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Towards a Theory of Group and Individual ACTION
Sorry everybody. I'm at a dance theory conference at Barnard, in NYC, and so the wheels turn differently. This piece is for discussion purposes, so begin thinking now!
Today's thoughts come to you as the result of a cumulative process of weeks of actions and reflections upon actions, mind-numbing and brain-twisting analyses of actions, Thursday's movement choir in the park, and the usual Saturday morning epic discussions with my husband.
I'm thinking about the affinity-group-based actions of the "No War No Warming" day (the one with the polar bears being chased by the cops being chased by the bicyclists) and Desiree's confrontation of Condoleezza Rice two days later, the waterboarding demonstration vs. the coverage that followed, and the choir vs. the dance solo. Bear with me.
On the progressive activist side of the coin, no one is particularly obedient or follows orders. The left is not hierarchical, nor is it particularly organized. But in unpacking the methods by which organization does happen, certain differences emerge within the distinct approaches:
To unpack the chart (which you may need to enlarge to really see), consider the following points:
The impact of a single courageous act, such as what Gandhi, MLK Jr., or even Desiree did, can resonate far beyond the time and place of the act itself. Such human courage and sense of rightness can inspire others to act, perhaps with less risk and courage, but to act nonetheless. But there is a price and the community from which the person emerges often pays it. Once Cindy Sheehan sat down in a ditch in Texas, she became a star, a commodity, and she needed a coterie of folks to protect her from being such a target. She also inspired others. But the actions are not inherently pleasurable and the pushback is often fierce. It is hard to continue to allow oneself to be abused regularly, and so the community from which a hero emerges has to decide whether to break up, with some becoming the "posse" for the star, and others becoming a very different kind of group.
The affinity group actions, or the movement choir, if you will, can be just as heroic, inventive, and inspired as the individual actions. But there is little glory in them. Affinity groups (and choir groups) are, by definition, MOVING targets. The audience can observe the flow of actions as they would a performance, but everyone, police included, can see the performative nature of the action, and appreciate the message without feeling threatened. Such happened the other day with our waterboarding demo, even though Maboud really felt the terror and panic. But he knew, and we knew, and the media knew, that, brave as he was for allowing just a little of the terror in, he was in a context of caretaking. We were SHOWING something, and educating, not destroying a person.
I believe that both approaches can be effective in creating change, but the expectations need to be adjusted. And of course, when mob mindsets take over and violence enters, the picture is entirely different. In those cases, order must be restored and safety recreated, for all.
But here are the questions of the day (and they are a challenge, so you might want to make sure you stay safely over at the Open Thread ;)):
What do YOU do to create change? Which approaches work best in your neck of the woods? Do we need more heroes or more choirs?
Some photos from the movement choir:
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Very interesting to read - I always see these groups come together for events, and it starts with a core group for smaller events and then spreads out like a wheel to encompass larger groups and then individuals join in more. Then alot of it disperses, waiting for a force sufficient to start pulling it together again! It's fascinating!
Great analysis!
As for my answer to your question: sticking out is NEVER a virtue in my neck of woods, by virtue of the communal nature of the immigrant communities here. Group consensus is everything and the ONLY thing - but in this suburb where everyone drives everywhere and you have no idea who lives on the next street over, getting like-minded people, especially a tiny minority (at least here anyway) like Democrats and progressives, is a very difficult task.
I've given up on my immediate area. I will choose a more conducive neighborhood when I move next year, and try to start something from there. I will continue to also keep in touch with other groups, such as CodePink chapters in Los Angeles and Inland Empire, for inspiration.
Just back from dinner here and a great discussion with other professors about how to deal with college students who believe they should drop out and go to war in order to be responsible citizens. Our friend was telling us about a student whose brother and sister had joined up and how he told the student, who was thinking he needed to join his siblings, that 1. He (the student) was trying to be an artist and artists work to bring things to life, not death, 2. Joining an immoral war was not being a responsible citizen, and 3. there are many ways to make friends on the planet rather than destruction.
