Protest is nothing new
Protest is not a phenomenon new to the latter half of the century, nor is
it something that ended in the sixties. Protest has long been a way that
the common people can assert power over the ruling class. The specific
tactics have differed and changed based on the goals of the protesters,
but the idea of, "Fight the powers that be", has pervaded throughout time.
Back in the Holy Roman Empire, the Slave Revolts, particularly the Two
Great Slave Wars in Sicily, in which prisoners escaped to the mountains by
the hundred, were attempts to improve the conditions of slavery. (Shaw,
1996) Sort of the corollary to the sit-in, don't you think? Jesus
protested against the ways of the time with his "turn the other cheek"
philosophy. Free love, anyone? Martin Luther and the Protestants
worked to changed the church by making declarations and posting them on
doors. Sounds like flyering to me. The Enlightenment was a sudden
revolt against the powerful churches in a major movement towards
science. The demand to appreciate what the students want to study rings
again in the free university. The American Revolutionary War? A
statement of demands followed by an active refusal of British rule? With
events like the Boston Tea Party, the parallels to major demonstrations,
even riots, show through.
As we move closer in time to eras nearer to our own, the movements
begin to look more like the well-known protest of the 60's. Within our
own century, major nonviolent action has also taken place during the 30's.
Led by students, these protests began in opposition to war, particularly in
Europe. Students were distressed that war continued after The Great War.
Students wanted to abolish ROTC. The Oxford Oath, brought to the United
States in 1933, had many students pledging "not to support the government
of the United States in any war it may conduct." A petition signed by students at 145 institutions
was sent to President Roosevelt. Poems like Remembrance of Things Past parallels the
protest songs of the 60's very closely. Many, though not a
majority of students were also Marxist, and the Young Communists had an
important say in anti-war organizations. Much attention was paid to
the working class and its organization. The students of the 30s
organized, wrote poetry, published newsletters, held demonstrations, and
so on. (Eagan, 1981) They sound pretty radical to me.
Much activism was lost at Pearl Harbor. Suddenly there was a direct
enemy to fight. After World War II, the Cold War. Then came our
well-known "sixties". Civil rights, socialism, feminism, free speech,
free love, flower children, all of it. It didn't all end with the rise
of disco, however.
In the late 1970's and in the 80s, many of the tactics of the previous
decades, including an emphasis on non-violence, along with civil
disobedience and a willingness to be arrested if necesary, persisted.. The
greatest uniting force was movement away from nuclear arms. Many students
also worked on issues surrounding governmental reform towards consensus,
feminism, gay and lesbian rights, and international human rights.
(Epstein, 1991).
I have used the 1930's and the late 1970's and 1980's to show that the
work of the 60s were not unique to the 60's. Activism come and goes in
waves. Admittedly, this is not a highly turbulent time. This doesn't
mean that if you find something wrong you should just ignore it. It
means that a lot of people need winding. Help get people involved, and
the best way to do that is to get involved yourself.
Related Pages
Protest is an effective mens of creating
change
Pitfalls of volunteeerism without
activism
The Perfect Standard and why it's bad
Don't wait for the ideal issue
It's OK to be a "one issue person"
So you're ready to start a movement
Republished with permission from
Activism 101 by kerig@sas.upenn.edu