Protests: The Struggle between Justice and Order

This weekend I was thinking a lot about protests. A big reason for this was the considerable coverage in my social media feeds of two very different protests. In the Mediterranean Sea, a group of peace activists, including Greta Thunberg, was attempting to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and deliver food and medical supplies to the starving Palestinians. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, activists took to the streets to protest arrests by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service. While these protests had little in common, the reaction to them did have some similarities. In both cases, authorities intentionally escalated events and, also in both cases, the protesters were criticized for having laudable goals but employing the wrong tactics. This follows an ongoing trend in which authorities appear less willing to tolerate even the most mild forms of protest and protesters are advised to adopt tactics that cause little, if any, disruption.

I have previously quoted from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter From Birmingham Jail", but I think the text remains essential food for thought when it comes to topics such as this. Here is one passage:

First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: ‘I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action’; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a ‘more convenient season.’ Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

King is describing the tension between support for justice that most people seem to profess and a desire for order that results in disruption not being tolerated. Increasingly, the only acceptable protest tactics are those that are not noticeable or can be easily ignored. Conversely, the public appears accepting of growing violence on the part of authorities. In both the Mediterranean and in Los Angeles, protesters have adopted peaceful forms of protest and been met by overwhelming force.

Let's start with the attempt to provide food and medical aid to Gaza. There have been several attempts over the years by activists to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and deliver assistance to Palestinians. In 2010, Israeli commandos attacked the Mavi Marmara, killing 9 passengers. I want to emphasize that was 2010, 13 years before the Hamas attack on Israel. That demonstrates just how long-running the Israeli blockade has lasted. In April of this year, the ship Conscience was apparently attacked by Israeli drones, causing its mission to deliver aid to Gaza to be cancelled. This weekend, the Madleen, whose passengers included Greta Thunberg, was attempting the same goal. It is interesting to note that when the Houthis of Yemen attacked shipping in international waters, the reaction of the U.S. was to launch bombing and missile attacks, killing hundreds of civilians. But when Israel attacks shipping in international waters, the U.S. is either silent or offers support. The Israeli government, for its part, treats attempts to provide food and medical supplies as an act of terrorism. In the case of the Madleen, Israeli commandos boarded the ship yesterday and took control of it. This was essentially an act of piracy. Currently, the passengers are being detained, and the ship has been diverted to Israel.

International law recognizes the right of resistance to occupation, including violent resistance. Yet, whenever Palestinians resort to violence, they are condemned as terrorists. They are tut-tutted by those in the West who tell them to use peaceful methods. However, when those like the passengers of the Madleen do exactly that, they are met with force and violence and still accused of being terrorists. Of course, one of the goals of this sort of protest is to generate an Israeli overreaction. To that extent, the voyage of the Madleen has been successful. It has brought attention to the stark reality of the Israeli starvation of Gazans and the unwillingness of the Israelis to allow even the most minimal provision of aid. It has put the unwillingness of European countries to defend their own citizens on clear display. Yet, Thunberg, once the darling of American liberals, is now more likely to be condemned and accused of antisemitism. Even attempting to provide baby formula to a starving population is apparently an unacceptable method of protest to many.

As for Los Angeles, the first thing that should be understood is that the events were completely orchestrated by the administration of cult leader, convicted felon, and failed President Donald Trump. Just over a week ago, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller complained that ICE was not arresting enough migrants. "Why aren’t you at Home Depot?", he demanded from ICE officials. So, this weekend, ICE went to Home Depot in Paramount, California, to arrest migrants. During the campaign, Trump promised to deport violent gang members. Instead, ICE is going after day laborers. There has been enough prior evidence, so no more should be necessary, but this is simply further proof that Trump and Miller are going after any undocumented residents, even those who are completely law-abiding. As now-suspended ABC News correspondent Terry Moran got himself in trouble for saying, Trump and Miller are world-class haters. Protestors first gathered at the Home Depot but then later in downtown Los Angeles. The protesters were remarkably peaceful with perhaps the most offensive aspect being poorly choreographed line dancing. The Los Angeles Police Department actually issued a statement commending the protesters for remaining peaceful. Trump's reaction was to send in the National Guard.

Unfortunately, there are a number of people who have no interest in peaceful protests. Peaceful protests simply don't serve their agenda. In many cases, such people will choose one of two tactics: 1) act like a peaceful protest was actually violent, or; 2) cause the peaceful protest to become violent. In the case of Los Angeles, both tactics were employed. A couple of Waymos and a shopping cart were set on fire. Who set them on fire? We have no idea. Could it have been protesters? Yes, it could have. But, it could have been agents provocateur or others who were not supportive of the protests. We know from earlier protests that so-called "accelerationists" frequently showed up to stoke violence. Regardless, these Waymos and the shopping cart became the central feature of a considerable amount of media coverage. A burning car and a man with a Mexican flag almost immediately became the symbol of the protests. Never mind that the image was far from the reality of the vast majority of the protests, it was the image that served a number of agendas. Trump used the specter of violence to justify deploying the National Guard against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsome and to suggest that U.S. Marines might follow.

Yesterday, peaceful protesters would engage in their First Amendment right of assembly. Police using tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets would attempt to disperse them. The police would physically push the protesters back. Any resistance was treated as a violent attack on police. This is how peaceful protests turned violent. It needs to be clearly stated that the authorities instigated the violence and bear full responsibility.

As I have been attempting to make clear in these blog posts, America is facing a fascist takeover. In fact, it is beyond facing at this point. We are living the reality. As Martin Luther King, Jr. noted, moderates struggle with the conflict between justice and order. The sight of a burning Waymo may push you towards order. But I urge you to look beyond the distorted image that is being presented. Do you want to live in a country in which people are swept off the street, prevented from receiving due process, and deported to foreign lands (or in some cases, renditioned to foreign gulags)? This is not about violent foreign gang members or even peaceful day laborers. There is no reason that it could not be you or one of your loved ones. More than one U.S. citizen has already been rounded up in this operation. Now is when justice must be put before order.