The issue of joining something for the sake of joining something is not what I am talking about, however. I am really wondering about how to be most effective in changing hearts and minds, or at least, by reaching all those out there (my friend is a professor in rural North Carolina) who need to think more deeply about what is going on. I am wondering about the courageous individual who speaks up or who shows the world that we can ALL speak up if we only would, and the group of committed individuals who come together to create actions that engage, enlighten, and inspire.
I am asking each of us to think about which of these approaches works best for YOU?
Well I know alot of people but am definitely the individual actor type, neither a leader nor a follower but tend to gravitate toward acting alone. I will get together with people, get in sync or resonance with what's going on, but drfit in and out and find the consensus thing slow. Maybe it comes from being an oldest child or living in a small conservative town without really having peers at times.
I wonder sometimes if someone who does something that stands out understand the notoriety that will ensure, that they will become an icon? It is also interesting how someone like Cindy Sheehan, or John Kerry or even Michael Jackson may be completely perceived differently in another culture. I say that because when some of these people were being completelyl trashed in the US, I went elsewhere and there was no sign of it. It was a local (domestic consumption) thing primarily.
I'm lucky to have been invited to do a monthly (or so) opinion column in our local paper. I talk mostly about local politics, but I try to use my 800 words to point out the ridiculousless of the small stuff people make into road blocks. I also, of course, try to sway people to see things my way.
I get pretty bold, and while I don't name names, everyone knows who I am talking about. I try to use humor. I have people telling me I am brave (read: stupid?) but I'm tired of a spade not being called a spade. Mostly, I get great compliments!
Anyway - this is how I do it, if only on this local level.
That said, I'm not all that comfortable with Desiree's action against Condi, mostly because it was easy for the police and others to feel that this was NOT non-violent, and to react as they did. SHE knew she wasn't going to hurt anyone, but it would have been easy to mistake that for something violent - either to herself, or her target. It escalated from there.
Just my uneducated two cents. I'm not there, so I don't have a real feel for how these things go.
I think you are on the money, Carol. The police were frightened and embarrassed about Des' action. That is why they grabbed Liz and Lori too.
Des is actually lucky she was not hurt. But Liz and Lori WERE hurt. That is what I mean by the community questioning itself after one person breaks out and does something independently. When Cindy sat down in the ditch, she did so without the cooperation of the organization/community of military families she had been part of. She broke out and there was a good deal of questioning about her actions within that group. In the end, Cindy led a movement that was bigger than the action she took, but the community that had supported her struggled to stay together and with her.
I think your column is a good example of the individual truth-telling that can have an impact beyond the moment and beyond the community. (Can we see some of the columns so we can email them around and amplify the message as the theory suggests? ;)) I have an idea of what COULD happen should the column "break out" and you, Carol, achieve some notoriety. Food for thought, anyway!
nmp, good point about the REACH of individual actions vs. the effect on the community of origin. People overseas saw the photo of Des and applauded. I think the impact of individual actions goes further than the affinity group events, but the actor pays a great price at the community level.
Karen,
Since you asked...here are some links to my columns, although as I said, this is local stuff, and we have the archaic New England Town Meeting form of government (sort of like Congress on a local scale).
Interestingly - I consider myself very liberal/progressive, but in the way-left town of Amherst, I am considered moderate to conservative, by a particular section of the population. I speak for the silent majority of people like myself!
http://www.amherstbulletin.com/story/id/48178/
http://www.amherstbulletin.com/story/id/53648/
http://www.amherstbulletin.com/story/id/61337/
http://www.amherstbulletin.com/story/id/65241/
It's interesting.
In our local form of govt., as an outspoken advocate for what in my mind is common sense progress, I have been told by one of the real loud advocates for the status quo that I sound like George Bush, and that the group of folks like me are comparable to the republicans trying to stifle free speech.
It is surreal.
It's on an entirely different scale than the folks who are challenging (like CodePink) the federal government on the war, but it is definitely intersting to put yourself out there and take a stand in public.
