--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we don't pay attention to [nonviolent…" description: "\"If we don't pay attention to [nonviolent protests], they are invisible, and it's as if they never happened. But I have seen first hand that if we do, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/julia-bacha-37264_activism_if-we-don-t-pay-attention-to-nonviolent_2577501.png" --- # If we don't pay attention to \[nonviolent protests\], they… ![“If we don't pay attention to [nonviolent protests], they are invisible, and it's as if they never happened. But I have seen first hand that if we do, they will multiply.” quote by Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/julia-bacha-37264_activism_if-we-don-t-pay-attention-to-nonviolent_2577501.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/julia-bacha-37264_activism_if-we-don-t-pay-attention-to-nonviolent_2577501.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/958/julia-bacha-37264_activism_if-we-don-t-pay-attention-to-nonviolent_2577501.png) > “If we don't pay attention to \[nonviolent protests\], they are invisible, and it's as if they never happened. But I have seen first hand that if we do, they will multiply.” [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignoring nonviolent protests erases them; paying attention validates and amplifies their impact. **In simple terms:** Notice protests to give them power. Key Takeaway Give visibility to nonviolent actions. Themes activism visibility nonviolence Mood empathetic determined Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - community organizing - policy advocacy - education - journalism - social media Key Concepts social movements media public awareness Questions to Reflect On - What can you do to amplify peaceful protests? - How does visibility affect protest effectiveness? A Different Perspective Attention alone may not change outcomes without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Protest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protest/) [Protests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protests/) ## Related quotes > [I welcome nonviolent protests as an exercise of our great democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exercise-of-our-great-democracy/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [“They’d also told him Adam would probably never hear out of his left ear again. This was the hardest thing to internalize, that something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/they-d-also-told-him-adam-would-probably-never-hear-out-of-his-left/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [We black people, as a whole, are at war we'll say with the white power structure. Not physically, but we have definite protests to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/we-black-people-as-a-whole-are-at-war-we-ll-say-with-the-white-power/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [There haven't been organized protests, but I have heard of protests where people have wanted to celebrate Halloween.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-morton/there-haven-t-been-organized-protests-but-i-have-heard-of-protests/) [Lisa Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-morton/) > [I grew up in the American South and came of age in the 1960s, an incredibly turbulent time. It was as if the seams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/i-grew-up-in-the-american-south-and-came-of-age-in-the-1960s-an/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [I do not lead the Hong Kong protests, because no one person leads the protests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-do-not-lead-the-hong-kong-protests-because-no-one-person-leads-the/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [It is important to show up. Showing up at marches and rallies and town halls and protests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/it-is-important-to-show-up-showing-up-at-marches-and-rallies-and-town/) [Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/) > [If the ongoing struggles waged by young people are to matter, demonstrations and protests must give way to more sustainable organizations that develop alternative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/if-the-ongoing-struggles-waged-by-young-people-are-to-matter/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It is the first time since 1993 that Russians have come out into the streets without an explicit permission from the government to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/it-is-the-first-time-since-1993-that-russians-have-come-out-into-the/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [I love the protests. And if you think about it, what better way to send a message to Wall Street than by sitting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-love-the-protests-and-if-you-think-about-it-what-better-way-to-send/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [“Similar irrational protests, set amidst equally tragic social consequences from health-care impoverishment, are taking place around the world, including the USA.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lancet/similar-irrational-protests-set-amidst-equally-tragic-social/) [The Lancet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lancet/) > [“Do not expect those the system has strategically elevated to support you in your fight to make the system work for every citizen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduvie-donald/do-not-expect-those-the-system-has-strategically-elevated-to-support/) [Eduvie Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduvie-donald/) > [“There is something inside of a man which protests against doing that which tends to injure another, that which does not square with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/there-is-something-inside-of-a-man-which-protests-against-doing-that/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“at their disposal. So they assemble in protests to convey their objections. What’s wrong with that? A similar outpouring came recently from American