Malek Sidani, Reporter
@mmscourant
Throughout history, America has seen its share of different social movements. Each with a cause, each with a deep past of struggle, each with a call for change, each taking a stand for the bettering of our country. But in recent times, as clashing of protesters and counter protesters has become more and more common, a new type of movement has appeared in the SJW scene (though leaders of these movements would surely cringe at the acronym). For all intents and purposes, these movements merely exist to devalue others and their causes. They are founded on being provocatory, and firmly grounded in absolutely nothing. They are what I like to call anti-movements.
Dramatic intro aside, I’m talking about the “Men’s Rights Activists”, “Straight Pride”, and “All Lives Matter” movements, and more specifically everything wrong with them. First off, their names alone already reek of insensitivity. They’re obviously meant to reflect as opposites of Women’s Rights Activists, Gay Pride, and Black lives matter, but the problem is that this reflection is pretty shallow. That’s because on one side, there’s years of real suffering, injustice and fighting for their rights, and on the other side, there’s nothing. Unless you count two terms of Obama. Which I don’t.
Remember that time a man wasn’t allowed a job merely because he was a man? Remember that time a man was pinned to the side of the road until he died for using a counterfeit bill merely because the police were discriminatory towards whites? Remember when that college student was beaten to death because he was straight? Neither do I.
The fact is, the only thing these protesters are a victim of, is privilege. They’re not oppressed, they’re not victims, and they certainly aren’t minorities. So what is their purpose? Why do they march? And what do they want to change?
One goal of these groups that seems indisputable is being provocatory. They know that whenever they march to protest, there’ll be an equally outraged group of counter protesters there, rain or shine. Which is exactly what they want. But what is rather peculiar about this tactic, is that these groups, in order to offend others, have to offend themselves. Protesters at a “Straight Pride Parade” in Boston chanted “Don’t hate the straight.”, which I think perfectly sums up a lot of what’s behind this movement: misinterpretation.
These movements see any celebration or pride of one people as a declaration of war on their own. And this is simply not the case. The reason these Black Lives Matter, Gay Pride, and Women’s rights groups march is for two reasons. One is to spark change. An excellent example is the current protests against police brutality across the country following the murder of George Floyd. The other reason, one I think is equally important, the fact that they can protest. An excellent example of this: Gay Pride marches. These marches are more than members of LBGT marching in a declaration of their pride. They’re a celebration of their right to be proud, and of the past struggles that have gotten their community to the place it is today. The last thing any of these movements wants is for white people or straight people or men to hate themselves.
Or at least, these movements as a whole. Unfortunately, it’s a cruel fact that in today’s political environment, there will always be radicals. There are certain individuals who do in fact turn movements of liberation into the opposite. Looters, for instance, have taken advantage of the recent Black Lives matter protests by wreaking havoc on businesses. In the feminism movement too, many advocates have been called out for hating men rather than promoting gender equality. But these instances are few and far between. Honestly, the fact that these few cases end up representing the entire movement in the eyes of these anti-movements just proves just how much misinterpretation goes into how these movements operate.
Because by misinterpreting these movements, accidentally or on purpose, and by furthermore choosing to be offended and even protesting or counter protesting, white supremacists have proved quite successful in their efforts to at least infuriate entire communities. Which is exactly what they have in mind.
But the fact is that no one is telling them they can’t be proud of who they are. Because they absolutely can be, and no one will stop them. In fact, no one has ever stopped them, and most likely no one ever will stop them. Which is precisely why marching is so insensitive. When such privileged groups march, they’re enjoying rights they’ve always had. They’re not fighting for anything. They’re not honoring anyone. So to suggest they’re anything like the movement’s their names reciprocate is sheer lunacy.That’s what this all comes down to. Institutionalization. Even if Black Lives Matter, Gay Pride, and Women’s Rights movements were about animosity towards more privileged groups, which they aren’t, it wouldn’t be the same. African Americans endured almost 100 years of slavery. Even after that, it was another 100 years till segregation ended. Even now, African’s are still suffering economically from their past, not to mention consistent racist police brutality that they often fall victim to. As for women, they’ve only been allowed to vote 100 years, and it’s almost a common occurrence to see men be accused of rape or sexual misconduct, which so often goes unnoticed or unpunished. Gays have struggled too. For years, members of the LGBT community have been thrown in psychiatric wards against their will for “conversion therapy”, which at the time involved shock treatment and lobotomy. It’s shocking to think same sex marriage has only been legal for five years. That right there is the difference. The law. When laws favor one group over another, and don’t grant equal rights, that is suffering. That is worth marching for. That is worth celebrating.
