Why we need to protest
“I wake up angry and I go to bed angry”
This important piece from the UK newspaper The Guardian highlights seven feisty seniors who put their activism where their concerns lie, from environmental action to speaking out for peace. Retirement used to be thought of as a soft slide into a more peaceful life. After a lifetime of hard grind, the daydream went, retirees would gratefully swap the office for a potting shed, a suit for slippers, and commuting for a cruise. But the face of protest has changed. From environmental issues to protests against Donald Trump, older people are often at the forefront, not just taking to the streets but taking direct, radical action.
It makes perfect sense: many older people are concerned about leaving a better world for their grandchildren. Others feel liberated from fears that their career and CVs could be damaged by political action. Older activists can say what they want and take risks they wouldn’t have dared to when a family, a mortgage and a career relied on them keeping their nose clean.
The baby boomers who helped remake society in the 1960s and 70s – through feminism, anti-discrimination battles, the rights of disabled people, equal pay, the climate crisis and the rights of the LGBT community – were always likely to be more passionate about politics and protests than their parents’ generation. Equipped with unprecedented amounts of time, money and motivation – and with longer and healthier lifespans – this new generation of retirees are leading the way.