Walter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-scully/at-their-disposal-so-they-assemble-in-protests-to-convey-their/) [Matthew Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-scully/) > [“Mubarak said: I talk to you during critical times that are testing Egypt and its people which could sweep them into the unknown ……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amiso-m-george/mubarak-said-i-talk-to-you-during-critical-times-that-are-testing/) Amiso M. George ## More by Julia Bacha > [A film seeking to create change on a difficult issue should not try to provide a definitive historical overview, nor present an op-ed style…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/a-film-seeking-to-create-change-on-a-difficult-issue-should-not-try/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [For any filmmaker who has just released a film and who is experiencing some measure of success, the temptation can be great to respond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/for-any-filmmaker-who-has-just-released-a-film-and-who-is/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [Non-violence is not glamorous, and you don't see the effects right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/non-violence-is-not-glamorous-and-you-don-t-see-the-effects-right-away/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [Where is the Palestinian Gandhi?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/where-is-the-palestinian-gandhi/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [At the heart of any successful film is a powerful story. And a story should be just that: a narrative with a beginning, middle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/at-the-heart-of-any-successful-film-is-a-powerful-story-and-a-story/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [When I was 17, I came to the U.S. to study Middle Eastern history and politics at Columbia University.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/when-i-was-17-i-came-to-the-u-s-to-study-middle-eastern-history-and/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [Violent resistance and nonviolent resistance share one very important thing in common: They are both a form of theater seeking an audience to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/violent-resistance-and-nonviolent-resistance-share-one-very-important/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [History was always the subject that I loved the most, and I felt it gave me the deepest sense of our humanity and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/history-was-always-the-subject-that-i-loved-the-most-and-i-felt-it/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [When conflicts end non-violently, it's more likely that the result will be longer-lasting, democratic societies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/when-conflicts-end-non-violently-it-s-more-likely-that-the-result/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [Violence and nonviolence are, after all, two different forms of theater. They both depend and thrive on the response of an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/violence-and-nonviolence-are-after-all-two-different-forms-of-theater/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) > [Nothing scares the army more than nonviolent opposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-bacha/nothing-scares-the-army-more-than-nonviolent-opposition/) [Julia Bacha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) [Explore all 12 Julia Bacha quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-bacha/) ## More Activism quotes > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“All struggles against oppression in the modern woeld begin by redefining what had previously been consideered private, non-public and non-political issues as matters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyla-benhabib/all-struggles-against-oppression-in-the-modern-woeld-begin-by/) Seyla Benhabib > [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/joy-doesn-t-betray-but-sustains-activism-and-when-you-face-a-politics/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Paul Revere earned his living as a silversmith. But what do we remember him for? His volunteer work. All activism is volunteering in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-ellis/paul-revere-earned-his-living-as-a-silversmith-but-what-do-we/) Susan J. Ellis > [Being in service and being involved in something that is greater than you is what makes a person complete and whole. The very first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-moreno/being-in-service-and-being-involved-in-something-that-is-greater-than/) [Rita Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-moreno/) > [“The times do not call for grassroots political activism, as if the next election might be enough to reverse a massive cultural earthquake. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-d-miller/the-times-do-not-call-for-grassroots-political-activism-as-if-the/) Paul D. Miller > [He went to Paris looking for answers to questions that bothered him so. He was impressive, young and aggressive, saving the world on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/he-went-to-paris-looking-for-answers-to-questions-that-bothered-him/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) > [Poetry is a lousy form of activism; it doesn't really change much. And maybe we can point to one or two historical times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/poetry-is-a-lousy-form-of-activism-it-doesn-t-really-change-much-and/) [Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/) > [There's a lot of activism that doesn't deal with empowerment, and you have to empower yourself in order to be relevant to any type…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/there-s-a-lot-of-activism-that-doesn-t-deal-with-empowerment-and-you/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [“Until you find a cause you can die for, you are not worthy to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/until-you-find-a-cause-you-can-die-for-you-are-not-worthy-to-live/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [Ya'll know what you need to do? 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