Interviews by: Asta Hemenway, Amber Meyer and Jarrett Smith, Vanessa Pedroso, Talon Staff
Article by: Amber Meyer and Asta Hemenway, Talon Editors
Protest In Perspective took place Friday, October 26. The event was lead by Kermit Harrison. This event engages students in peaceful discussion regarding relevant political topics and issues concerning our world and country today.
Anisah Cornell, a student at Tallahassee Community College, sat down with Asta Hemenway to answer some quick questions about this event on Friday October, 26, 2018.
Anisah said she enjoyed the event and it made her think.
“It really made me realize the issues that other people deem as important and what they think we need to work on, and I thought it was really interesting because a lot of people our age don’t really think about that kind of stuff, they’re just kind of here, you know, and if it sucks and doesn’t affect them, they don’t think about it. This made me realize that no matter where we’re from, we’re all kind of thinking about the same issues.”
Anisah said that the small discussion groups prevented arguments. She said hopes to raise awareness to the issues presented during the event.
“I think this was a good start, just bringing students in to have a conversation together. To not be yelling at the top of their voices, but try to listen in small groups about other people’s perspectives, you know, and there are multiple steps that people can take just around campus itself to kinda raise awareness.”
She said there are many easy ways to begin a healthy debate.
“Strike a conversation, you know, talk to people who have opposing views. Let’s say you’re in a class and somebody is like calling you out, have a conversation with them afterwards, see where they’re coming from and let them see where you’re coming from, and that we’re all not different just because we believe different things.”
Blaizdy Duprat was another attendee at the event. He sat down with Amber Meyer to discuss the protest.
Duprat said this event was very important to him.
“We are here to talk about today’s society and all the problems and how we can fix them.”
Duprat said he enjoyed the discussion regarding education.
“I liked how we talked about education and how not all education is the same.”
Another student, Nydria, described her experience to Jarrett Smith at the peaceful protest as a good one overall.
Topics like police brutality and body cameras on cops are important issues to Nydria, and she was glad they were brought up in this much needed discussion.
Kermit Harrison is a Professor at Tallahassee Community College who teaches Philosophy. Mr. Harrison led the Protest in Perspective here at TCC. Vanessa Pedroso sat down with Professor Harrison to discuss this political event.
Professor Harrison said that protesting and activism are significant in history and are therefore just as important today.
“Well, I think we were starting with the purpose that if you’re an American, that it is good to know that our country was founded on protesting and activism,” he said.
“This means that it began officially, at least, as of a group of colonies I would have you, of a different government. And then decided the way that government was running things was wrong and wanted to protest.”
