The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War signaled a continuation of modern protesting. Silent at first, those who protested the Vietnam War were adamant in their antebellum beliefs. The protests originally began as the combined frustration of pacifist and left-leaning students, but gained traction as the American government became more and more involved in war. The source of the public's anger stemmed from what they saw as the US government's tyrannical overreach in their lives. When the government decided to increase the draft of 3,300 young men in February of 1965 to 33,000 by March 1965, the American people took to the streets, campuses, and even marches on the Pentagon to demonstrate a right that the people of the Civil Rights era had utilized at all costs: civil disobedience. Acts such as draft card burning, flag burning, and even self-immolation (setting oneself on fire) became the newest way for Americans to express civil disobedience. The Vietnam War protests even bled into popular culture, when music festivals like the Woodstock Music and Art Fair became venues for protest. Artists, students, teachers, and concerned citizens came together to protest an unprecedented turn in American history.
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Black Lives Matter
On August 9th, 2014, a young man by the name of Michael Brown was shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson. Some witnesses claimed Brown had his hands in the air; others said he aggressively charged the officer. When it came down to a court decision, a jury (9 whites and 3 blacks) ruled that Officer Wilson wouldn't be indicted for Brown's death. In the months to come, the death of this young black man by a white police officer would spark waves of protest and even riots in his hometown of Ferguson, Missouri, which would eventually spread throughout the nation. An amassing of technology and the use of live webcams would unveil an ugly truth about America that hadn't been brought to light simply because they weren't being recorded as much: the Civil Right's Movement was far from over, and racism was still prevalent in America. Only this time, the focus was on the policing system.
Autopsy report of Michael Brown's shooting. Taken from Dr. Michael M. Baden, who conducted a private autopsy at the request of Michael Brown’s family.
A revival of the spirit of the Civil Right's Movement began. Protests in Missouri started as protests against the untimely death of Michael Brown: they mourned the loss of a young man simply because he committed petty theft and may have moved towards an officer-unarmed. However, riots and looting engulfed Ferguson and drowned out the voices of the nonviolent protestors, turning much of the American public's opinion against the protestors. Amid the bedlam, these protestors-called Black Lives Matter (BLM)-continued to protest across the country, despite being hated and slandered by many Americans. BLM has been condemned as "inherently racist" by people such as Rudy Giulani, the former mayor of New York City. He even went so far as to claim that "black children have a 99% chance of killing each other...that's how they're gonna die" (Taylor, Goldie). The deaths of Freddie Gray, Eric Garnet, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, and many other young black Americans spurred BLM to commit acts of civil disobedience, such as protesting without permit, blocking highways and camping out at prominent buildings. What makes Black Lives Matter unique is that their overarching vision of what they want to accomplish isn't complete just with police transparency and an end to systemic racism; BLM members want to achieve visibility and support for the less-recognized members of their community. Black women, families, transgenders, and LGBTQ members are all lifted up as members of a "village" that deserve rights and recognition as much as another other person. By fighting for black rights they, "are committed to collectively, lovingly and courageously working vigorously for freedom and justice for Black people and, by extension all people" (Garza, et. al). Black Lives Matter is committed to fight for restorative justice for all, and in the process isn't afraid to commit civil disobedience to make it happen.
"We are committed to building a Black women affirming space free from sexism, misogyny, and male‐centeredness. We are committed to embracing and making space for trans brothers and sisters to participate and lead. We are committed to being self-reflexive and doing the work required to dismantle cis-gender privilege and uplift Black trans folk, especially Black trans women who continue to be disproportionately impacted by trans-antagonistic violence.We are committed to practicing empathy; we engage comrades with the intent to learn about and connect with their contexts. We are committed to disrupting the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, and especially “our” children to the degree that mothers, parents and children are comfortable.We are committed to embodying and practicing justice, liberation, and peace in our engagements with one another"- From the creators of Black Lives Matter, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometti, on the Principles of Black Lives Matter.
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Green Day's Revolution Radio from their 2016 album titled Revolution Radio. Written by Billie Joe Armstrong, produced by Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool. I do not own this song, and all rights belong to Green Day.
"Scream with your hands up in the sky Like you want to testify For the life that's been deleted Sing like a rebel's lullaby Under the stars and stripes For the lost souls that were cheated We will be seen but not be heard..." Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong was inspired to write this song after spending time with Black Lives Matter protestors. When interviewed about the song by Rolling Stone magazine, he said "The idea came to him in New York two years ago when he ran into a Black Lives Matter protest; before he knew it, [he] had gotten out of his car and was walking up Eighth Avenue with the throng" (Hiatt, Brian, & Greene, Andy). He remembered, "I was screaming, 'Hands up, don't shoot...I felt like I was on the right side of history. It's like something is breaking in the world". "We are revolution radio Operation no control and the headline My love's bulletproof Give me cherry bombs and gasoline Debutantes in surgery and the headline Legalize the truth" |
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Green Day's Say Goodbye from their 2016 album titled Revolution Radio. Written by Billie Joe Armstrong, produced by Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool. I do not own this song, and all rights belong to Green Day.
"Say goodbye to the ones that we love Say goodbye to the ones we love Say goodbye to the ones that we love Goodbye to the ones that we love..." Say Goodbye is one of the most fiery, yet most simple scores from Revolution Radio. The powerful chords and jarring images from the lyric video make a direct connection to the trouble in the streets which has influenced Black Lives Matter protests. Singer and songwriter Billie Joe Armstrong was responding to images of armored military-style vehicles in the streets of Ferguson, Missouri. Billie Joe stated, "I was like, 'What country do I live in? How is this different from the Arab Spring?" (Hiatt, Brian, & Greene, Andy). "Violence on the rise Like a bullet in the sky Oh Lord have mercy on my soul Kindred Spirits sing For the sick and suffering (the suffering) The city of damage control This is how we Roll..." |
Keystone/Dakota Access Pipeline
Trump Protests
One of the basic tenets of Civil Disobedience is the principle that the health of our country must be ensured by the people because it is a country of the people. As such, all Americans have a civil duty to oppose any person, action, or strategy that threatens the United States because the welfare of our nation is, at its most basic, the welfare of the American person.
Activist groups, environmentalists, civil rights activists, and various grassroots movements did just that when they encountered what they believed was a threat to the very diversity of our culture: Donald Trump.
Aghast at his comments on minorities such as on Muslims, women, and Mexicans, they took to the streets after his successful presidential run to demonstrate their objection to his presidency. Yet the very intentions of the protests varied widely. Many protested against racism in our society. Crowds frequently protested the future presidency. However, more often than not, the protesters understood that their actions would have no effect on whether or not Trump became president. Instead they used protesting as a means of solidarity.
Aghast at his comments on minorities such as on Muslims, women, and Mexicans, they took to the streets after his successful presidential run to demonstrate their objection to his presidency. Yet the very intentions of the protests varied widely. Many protested against racism in our society. Crowds frequently protested the future presidency. However, more often than not, the protesters understood that their actions would have no effect on whether or not Trump became president. Instead they used protesting as a means of solidarity.
“Just knowing that you're not alone in this country is a powerful salve. And knowing there are people that want to continue to fight for a more perfect union is a source of strength at a moment that can feel very scary.” -Wikley (Gold)
The demonstrations proclaimed that despite Trump's election there were still citizens that would fight for equality and ensure justice for all ethnic groups. Just like many others protests throughout time, these demonstrations raised awareness. Only this time the audience was not the high-up elite but rather the marginalized. Nevertheless, it used the same tactics as every boycott, protest, and demonstration during the history of our nation: the power of the people working together.