Inarguably the Boston Tea Party kicked off the American Revolution. The Colonists dissented against what they perceived as the British government instituting oppressive taxes upon them.
The event is essentially lionized in every public and private secondary educational history book. It is portrayed (I believe accurately) as the people rising up against a system that wass oppressing them.
The dissent was celebrated. Some 240 years later it was purported to be the inspiration and foundation of the Tea Party that was born out of what its founders considered a government suppressing their rights.
Dissent and protests are implicitly and explicitly encouraged in the United States Constitution. They are seen as essential to a healthy democracy and free republic.
However, since the Boston Tea Party and American Revolution most dissent in this country has been bemoaned and often demonized. And, it should be noted most of that dissent has come from left of the political center.
The notable exception is the South's attempted secession. We all know about the Civil War and the perceived fight over "state's rights". While it is true the South had many issues with the North (The United States government) the primary issue eventually became the South's use of slavery and their insistence it was their right to employ slavery as a means of production.
But, since the Civil War any dissent or protest in this country has come from the left. And, regardless how peaceful it has or hasn't been it has always been demonized and labeled in some way "un-American" and "violent". This has been true from women's suffrage to prohibition to Civil Rights to the LGBTQ movement for equality.
Unquestionably instances of violence have occurred with each movement. In the cases of the Civil Rights Movement, Women's Rights, LGBTQ Movement and Occupy Wall Street the vast majority of protests were peaceful. Yet, they were labeled as violent and aggressive.
The exact same thing is happening now with the protests that arose over the last five weeks or so in the wake of the George Floyd murder in Minneapolis. Yes, there has been rioting and looting. In the last couple of weeks there has been the taking down of several Confederate statues and statues of figures seen as having problematic histories with race. However, most of the protests have been peaceful. The peaceful protestors and most of the allies of the anti-racist movement have repeatedly denounced the looting and rioting.
But, that has made little difference to the detractors of the protests and rightwing media whom has generalized the protestors and lumped all of them into a single group labeling them "thugs", "criminals", "anarchists" and "America hating".
Antifa and Black Lives Matter have become the boogeymen. Anyone displaying support for the fight against racism, racial inequality and police brutality are accused of being apart of Antifa or #BLM whether they are or not.
The common retort anytime anyone pushes back against the broad stroking or demagoguery is, "I don't have an issue with the peaceful protestors. It is the people who are rioting, taking down statues and torching Targets." This retort or anything similar is specious though. Because, the common tactic has been to label all the protests as "rioting and looting" and then strawman it.
This approach isn't new. It is the exact same one that was used against Dr. Martin Luther King and the Freedom Fighters of the Civil Right Movement.
It is chic for people today to praise Dr. Kimg lauding him as the standard bearer for how peaceful protesting is conducted. They claim he is a hero. The problem is their parents, grandparents, ancestors and in some cases themselves stigmatized MLK and the allies of the Civil Rights Movement as "troublemakers" and "ungrateful". They disparaged and lied calling them and their protests "violent" when they weren't. They said the marches and sit-ins were "riots". They lamented why the protestors couldn't just be quieter and do things differently-"more peaceful". Some questioned why were they protesting or if those protesting even knew why and what they were protesting. They bemoaned the chanting and claimed to support the cause but asked, "Why can't they be more peaceful?" When Dr. King and the others refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem they cried, "Why are they disrespecting the country and are so 'un-American'"? You often heard people say, "We love black people. We love everyone. We don't see color. We just need to get along. Can't we all just go back to normal? Don't let these troublemakers make things uncomfortable. They are poisoning your minds and making you believe things are worse than they are. The races have been getting along just fine. Things are good they way they are. Why do we have to upend everything? Sure, there are problems, but most people are decent and treat each other decently." (Mind you there were separate water fountains and public bathrooms. Even in the North restaurants were segregated.) Anyway, all of those things and more were constantly said. Any of it sound familiar?
Now, just like then, the contention wasn't really with the method of protest and dissent. It was with the protest and dissent themselves. A swath of this country has always been against any progress or true equality. Of course, many will clutch their pearls and be "offended" at that being said but we all know it is true. It is empirical that it is true.
The goalposts are always being moved. As far as the swath is concerned peaceful protest and non-violent dissent are unicorns. The protests can never be peaceful enough.
And, the thing is it isn't just the vociferous antagonists. The actual issue is the "moderates" Dr. King talked about. I don't mean white moderates. I mean moderates. In the 1960s like now you had poc bucking against progress and racial equality and justice. Just like now some hedged because of fear. Others because of self-hate or it interferes with their revenue stream. I have mentioned thousands of times before there is a lane for poc who want to grift and fetishize themselves by shitting on other poc and demonizing them. A very narrow but lucrative lane exists for poc to regurgitate far rightwing and white nationalists talking points regarding poc and marginalized communities. So, they have incentive to demonize any protest or dissent against systemic racism.
As for those white moderates, they are often the biggest opponent against any substantive real structural change. Unlike hardcore bigots and avowed racists they want racial harmony but not if it comes with any type of real price tag. They don't think they are superior to poc and want equality but not actual true equality. They are aware the current system provides them certain privileges and advantages even though they pretend they don't see it. It is why they spew pseudo-woke bullshit and get a little bowed up whenever any protest or dissent espouses talk of material change to the system.
Some recoil at the removal of these Confederate statues and figures with problematic history regarding racist. But, most relent and reluctantly give up obvious racist horseshit like Aunt Jemima because they realize giving in on symbolic gestures is way better than giving in on actual structural change. Do not get triggered because you know it's true.
While way too many black folks were foolishly getting hung up about semantics over Bernie Sanders views on reparations the establishment which many moderates of all stripes support were freaking out and having meltdowns about Sanders winning the Democratic nomination because they knew he was serious about deconstructing the white supremacist system we have and instituting one that actually works for everyone.
Dissent and protest in this country will always be fought against and demonized when it comes from the left. Because, more often than not that dissent and protest are looking to shake up the system as opposed to just cementing the implicit biases and status quo of the current system.
