Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Countermovements


A countermovement is a social movement that is in direct opposition to the ideology of a different social movement. An example would be that of pro-choice versus pro-abortion. Both social movements have protests, hold marches, attract politicians, and solicit funds.

The Occupy Wall Street protests can be considered a social movement. They have taken to the streets and occupied not just a large area in New York, but are also occupying areas in a large number of other cities across the United States. I believe it is safe to say that after 20+ days, this social movement has its legs.

Despite the fact that it was initially funded by leftist-progressive organizations, they have successfully exploited America's rage at the banks and at the politicians. That has created sort of a "big tent" movement that brings such normally opposed groups as socialists, communists, libertarians, and anarchists to march underneath the same banner.

One thing I see lacking, however, is a countermovement. Many of the demonstrating groups are holding up signs and chanting anti-Tea Party rhetoric. Certainly the support of Moveon.org and many other progressive groups who have previously denigrated the Tea Party would seem to peg these protests as a countermovement to the Tea Party.

Yet many of their stated goals are the same. Of course history is full of movements that had one stated goal and another more sinister secret goal. Hitler's Brownshirts and Mao's Red Guard come to mind. However this group appears on its surface to have no legitimate heirarchy. There is no party headquarters, whether offical or unofficial. Many believe that "party headquarters" for this movement actually resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but so far Obama has maintained his distance from the movement. That in itself seems somewhat suspicious as the narcissist-in-chief normally sticks his nose in everything.

So as this OWS movement continues to develop, I'm curious as to where its countermovement lies. Even the angry mobs in the streets of Paris during the French Revolution had their countermovement. The American patriots had their Tories. The Hutu had their Tutsi. While we mock and ridicule much of the goofiness coming from the OWS, snark does not a countermovement make. Especially when you consider that we aim our snark in equal portions across GOP candidates, Obama, the OWS, and the ineffectual Tea Party. Sooner or later someone has to take to the streets and the knives come out.

So while part of me keeps an eye on this movement and another eye towards food stockpiles and ammunition, the historian in me wonders exactly where this movement is paralleled in history. Recent comparisons I've seen to the revolutionaries in 1776 America are laughable. Slightly closer is Mao's student revolution. That turned out pretty bloody for everyone involved and generally could be said to have resulted in a much lower freedom quotient for China's citizens.

Where does this social movement lead? Only time will tell, and time is running short.

3 comments:

InvalidID said...

One has to wonder... Obama did what most standing presidents would do, he gave the I feel your pain speech. Thing is, no one believes him. From what I've gleaned at the Portland protest, and what the Politico reports of the DC protest, people aren't exactly friendly towards Mr. Obama either.

So, if this is in fact an engineered protest started by the left I have to ask why. Why protest your own man? Why protest the things done by your own people? Lastly, who says the left is the only party owned by big money anyway. 1.4 billion dollars in donations from Wall St. so far, and it's split almost equally among both parties. Goldman for example donates large amounts to both sides of the isle.

Was it meant to drum up support for the left and got out of control? Did the left mistake the gullibility of the masses? Or did a lot of uncounted people decide to show up as well? Did the silent majority just find their voice?

I honestly don't know. Having been to one of these things I can say I support a lot of the folks down there. I support a lot of the ideas, like ending the Fed, or jailing crooks. Not so much with the hippie cities, but I suppose they do keep the energy going.

I do say I support peoples right to protest provided they don't get out of hand. So if it's a government show down that's looming... My support (for now) is with the people. Even if it's from my bunker and only in spirit... LOL

Blue Duck said...

I thnk ya hit it on the head Ernesto.... okokokok dont send yer wife after me with the fry pan....

We see a lot of issues that many folks can get behind, just not all of them, but the folks pushing this right now or who have stepped up to say THEY are behind the idea, have a whole nother agenda to push and not what OWS is all about.

Ive followed the Anonymous press on facebook on this issue cause i thought why take someone elses word for it, and well its interesting to see Anonymous did organize this like they have other things and now Van jones has stepped in to take dredit and Anonymous really dont like him or Soros.... but folks who claim to be goody goody and tea party members pooh pooh these folks and aint giving them credit for being tenacious.... however violence may erupt and our freedoms will be once again taken advantage of and the communists will have a short opportunity to sieze control of a whole lotta ground while america sleeps and is watching somewhere else.

William
Idaho

Wintersong Farm said...

I think the strategy is pretty simple. Get the people angry to the point of bursting, and then show them a target.