on a predominately black country by a seemingly white-run organization.

Participants were also asked to sign letters and petitions expressing their grievances to the accused governments as well as to US congressmen. Amnesty International claims that thousands of prisoners of conscience have been released around the world during the organization’s life with the help of letter writing campaigns.

"It is really cool this is happening," exclaimed Sarah Chin, 17, a Somerville, MA native who currently lives in New York. "With this many young people who are socially aware this early in life, it only shows that there is promise for both America’s young people and the human rights movement."