Lessons for Trump Protesters from the Civil Rights Struggle
In a thought-provoking article penned by Matthew McIntosh, a strategy for undermining Donald Trump's presidency is proposed. Instead of directly attacking Trump, the focus is on appealing positively to his base by creating campaigns that fight for the positives that most of his supporters want and deserve - a just society for all.
However, the article does not specify which opponent within the Trump campaign protesters should target. The identity of this opponent remains unclear from the search results provided.
The article draws parallels with historical movements, such as the civil rights movement in the United States and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, emphasising the power of noncooperation as a tactic in nonviolent resistance. George Lakey, in his 2016 publication, discusses the strategic effectiveness of noncooperation in political protests.
According to the article, the most effective way to fight white supremacy is to ground the struggle in concrete, nonviolent direct action campaigns. This approach requires knowing what the opponent wants or needs, and refusing to comply, putting pressure on them to change.
The civil rights movement, which faced one of the most deeply-rooted and widespread terrorist organisations in U.S. history, proactively built power behind their own demands and fought nonviolently for their own goals. The historic 1963 March on Washington, which included a remarkable number of white working-class people, was for "jobs and freedom."
The advantage of current campaigns is that they can start from a higher place, taking into account the successes and mistakes of previous movements. For instance, Arizona trans organiser Ben Laughlin, who protested Trump's event in Arizona, believes that protesting Trump events is a way to reach out to working-class people who support Trump and take a stand against racism.
In New Zealand, a non-event was made out of a racist right-wing group's annual march when leftist activists went on strike and refused to protest in 2019. Similarly, in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, black people launched a bus boycott in response to threats from the Ku Klux Klan, turning the Klan's threat into a picnic by refusing to show fear and thereby frustrating the Klan's intentions.
The earliest known nonviolent campaign in history was Egyptian workers refusing to continue building the Pharaoh's tomb until they received a living wage. Bayard Rustin, King's leading strategist, warned that if the economy was not tackled head-on, terrible racism would still exist in 50 years.
In the context of the Trump campaign, the opponent may be Trump himself, as he has an agenda that gives protests a prominent place and benefits from the drama and defense they provide. However, the article suggests a more effective way to be bold and engage working-class people is to organise nonviolent direct campaigns for racial and economic justice, as suggested by George Lakey.
In conclusion, the article advocates for a strategic approach to countering Trump's presidency, focusing on positive campaigns that address the needs of his base and employing nonviolent direct action tactics to pressure for change. The historical examples provided demonstrate the power of this approach and its potential for success.
In light of the strategic approach proposed in the article for undermining Donald Trump's presidency, it's vital to focus on creating campaigns that fight for the positives desired by his base, rather than directly attacking Trump. Moreover, the article suggests that organizing nonviolent direct campaigns for racial and economic justice, as advocated by George Lakey, could be a more effective way to engage working-class people and pressure for change, rather than targeting Trump directly.