I know many of here have done this in various ways. Sparrow comes to mind most of all, with her personal individual roadside protests.
Carol,
I really loved your writing on your op-eds. You have a wonderful voice and I can relate to what you were discussing. I think that's important because if I, as an outsider, can understand the choices within your community and the setting in which they take place, then there should be no reason why those in your community can't understand your point too.
I'm sure your op-eds make a huge difference to those in your community.
Karen,
When Cindy decided to go to the Bush ranch and sit in the ditch, she had two staunch supporters and members of her community with her. One was Col. Ann Wright and the other was Jesselyn Radack.
However, I can say from getting to know people within the whistle-blowing community that even within that group of quite outstanding people there is still a diversity in style or approach and as a result, there are becoming more instances of your column two rather than your column one.
I would have to say in Des's defence that maybe she kept her intentions secret to protect Lori and Liz from being accused and harassed about the incident. After all, if they knew in advance, they could have been called accessories to the crime. Yet, perhaps, she didn't realize that if they knew in advance, they could have chosen to not come.
Personally, I don't think she did it maliciously and maybe never even considered that the police would not only arrest her but grab and maul Liz and Lori too. I know I would never have thought they'd do that.
I understand why Liz and Lori may feel angry at Des about the position her actions put them in, but by the same token, does it stand to reason that Des knew the police would over-react and injure them too? Perhaps, she just thought that she'd get arrested and that they would be able to sit unmolested in the room since they were nothing but bystanders.
(Of course, given how the police have brutalized Rev. Yearwood, perhaps, Code Pinker's should generally realize that even sitting in a hearing room is detrimental to their health.)
Thanks for the links to the columns!
Thinking about the Condi incident - I would imagine Des saw a chance for high symbolism that might only come once. That would be almost irresistable but the fallout would be unpredictable.
The police would be hard pressed to know the motivations of any others who might be with her.
One thing that comes to mind is that the point where freedom of speech intersects with highly-guarded property can be hard to determine and the closer to that point one gets, the more potential for violence.
Examples: halls of Congress or any property near the high ranks of government; areas around military installations or areas of military transport (see photo of Olympia protested being pepper sprayed over under the other thread)
When the public is not to be in an area or has to follow strict rules of decorum, this should be clear not fuzzy. Police or guards need to be well-trained, not over-reactive.
In Seattle, first they started blocking off areas from protesters (as at the WTO). "No Protest Zones" were created.
Then they started (and also in Portland) to create "Free Speech Areas" instead - which penned dissenters off where they were not visible to the public. The "pen" areas at the DNC appeared to be similar.
I think this is going to far, in a "free" country with our Bill of Rights.
Ok. This is my last comment for a while.
I was going to post about my pirate party on the open thread but since I think it's relevant to individual actors or group movements, I will post it here.
Basically, my hubby and I were invited to a belated Halloween Party last evening. The theme was "Pirates" and as you can imagine, for fencers finding a 'Pirate-like" costume is a dime a dozen. So my thoughts this week were focused on "What kind of pirate or pirate-related thing would I like to be?"
Yesterday, as I was thinking about the whole week with Dennis Kucinich's impeachment bill and the resulting disarray in Congress, it occurred to me that the Congressmen and women, their corporations, and their lobbyists have become the equivalent of Modern Day Pirates
They have stolen our democracy. They have pillaged the belongings of the poor and given to the rich. They have sought treasure in other peoples' land (such as oil) and raped and pillaged those who had rightful ownership to it. And the corporations have stolen from the poor, given to their rich CEO's and donated to the same group of pirates who create laws to enable them to keep stealing legally. They export jobs to the modern day slaves abroad who are kept in fenced in yards, paid pennies a day, given forced abortions, and fired if they even talk to a coworker yet alone attempt to form a union.
So our Congressmen are pirates. And though many call Bush and Cheney "Emperors" what they really are are pirates--stealing the well-being from our grand kids, stealing our privacy and our habeas corpus, stealing from each of us and hoarding their treasure to keep empowering themselves and their friends.
