Barefoot Protest

Are you a shoes on or a shoes off kind of person? And how much do you regulate your kids when it comes to footwear? We hadn’t thought about feet  and shoes much until we went to America…and discovered how important shoes were to the authorities. And then I researched barefoot protests and realised it was a popular way of challenging authority and standing up to be counted. Maybe the kids were on to something…

You can’t come in here like that

“I’m sorry sir but you can’t come in here with your children like that.”

“What do you mean?”

“You can’t come into the store unless your children have shoes on.”

“Well that’s why I’m here, to buy them some shoes.”

“But we can’t allow them in without shoes on sir.”

“Well I can’t put them on until I’ve bought them though can I?”

“I understand that sir but it’s company policy I’m afraid.”

“I see. And that’s because?”

“It’s to prevent injuries sir.”

“Oh is it dangerous in store?”

“Oh no sir, it’s quite safe but just in case. There could be some broken glass on the floor or something like that.”

“I see. How about I carry one and put the other in a trolley?”

“Well, shoes would be better sir.”

“Yes, well I’d like to go and buy some.”

“OK then sir, but please don’t put the children  down in the store until they have shoes on.”

Who needs shoes?

After six months in New Zealand and a month in Samoa, our boys became rather accustomed to running around barefoot. It seemed quite a healthy habit really; their feet were in good condition and they didn’t smell half as much as they did when constrained by shoes and socks. Also we saved a fortune in shoes and avoided the weekly hassle of matching odd socks.

But while free feet were quite acceptable in New Zealand and quite the norm in Samoa, this habit seems to cause a lot of concern in America.

You will have to carry your kids Sir

“Are those your children running around sir?”

“Yes they are. They’re just coming back from the toilet.”

“Could I ask you to put their shoes on please.”

“You can ask but unfortunately they don’t have their shoes with them.”

“Well could you carry them back to your table then sir.”

“Is there a problem with no shoes in this restaurant?”

“Well, we don’t want their feet getting trodden on or cut.”

“Oh does that happen often?”

“No sir, most people wear shoes.”

“I see.”

“So, I’d appreciate it if you could carry them back to your table. Thank you sir.”

Should we have started a barefoot protest?

The kids simply weren’t interested in wearing shoes, except when tramping through snow on glaciers or in the high mountains, down lava tubes or when confronted with scorching ground in the desert. And I wasn’t keen on the idea of wasting money on shoes and socks to end up carrying between malls and restaurants. But if we wanted to eat and shop then it looked like I had to force the issue with the boys or end up with more than shoes to carry.

We thought of starting a campaign for free feet, a barefoot protest across America, to establish the right to shop and dine without shoes in the land of the free. We needed something more than barefoot trails. Maybe we should have visited Washington DC and taken our protest to the White House. Mind you they probably wouldn’t have let us in without shoes.

With that in mind I looked up barefoot protest. And realised my kids were onto something. It’s a powerful and popular way of making yourself heard. Mark Baumer did it to protest about climate change. Numerous celebrities including Kristen Stewart have done it on the red carpet. Welsh Lifeboat man Hew Williams did it at the London Boat Show to protest about losing an RNLI boat. Even vegans are doing barefoot protests these days.

So why not? It’s peaceful, it’s effective and it doesn’t hurt anyone. Except you, if you choose a road less travelled. What would you do a barefoot protest about? Let us know in the comments below.