The last couple of days have been SO déjà vu it's enough to drive one to mutter to hell with it and go get several beer. Because I've seen this in about every North American movement since I was a kid with the adults on the line back in the 1950s.
Some things happen in every movement, no matter how well it starts. First, 'leaders' emerge, because most humans are followers and need leaders. Then the 'leaders' begin to like being leaders and rapidly come to view disagreement as a challenge to their power and an attack on the true nature of The Movement. At the same time, Ideologues begin questioning the intellectual and/or moral purity of The Movement (ideologues seem to think in Capitalisation). The non-violent are upset by the Bloc, the Bloc mocks the Kumbaya crowd (terminology of the 1990s), vegans attack meat eaters, then vegetarians, left leaners refuse to working with right leaners, Trots shoot down the crowd on the Odessa Steps and yadayadayada. People spend more time determining the most democratic way to make decisions than actually deciding. Soon groups spin off into little bubbles of purity and conspiracy, until the formerly powerful Movement is reduced to monthly meetings devoted to determining rules and the agenda for the next meeting.
And the capitalists/fascists/bosses win again.
Everyone,please, TAKE A DEEP BREATH! Decide for yourself whether it is more important to save the tattered shreds of your democracy or to be in charge, or morally correct, or have the most intellectually rigorous interpretation, or only co-operate with people who agree with you 100%, or....
Screw central structure, branding, trademarks and consensus: NO REVOLT WAS EVER WON THAT WAY! Look at what happened to BLM and Occupy Democrats. NO!
Whoever you are, wherever you are, turn to the person next to you and agree on the goals you share -- there will be time when that battle is won to fight over details. Work with the people in your community who share those goals to reach them, no matter what other stuff you have to set aside for now.
Then DO IT! It might be marching.or grafitti-ing slogans, or flooding your Congressperson's mailbox/phone/office plastering the town with posters, standing alone with a handmade sign.
Or maybe you are a member of the Black Bloc. That's your choice, and you can only be responsible for your choices, not your neighbour's. Support those who are working parallel to you, or in the same field, or for a cause that aligns with yours, even if it's not yours.
Because you ain't gonna win this any way but through mutual support and co-operation: that's the only way numbers grow overwhelming and revolts succeed.
Thanks for reading the old woman's rant. Be back later to see how thoroughly it's ignored.
Edit: teeny tiny typo.
Originally Posted By u/MrsWidgery At 2025-04-26 08:53:57 AM | Source
