Risking Alienation -- Day Three of Protests Against "Love In Action"

When I first read Zach's plight in his own blog, I was moved to write about it in my blog. That's how blogging works -- you tell people what you know to be going on. Because of the atrocity of the situation, I worked to attract attention to it. I never imagined or envisioned the level to which things have gotten in such a short period of time. Blogospheric synchronicity, interviews for local news, looking up old friends for help. At the center of the debate the last 24 hours has been whether or not to use Zach's name or links to his blog for fear of repercussions by the Love In Action/Refuge people, his parents, or others.

At the heart of the controversy is an incident which occurred Tuesday when one of the young protesters was seen on the TV news by their father. The father, according to what I have been told, took away car keys, cell phone, and personal possesions of the protester in question. These items have not been returned to the best of my knowledge. This sent a signal to everyone involved to work at protecting the connections and identities of minors who are involved in the protest and, of course, that of Zach himself.

As I told the TV news last night, I am responsible for my words on the internet. When I put something out there for people to read or see, I'm inviting them into my head. I'm giving them a call to arms or some inclination as to what I'm thinking -- good or bad. Once the idea leaves my head, I know it's already been co-opted somewhere. Of course, I am an adult. I'm not subject to the same merit of protection that, say, a 16 year old boy is.

But the question I wrestled with privately and publicly: do I start censoring myself and trying to "un-ring" the bell once it has happened? How does that do any kind of service to Zach or his situation? Am I helping Zach by trying to initiate some kind of spin on my original story? Am I the jerk because I decided to post his picture and links to his blog on my page to allow people to humanize the horrors he is dealing with? Am I responsible for what happened to the young protester?

Unlike those who were involved in the protest those days, I agreed of my own free will to be filmed for the news -- solely because the cause itself has gained momentum and people wanted to know why. Were it not for the demonstrators being filmed and having that footage placed with television news, this probably wouldn't have happened. I think the best has been done to curb usage of that footage at this point & I'm not making a point that anyone does not recognize.

However, the protests do not carry the weight or intention that a demonstration should carry. This is why more people need to show up -- parents, kids, friends, teachers, pastors, whomever. Just being there for them is enough to let them know you care.

After many long discussions, I think that the entire process has started to come together. The people showing their love and support to those kids being taken to and from the center every day is extremely important to those kids. Though they may not know the extent of the support now, they know that something is going on outside on their behalf. If it were me, I would have to think it at least makes it far more tolerable to sit in those rooms all day with that knowledge.