In the age of GPS, CCTVs, AI identification equipment, and local police forces looking more like military special ops units than the gang on Reno 911, being an activist today has never been more challenging. During the labor movements of the 19th century and the social movements of the 50s and 60s popular mobilization created a true counterculture that terrified the American government. They saw the real power that labor unions, organizations like the Black Panthers, and leaders like Fred Hampton had when they were able to disseminate their message without political or police interference. Unfortunately, using programs like COINTELPRO to infiltrate and discredit social movements, the government along with local, state, and federal police, using the technology listed above, surplus military equipment, and sophisticated communications strategies, are suppressing pro-Palestinian rallies and other social movements with extreme brutality and efficiency. Today’s activists, using the same tactics that were made popular in the past, are at a serious disadvantage and need to adapt in order to survive.
The Undeniable Power of the Working Class
In the early 19th century the Industrial Revolution completely reshaped the term “work.” No longer were people working primarily in the agricultural sector and on their land. They came in droves to newly formed urban centers to work in the many industrial factories that existed at the time and were ruthlessly exploited. The captains of industry received their rank by stepping on the bloody backs of the newly formed working class. As the population of the working class grew, so did their demands for higher wages and better working conditions. Men like Samuel Gompers started large organizations like the American Federation of Labor, and smaller unions sprouted up around the country and began to harness the sheer power of a large, conscious working class. They achieved their goals of higher wages and better conditions and ushered in the 40-hour work week. The process of withholding labor for better compensation and conditions, or a strike, was the primary way that the workers made the owners succumb to their demands. It was seen as a great success for the working men and women of America. But, capitalism is not about the collective and the owners of industry began to push back on the greedy workers cutting into their profit.
The Times, They Are A-Changin’
Social activists of the 50s and 60s found themselves in a similar position as the labor activists of the 19th century. As society and racial demographics began to change so did their attitudes and race, gender, religion, and war. No longer would the growing moral majority in the country be drowned out by the minority of white men who had controlled everything for so long. No longer would the country be dragged into a war with no justification and fight it only using the young, uneducated, and poor. The civil rights and the anti-Vietnam War movements were the reactions to this persistent inequality. A true counterculture evolved around these movements. Organizations like the Black Panthers and student activists from higher education facilities around the country took on the powers that be through popular mobilization and educated organized resistance. Protests, sit-ins, and slogans were hallmarks of the anti-war movement, and the Black Panthers began to show not just the African-American community but the country as a whole that successful community-organized programs were not only possible but at times more effective than the municipal, state, or federal programs. It was an exciting time and one the federal government could not allow to last for too long.
That Was Fun. Let’s Never Do That Again
The success of these movements led business owners and the government to crack down violently. Captains of industry raised a small army of private security and along with the police they fought labor activists, intimidated workers, and broke up strikes. Owners of industry also employed entire newspapers to discredit and slander union organizers and labor activists. Unions remained active into the 20th century, but their power was significantly reduced.
It was the same for the social activists of the 50s and 60s. The F.B.I. created programs like COINTELPRO which were designed to infiltrate non-violent social movements and discredit them. This infiltration along with the government’s desire to put down this emerging counterculture led to the murder of Fred Hampton by the Chicago police department. The government has also used the media to discredit and dehumanize social activists. More often than not any form of protest, even if it is the most peaceful protest you have ever seen, is labeled as an extreme reaction to the situation instead of a normal exercise of one’s civil rights. Organizing labor is labeled as subversive to capitalism and the “American way of life.” Because the government and big business are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect their interests, and activists have done little to adapt over the last 60 years, social and labor movements believe they still have power but unfortunately have been firmly put in their place. Without an evolution in labor and social activism, both will surely perish.
Put the “Evolution” back in Revolution
First and foremost, we need to stop using slogans at our rallies/protests. Using slogans like “Biden, Biden you can’t hide. We charge you with genocide,” makes you sound like a child. Or at best, a kindergarten school teacher leading the class in a sing-along. You are trying to attack people to your movement, not chant them to death. Play music at your protests/rallies to attract people and then engage with them when they ask you what you are doing there. Even the most clever of slogans is no substitute for good tunes and good conversation.
Second, please, for the love of god, stop sitting in traffic. The purpose of civil disobedience is to piss off the man, not everybody. You should be attempting to attract as much POSITIVE attention as you can to your movement (within reason). Frank or Francine from Tallahassee might have been inclined to agree with your stances on social and racial inequality and government corruption, but making them 3 hours late for work just ruined any chance of them sympathizing with you or your cause. If you must impede traffic, try setting up in the parking garage of your local city hall or the parking lot of a state or federal building. Inconvenience the right people, while still allowing them to live their lives. Also, Standing in one place for too long is a good way to get your face on camera. Modern technology is everywhere, so don’t forget to mask up.
Third, stop organizing on major social media platforms. The reason the U.S. federal government moved to ban TikTok is not because they fear the Chinese government. Well, not only because they fear the Chinese government. They did it because TikTok just so happens to be the only major social media company that is not located in the United States. It is the one company they can not control. Meta and Twitter (currently known as X) are firmly in the back pocket of the U.S. federal government. One needs look to no further than their suppression of pro-Palestinian voices on their platforms to see that these companies are pushing news and content that supports the government’s position over, say, that of a Palestinian activist’s. The Internet is an incredibly powerful tool. Learn how to use it appropriately and stop giving the Elon Musks and Mark Zuckerburgs of the world more power than they already have.
And last but not least, if you are going to organize a union, stop pretending that your employer or the government cares about your protected rights to do so. Capitalism is the name of the game, and socialists who want to cut into corporate profits don’t get to play. The efficiency with which Starbucks and Amazon have been able to crush emerging labor organization, and the government’s unwillingness to protect its citizens from the greed of these corporations shows that these two groups are obviously in bed with each other. If you don’t trust your coworkers enough to keep a union secret, refrain from starting one right away. Real G’s move in silence, like lasagna. Don’t be naive. Activism is built on trust, not blind faith.
To be an effective activist in the 21st century you need to adapt to the fact that the government and billionaires want nothing more than to expand their scope of power. Stop playing into the trap and transcend the box they have constructed for us.
Jason Myatt is a Canadian writer and activist with a degree in Political Science from the University of British Columbia. With years of dedicated activism and a strong commitment to social justice, Jason Myatt has been a passionate advocate for equitable policies and community engagement. Drawing from a rich background in both academic study and grassroots movements, Jason’s writing explores the intersections of politics, society, and justice, aiming to inspire change and provoke thought.
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