This site has been relatively silent about the acts of resistance that have become more apparent in recent years across the country, around the world, and in my neighborhood. That ends here and now. If you are joining New Hughes from my facebook wall, you’ll be more aware of my take on the movements for social justice and political change.
The movement for Black Liberation is the most significant development taking place in our culture at this moment. The success of mass movements such as Black Lives Matter has informed and reinvigorated others toward organized resistance of the dominant hyper-masculine patriarchy, aggressive capitalism, and neo-Feudalist oligarchies. Native people protecting their water and land. Women organized to overturn the rape culture. Gender liberation and equality. The righteous power of these movements stems from their connection to the land, history, culture, and other beings. The dominant power structures that oppose us stem from the personal greed and ruthlessness of charismatic sociopaths throwing word bombs into the markets and malls to blow us apart and clear their way to the top. Global corporate control is their tool and creation. A handful of families are the new feudal class consolidating their power and playing nations like acolytes and vassals. When we begin to see through the veils, there are always police and the news to keep us in line. But that doesn’t blind everyone.
I am the beneficiary of multiple streams of privilege from the culture into which I was born and have made a place. I see that privilege as a kind of insurance marker, or a free spin token on the Wheel of Fortune. I will spend it by trying to support the efforts of those that do not share the social benefits into which I was born. On the surface, this seems a kind of selfless perspective, but it is not. All the baggage of my unearned privilege is really starting to harsh my mellow. Can you pick up on the drift I’m layin’ down? It is only slightly sarcastic. The rest is full on flippant and rude. I would very much appreciate it if you would reread my words with that intent. I can wait.
I call it sarcastic because its not cool for dudes like me to complain about how our collective society has let us down. To be clear, by “dudes” I mean white guys and by “collective society” I mean a culture dominated by white guys and by “not cool” I mean that it might piss people off. Just like my poor grammatical choices so often do. This is a feature, not a bug.
I understand that street protests, especially when traffic is shut down and trains are stopped on the tracks, are unpopular with a lot of people. I also understand that appeasing those sensitivities is the last thing on any protesters’ mind. Resistance is the essence of taking to the streets. If you stay inside the Free-Speech Zone lines, your voice is diminished. (Not that we shouldn’t consider changing that, but let’s put that aside for now.) Here’s the deal, we know that these marches make your lives less pleasant. Maybe you don’t like being reminded the racial injustice and white supremacy remain relevant to US culture today. Maybe you don’t like to get shut down on your drive through town. No matter, because I also know that some of you think we’re on to something and don’t mind giving us some space and a little time to give voice to our concerns and make some noise. The way I see it, and I speak only for myself, the main point of marches and rallies is to force the issue into the public awareness. Protest is not a cure or a solution, it is diagnosis and a unanswered question. Anger is a reasonable response when other people go out of their way to make your life more difficult and get in your way. The people blocking the highway understand those feelings. Many of them came to shut it down for the same reasons. The question is what to do with your anger.
Feelings are energy. They fill you up. Apparently, anger is easier to elicit from modern American humans than empathy or solidarity. For sure, I’d rather it were empathy, but outrage works, too. Anger is a much more volatile form of emotional energy than empathy or bliss, but when it is reworked into positive action, it is often quite powerful. Where and how each of us directs that energy is our choice. Channeling it into violence, property damage, or intimidation gives most of that energy to your targets in exchange for the immediate gratification of your desire. Frittering it away scolding people that have reminded you over and over that they are not listening to you seems like a wide open window on a cold winter night; a thoughtless waste. I have discussed these issues with more than a few people that came to the thread angry at the street protesters and respectfully made their opposition very clear. You have successfully channeled your anger into a non-violent response to a situation that upset you by stating your dissent in public. You are on our side. Welcome to the rally.
I answered the question of your protest, unless there are objections beyond, “why shut it down?”, “how is this effective?”, and “how will you win friends by pissing people off?”. Let’s hear what you’ve got to say about the question of our protest. How should we address issues of racial injustice during the Trump Regime? His supporters are busy laying out their side of the story and it tells me that strong arms and jack boots are on the way. What does it tell you? Anything good?