Two nights ago, I viewed a documentary – “The Weather Underground” – which detailed a marginally known group whose aim was the violent overthrow of the American government. The tumultuous 1960s were the setting for this group of privileged white college students who felt such discontentment with the federal administration and its military involvement in Vietnam, they decided to initiate change through random bombings and violent acts against both government and civil targets.
The Weathermen, as the group was named, were an offshoot of the national group, Students for a Democratic Society. They came to their violent methodology after years of peaceful protest, in their opinion, had no effect on U.S. policy in Southeast Asia. The group attempted to ally themselves with the militant Black Panthers and recruit members from colleges and working class neighborhoods in order to form a citizen resistance wing for the “imminent” civil war they saw looming.
“Bring the War Home” was their slogan and was a fine example of the anger and childlike disorganization the so-called rebels felt. The problem that resulted in the group’s ineffectiveness, among other things, was its means of violence and terrorism as a way to obtain its objectives. These white kids of priviledge who attempted to form militias and build weapons of destruction and at the same time rationalized an American public as expendable for not being “with them”accomplished nothing but their own destruction as well as that of many innocents.
When a small group has radical ideas which they hope to extrapolate to the apathetic public of a peaceful, civilized nation, the way to go about it is not through force. Rather it is through degrading the chosen enemy and forcing them into a humiliating public campaign of face-saving.
With that being said, creating informal social change in a “free” environment is a matter of making your opponent appear foolish, unorganized and therefore unattractive.
Assuming the necessary manpower is in place, begin first with a massive flyering campaign. Depict the contradictions and lies of your target. Place the flyers everywhere. Erect large posters and the like in opportune areas such as visible abandoned building fronts and locations out of quick reach i.e. billboards. Use leaflets and document-size versions attached to anything that will allow. Get creative.
Flood common areas and gatherings of like – and unlike-minded individuals. Do not appear crass or vulgar; appear serious but extract a laugh at the expense of the bad guy through on-the-spot speeches and witty sloganeering. Tap all economic classes and design your message to cater to differing social groups.
Carry out this campaign with devotion and extend contact information to interested parties. Allow a buzz to build and delicately construct a continually distributed platform. Hold meetings and discussions but remain peaceful in your resolutions. Continue until a comfort level is obtained and you’re ready to forge ahead.
At this point, your quarry may think enough of you to tear down your flyers. Stage two will confront them with the need for further action.
Non-aggressive sabotage. Lock the doors to their facilities with Master locks and heavy-duty chains. Cut the power to their base of operations during key time periods. Create false alarms that set off water sprinklers and induce confusion from within by disrupting communications and transit of people and goods to and from their operational base.
Prevent the adversary from its smooth daily activity with randomness and wit.
Showcase the weakness and stupidity of the organization and its inability to react with smarts to such a situation and its supporters will recognize the faults and lose faith in the organization. The bigger the institution, the more porous and vulnerable.
From here your supporters will grow like weeds. Ensure none of them desire violence, then organize large acts of civil disruption i.e. sit-ins and acts that clog the foe’s arteries of interchange. Once your group becomes regular media darlings for “grass-roots resistance and power to the people democratic change,” you’ll be a lock with the passive public. Embrace them. Keep your mantra the same as its always been; resist change in focus until the primary objective is achieved.
Whether the target is a corporation, institution, form of government or person of interest, killing is not a rational choice within a democratic society. It is one that should be taken into account as a possible action perpetrated by the archenemy upon the rebelling parties . Unconventional social change will not be enacted through fear tactics but rather by coordinately altering the hearts and minds of the public through an artful, charismatic campaign of creating disillusionment.
Ian James is a senior in art and journalism and is the arts editor of The Lantern. He has no interest in starting or leading a revolution at this time. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