The lobbyists are pirates. They just work for the corporations who are pirates. The media networks are pirates--stealing our public airwaves for the Pirate's propaganda.
Whereas in the old pirate days, they used a telescope to spot ships at sea from which they could steal their booty, the modern day pirates use NSA illegal wiretaps, illegal searches of peoples' tax forms and bank records, and war and torture to get the booty that they want.
So my idea yesterday was to dress up as a modern day pirate without being offensive to other members of the party. (I know there are a couple of neo-cons there.) So I dressed up in my fancy business clothes and put make up on and put on the veneer of a 'state's women' in the hallowed halls of Congress.
I created a variety of business cards and let people shuffle through them when they asked what I was dressed up as.
My business cards were:
1. Corporate Republican Congresswoman
2. Corporate Democratic Congresswoman
3. Friend of President and rich donor
4. CEO of large corporation and large donor
5. Corporate Lobbyist
6. Corporate Republican Congresswomen and future lobbyist
7. Corporate Democratic Congresswomen and future lobbyist
Most people 'got it' in a second. And thank God the neocons didn't get pissed and stalk out like they did the last time a friend of mine went to a party wearing a "BushWacked" t'shirt.
I admit, as you can see by the list above, that I attempted to be an "Equal opportunity truth teller" (as I told people at the party--"Not equal opportunity smearer but equal truth-teller" and as a result I think the defences were down and there were no angry words.
So that's my story of independent actions.
Karen--just wanted to add regarding Cindy and the Ann Wright and Jesselyn. The bond they forged by going to Bush's ranch exists today. So individual 'stardom' does not have to cause splits in the ranks.
I think the difference is that Cindy, Ann, and Jesselyn felt like they were all in it together. Whereas, Des's actions were intentionally individualized; however, the resulting police brutality made it effect the group at large.
Sparrow
Do you have any pictures? It would be a great story, belated or not!
It IS a great story!!
No...no pictures, nmp.
I don't own a digital camera and since my hubby uses his for work, I have a hands off policy when it comes to using his work equipment. Meaning: I prefer not to tempt Murphy's Laws because with my luck I would break his camera when using it.
As it was...I snuck his old laptop for y-kos, and even though the old laptop was 1/2 way to breaking anyways, I worried the whole time I used it that it would die on me there. I was so happy to get it safely home. (Plus, he's got backup files on it.)
haha I had a not-so-dependable kind-of-snuck hubby-laptop with me at YKos too! & as you know I always have a camera. Your story was very cool though - I have pictures in my head.
nmp...I'm not sure you have the correct pictures in your head. Afterall, did you picture me dressed up as this or as this?
nnyah, nyah, nyah nyah, nnyaaahh........
(ha ha ha)
Katharine Harris? OmiGod - almost as drag queenish as Mann Coulter!
Scareeeeeeeeeey!! Make 'er walk the plank!!
November 11, 2007 11:23 AM
sparrow said:
Karen,
When Cindy decided to go to the Bush ranch and sit in the ditch, she had two staunch supporters and members of her community with her. One was Col. Ann Wright and the other was Jesselyn Radack.
>>>>
As you can see, I haven't mastered the block-quote-thingy.
>>>>
I had no idea Jesselyn went with Cindy to sit in the ditch outside the ranch. That is great. Now there's a case of individual action. And although it probably doesn't seem like it to Jesselyn - a lot of people pay more attention now than they did way back when....
And you sparrow, doing your lonely vigils at the crossroads. People on their own do get attention. I have the utmost respect and admiration for all that you and other individuals do for peace and decency.
As for myself, I act alone in my own little corner of the planet but there I don't command much - or any - attention for the causes. I guess that in all things political and just; I make a better case when I join the throng and sign the petitions. I do enjoy the group energy of protests.
Code Pink is different again. Code Pink is Individual Action - although it is a group, it is comprised of individuals who make instant-on-the-spot decisions. Although Code Pink is a group, to me it is the individuals within the group who resonate.
