History Shows That Sustained, Disruptive Protests Work

Sat, 29 Aug 2020 03:30:51 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.yesmagazine.org/opinion/2020/07/08/history-protests-social-change/>

"[...] most progressive victories in U.S. history did not enjoy majority
support when they were won. In case after case, a radical minority
disrupted the functioning of businesses and state institutions, which
sought to restore stability by granting concessions and ordering
politicians to do the same."

[...]

"Public opinion often shifts toward the radicals after the fact. In
1966, 59% thought the Vietnam War was “morally justified.” A decade
later, 70% said the war was “fundamentally wrong and immoral.” In the
years in between, radicals such as MLK had condemned U.S. intervention
in Vietnam as “one of the most unjust wars that has ever been fought in
the history of the world.” As usual, the radicals endured a barrage of
vitriol from respected commentators, and King and many others paid for
their radicalism with their lives."

Via Lisa Stranger, who wrote "You have to be willing to be “wrong” to be
on the right side of history"

Cheers,
        *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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Thu, 3 Sep 2020 07:28:00 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://www.yesmagazine.org/opinion/2020/07/08/history-protests-social-change/>

"But the biggest problem with the We-Must-Persuade-the-Majority argument
is that most progressive victories in U.S. history did not enjoy
majority support when they were won. In case after case, a radical
minority disrupted the functioning of businesses and state institutions,
which sought to restore stability by granting concessions and ordering
politicians to do the same."

Via Muse, who wrote "Great article about the power of sustained protests!"

Cheers,
        *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

Comment via email

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