A lot has been said about millennials – that they’re entitled, lazy, stuck to their phones, and incapable of acting as functional adults. As much of a bad rap as millennials get though, one need only take a look around to realise that they’re anything but.
I take back all the jokes I’ve made on millennials. This generation is brave, has called out bigotry loud and clear, and there’s hope for all.
— WolfMomma (@wolfmomz) December 19, 2019
The CAA/NRC protests have seen millennials at the forefront – they’ve been spreading information, holding rallies, and coming up with the most creative ways to voice their dissent.
Generation Y has been leading the charge. The same generation that’s been ridiculed and mocked to high heaven has withstood some of the harshest crackdowns without losing its nerve. And it’s all been to protect and maintain the democratic fabric of this country.
I’m a working millennial who is also a student. I have a 9-5 job and I support the peaceful protests against the CAA and NRC. If anyone has studied the constitution, they will support peaceful protests.
— BoldWordedGirl (@TanushreeMohile) December 16, 2019
They were Instagramming protests and listening to podcasts from credible people 🙂
— Deepak Gopalakrishnan (@chuck_gopal) December 19, 2019
Amazing how around the world, kids are driving change – the largest global protest (climate marches) to the biggest domestic one.
It’s being done to ensure that the tenets of justice laid down in our Constitution are not betrayed by a political party that only cares about winning.
That’s not all, though. The zeal and conviction with which millennials are fighting for their rights has given others the strength to stand up as well.
This millennial generation is the luckiest, we have seen everything from demonetisation of currency to humankind now.#CAA_NRC #CAA #CABProtest #AZADI #SAABKATIMEAAYEGA #CAAAgainstConstitution #SAMVIDHANBACHAO #Millennials #SaveConstitution #SaveIndia #JamiaMilliaUniversity
— kashish agarwal (@Kashish421252) December 17, 2019
Heartening to see young Hyderabadi protestors cleaning up while leaving the protest sight. Who said the youth of our country is hopeless? #Hyderabad #CitizenshipAmendmentBill #CAAProtest #CAA_NRC pic.twitter.com/2npfgjSE5Z
— Mohd Lateef Babla (@lateefbabla) December 19, 2019
People now know they are not alone, and that gives us courage against the threats of the ruling authorities – threats of detainment, violence, and undeserved harassment.
They’ve suffered police brutality, they’ve been tear gassed, lathi-charged, and dragged out of their homes. And still they’ve risen up, mightier than before.
If that doesn’t say something about their fighting spirit, I don’t know what does. Case in point – the student who was pulled out of a house and beaten with sticks, only to be surrounded by women protesters, who then fearlessly stood up to the cops.
People have been protesting legally and peacefully, and the response to that has been police violence and the imposition of Section 144. But rather than bow down, millennials have gone by the bus-full to protest even harder.
I’ve been saying that for years, and I’m glad to be vindicated. This generation is much better than my own.
— نتاشا Natasha (@nuts2406) December 20, 2019
The right to freedom of speech and expression allows for peaceful protest and criticism. Shockingly however, even these gatherings, made up of young adults simply chanting slogans and holding placards, have been picked up by police and detained without explanation.
Millennial protesters have discovered ways to circumvent the internet and communication shutdowns with other apps, they’ve widely shared the numbers of lawyers willing to help out, and they’ve even provided mini-guides to peaceful dissent.
This just goes to show the ingenuity and sharp collective mind of the young people protesting. Every illegal method of control that the authorities have been using, has been met with an inventive retort of its own.
With all of this happening around you, with thousands out on the streets around the country making their thoughts known, it’s impossible to disregard the important role millennials play. So then next time some uncle shrugs off the contribution of a millennial with purpose, give ’em a big ol’ ‘Ok boomer’.