Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Give 'em the Stylish Boot: A serious blog

I have always been a fan of making full use of my 1st Amendment rights and I have never shied away from putting myself in harm's way to express my views, or point out something I disagree with, or whatever. Basically, protesting and demonstrating, in an form, is a blast. You never feel as alive or free until your standing nose-to-nose with a cop.

What got me talking about this crap, you ask? Recently a reader forwarded me this gripping article of a troupe of Anti-Racist Action clowns shutting down a Vanguard News Network rally (read: comedy special).

There are certain events that require special treatment by activists: Parades require lock-downs, workshops require infiltration, world financial meetings require the Black Bloc. Now, all of these things have been tried when Nazis and bigots have a rally. I usually ends up in a bunch of angry 20-somethings trying to beat each other up. Which is fine. I have no problem with beating up Nazis. The thing is, it doesn't actually do anything. It gets our aggression out, but it doesn't actually affect them.

That's what creative protest is a helluva valuable tool for just about everything.
The Top Gun of which is the Biotic Baking Brigade. Hold all of the protests you want outside, the BBB will get in there and do the job right. Pie in the face.

It's the little things. Like the kids in Toronto painting their own bike lanes. Starting your won parade using hand-made inflatables. Or your good, old fashioned effigy.

Let's DO something!

(be back soon with something a little more light-hearted! -k)

No comments:

Post a Comment