The Limits of Activism

[LDAHL]

When does activism cross the line into harassment or worse? I would agree that storming the Capital certainly goes beyond, as would the customary death threats to officials or their families. But how about the mobs chanting outside a judge’s house, or the cast of a Broadway show haranguing a VP from the stage or groups pestering an official in a restaurant? Or doxxing someone whose politics you find odious?

Or more recently, Sen Sinema. Certain parties, finding maverick Arizona senators less admirable when they are Democrats, have been pursuing her into bathrooms and airplanes. Is that just “part of the process”, as the President has said?

[Yppej]

When XBF's current GF was being hostile to me the police said there had to be three separate incidents of harassment for them to do anything. I don't think a nonviolent one-off would qualify.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I recently had and took the opportunity to "harass" ie politely but absolutely unequivocally let known my disagreement, a politician at a function where they only expected to be kissing babies and petting puppies and giving insincere speeches belied by their record. They are supposed to govern horribly and we are supposed to fawn over them I suppose. But but vote. Yea but but gerrymandering ...

[catherine]

I think Gandhi and MLK defined the boundaries of civil disobedience. Non-violent, peaceful protest.

My heroes include many practitioners of civil disobedience. In addition to those listed above:
Thoreau
Susan B. Anthony
Dorothy Day
Rosa Parks
Kate Sessions (The Tree Lady)
Tank Man (Tiananman Square)

I don't think hate and harassment fit the mold of those who are really trying to effect meaningful change.

[LDAHL]

I recently had and took the opportunity to "harass" ie politely but absolutely unequivocally let known my disagreement, a politician at a function where they only expected to be kissing babies and petting puppies and giving insincere speeches belied by their record. They are supposed to govern horribly and we are supposed to fawn over them I suppose. But but vote. Yea but but gerrymandering ...

I’m guessing you didn’t film them in the bathroom though.

[LDAHL]

I think Gandhi and MLK defined the boundaries of civil disobedience. Non-violent, peaceful protest.

My heroes include many practitioners of civil disobedience. In addition to those listed above:
Thoreau
Susan B. Anthony
Dorothy Day
Rosa Parks
Kate Sessions (The Tree Lady)
Tank Man (Tiananman Square)

I don't think hate and harassment fit the mold of those who are really trying to effect meaningful change.

I’m inclined to agree with you.

[Yppej]

I’m guessing you didn’t film them in the bathroom though.

Gender neutral restrooms would make it easier to follow people in and do this.

[catherine]

I’m inclined to agree with you.

Wow. Isn't that twice in the span of just a couple of months? :)

Coincidentally, while I clean, I'm actually watching the movie "Romero" about Oscar Romero, with Raul Julia. Another hero.

[flowerseverywhere]

I could not agree with you more. Our enemies must be gleeful so much hate has been stirred up in the US. It is actually been happening around the world. Perhaps social media could be lending a hand?

[LDAHL]

Wow. Isn't that twice in the span of just a couple of months? :)

Coincidentally, while I clean, I'm actually watching the movie "Romero" about Oscar Romero, with Raul Julia. Another hero.

Well, my pantheon of heroes is quite a bit different from yours, but I agree there is a difference between civil disobedience and uncivil silliness.

[happystuff]

I think Gandhi and MLK defined the boundaries of civil disobedience. Non-violent, peaceful protest.

My heroes include many practitioners of civil disobedience. In addition to those listed above:
Thoreau
Susan B. Anthony
Dorothy Day
Rosa Parks
Kate Sessions (The Tree Lady)
Tank Man (Tiananman Square)

I don't think hate and harassment fit the mold of those who are really trying to effect meaningful change.


I’m inclined to agree with you.

And me as well. I would also add HH the 14th Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, Rev. Tutu, Mother Theresa, etc. to cover some of the religious change-makers.

It seems to me that when someone confronts in anger (or violence or negative harrassment, etc), the message is lost to the listener who has, more than likely, shifted into a protection/defensive mode rather than a listening mode.

[LDAHL]

It seems to me that when someone confronts in anger (or violence or negative harrassment, etc), the message is lost to the listener who has, more than likely, shifted into a protection/defensive mode rather than a listening mode.

This is true. If someone pestered me in the bathroom demanding my support against torturing puppies, I might be tempted to drop by the pet shop on the way home.

[ApatheticNoMore]

It seems to me that when someone confronts in anger (or violence or negative harrassment, etc), the message is lost to the listener who has, more than likely, shifted into a protection/defensive mode rather than a listening mode.

Well from my experience, I think they were in politician mode. So yes they appear to listen, but one cannot but sense how hardened and cold they are inside. It's a performance they do, and they have heard it all from constituents at one point, and don't really care. But this was no surprise to me with this one, it just was a brief up close "yea that's kind of what I thought they were like".

[Yppej]

Someone threw a mask in my yard overnight. They could come to the Board of Health meetings and debate me instead.

[LDAHL]

There was a funny headline in Newsweek about the poor activists who drove ten hours to chase Sinema at the Boston Marathon only to find that she didn’t show up.

But don’t worry. She has to pee sometime.