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Stonewall Riots: The Rhetoric Of Destroying Property

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The Rhetoric of Destroying Property
Destruction of property is often seen as an immoral act and can result in legal consequences such as fines or imprisonment. As a result, there is frequently a lot of controversy and ethical disagreements around the act when it is done as a form of protest. Beyond the ethical considerations of destruction of property, it is also important to consider the rhetorical objectives of those who commit the act. Those who commit destruction of property to protest employ it as a means of expressing discontent, anger, and frustration with the status quo. The intentional damaging, destroying, or defacement of someone else’s property without permission can be a bold and a visible form of protest that can draw attention …show more content…

Shortly after midnight on June 28, 1969, police raided Stonewall Inn, a gay club in New York City. The patrons of the bar fought back against the police, leading to violent clashes and destruction of property in the surrounding area. This drastic act drew attention to the mistreatment and discrimination faced by the LGBTQ+ community, who was fed up with the longstanding harassment by the law enforcement. Even though the initial conflict began in the Stonewall Inn, neighbors joined the protests after witnessing the fights against the police, which heavily involved property destruction. In these protests, the destruction of property was an act that demonstrated the deep grievances of the LGBTQ+ community who felt anger and frustration towards their constant mistreatment. The act also created a sense of urgency as it displayed that queer people could no longer tolerate the injustice they faced and thus had to turn to committing such a bold act, and this galvanized the support of neighboring people and forced them to join the protests. The destruction of property placed the same anger and frustration of the patrons onto the neighbors which drove them to participate in the protests. The Stonewall Riots, which were effective mainly through the destruction of property, has a legacy of increasing the number of gay rights organizations which sparked the Gay Rights

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