Though at five, my son thought the song 'get up, stand up', had something to do with fighting the power so we could drive our car on the sidewalk. "c'mon mommy! Fight the power!"

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i can't wait to start helping monkeygirl understand my favorite quote: "our silence is their power."

It is never to soon. Tell him about Gandhi or Martin Luther King or others. Talk with him about politics and why you belive what would be the right thing to do. Tell him about how democracy works. I do so with DSS (as no on else does...). We just had elactions here (in the cities in Schleswig-Holstein) and i took the chance to tell him about it. And told him about those ignorant people (racists, facists and so on) who want to destroy democracy. And I told how important it is to go to elact. Yes. And i took DD (2 (and too) soon) with me when elacting. I showed her what i did. She didn't understand but when she will follow with every elaction it may become a implicitness to her.

As long as he's not in danger of tear gas or anything. I think it's your duty to teach him.

it's a great age to learn, but that doesn't mean he'll get it. And depending on the kid it may be too early to have him participate, or at least too early for him to participate with actual consent and interest - 8 year olds aren't known for their sound judgement (developmentally) nor can they really think abstractly. So handcuffing him to others at a protest, probably not. Reading about it, talking about it and observing it (if it's not too violent) sure. But that is just in general - every kid is different. And even if he didn't totally get it it could be an interesting experience.

ours is 4.5 and we tell him about the rich history of oppressed people rising up all the time!

"revolution is not a one time event" Audre Lorde

no