WOZ,
You're doing great on the new blog--posting pictures and stuff. It's hard getting use to. If you want me to send you coding via the email, let me know. It becomes a little clearer when you can practice on your own.
Regarding me and my lonely vigils. Can I be frank? In a way, there is serenity in doing the silent vigils. Most of the time, people don't pick fights with me. Often, I can have quiet conversation with people who don't just sing the same tune. Also, I feel like I am more involved in my mission when I am by myself than when I am with a group.
That's why I do them that way.
I must confess though...I suck at peace activism (or any activism) when the temperature gets below 70 degrees like it is now. (It's half that at 35. Brrr.... Someone pay for me to live in a warm state for 4 months and I will vigil there until it warms up over here again. Any takers?)
Des is actually lucky she was not hurt. But Liz and Lori WERE hurt. That is what I mean by the community questioning itself after one person breaks out and does something independently. When Cindy sat down in the ditch, she did so without the cooperation of the organizati
@@@@@@@@@@
I thought the "blood on the hands" confrontation with Rice was wonderful and bold stroke/idea (but hey, I am a liberal and I think Condi is just an incompetent, PR puppet for Bush and the NeoCons). My criticism of the action was that it was "too aggressive" in this sense: it looked like Desiree did actually touch Rice - which is, I would say inappropriate and wrong. And the rightwing has characterized this as an "attack" on Rice by a "lunatic".
But, ultimately, individuals do what they feel is right in a given situation - and this is free speech for the individual. Now Code Pink can disavow the action and condemn it if they wish; and Desiree can act alone, as an individual not associated with Code Pink.
(BTW: in Southwestern Michigan people have been protesting quietly and non-violently for 5 years now and all of our Congressmen are pro-war - one is wavering slightly but still supports it. I do not know what works as far as public acts that protest the war. About a year ago, some protesters vandalized a Congressman's office with red paint and graffiti - that got statewide news attention and the FBI was called in to investigate. In Marshall Michigan a guy was ticketed/arrested for flying the American flag upside down - that was really weak and the charge was dropped immediately.)
sparrow
That's Harris at her lowest... Any lower and she'd be a Mann wannabe indeed!
Woz
That's how it works, AFAIK. There is no group-wide drive to do civil disobedience and get arrested; it's up to individual members to make the statement and face the (often unfair) consequences.
Among the CodePinkers whom I have befriended on Facebook (there are 5-6 at least), only one is actively engaged in civil disobedience. And we all respect each other's decisions to engage/not engage in civil disobedience.
One reason I don't engage in civil disobedience is because of my iffy gender/ID status. They'll put me in men's jail - where they should be putting Mann Coulter instead. This hasn't stopped Midge Potts from her own civil disobedience, but I am not her.
sparrow
If I had my own place, I would be happy to have you over for the cold season. It never gets colder than 55 (in the daytime) in Southern California - though you do have to work harder, because this is where the Reagan Revolution started, after all.
I don't have my own space now, so I can't offer you a place this year. This time next year, you're more than welcome however...
Ralpheh
If Des actually touched Condi, then arrest is fair game - though arresting the ENTIRE CodePink contingent was definitely uncalled for.
I don't think Des touched Condi, however.
sparrow said:
WOZ,
You're doing great on the new blog--posting pictures and stuff. It's hard getting use to. If you want me to send you coding via the email, let me know. It becomes a little clearer when you can practice on your own.
>>>>>>
Yes please, sparrow. I'd love to do the things properly. I still don't actually have the pictures mastered because I have to load them into flickr instead of googles picasa where all my pics reside right now.
Woz,
I'll work on it tomorrow and send you an attachment with very special instructions.
We are about to leave this topic and move to one from DiAnne. I hope the conversations that are topic-specific continue and thanks to everyone who posted on this thread. The DCP is also a democracy cell and it is through serious discourse that we all grow and learn from each other.
I personally would like to continue to think about the "Theory of Activism", especially as a practical and practiced way to be more effective and less frustrated. I hope we can all continue to talk about this here and at the Open Thread.