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Last Revised: AUGUST, 1993

GRANMA NUDGE

THE OLD 'HOW SHALL WE PROTEST' DEBATE

by MARY MOORE

In a recent feature article in Santa Rosa's Press Democrat, (7/18/93) Linda Goldston wrote about the differing styles of protest among the pro-choice forces as if this were a new phenomenon. As examples she used BACORR (Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights) to represent the "radical" style vs. Planned Parenthood and National Organization for Women as representing the more staid or mainstream style. Well, O.K., but this is hardly news as the issue of "how we dress" and "how we protest" has been acted out and debated among progressive forces for probably several centuries. There must have been liberals around the Boston Tea Party who were sure that spilling all that tea overboard would "alienate those we are trying to reach!!" As long as there has been oppression and injustice the oppressed have fussed and fueded with each other about the most effective way to overcome it!!

I remember very clearly in the early 1960's in San Luis Obispo when I first became involved in what has been called the Civil Rights movement that many of the "leaders" in our community felt the national tactics were much too radical and would do more damage than good. We had a small group of blacks and whites called the FAIR PLAY COUNCIL that went door to door in the community talking to people about fair housing and fair employment. We always dressed so as not to offend and there was a split in our group as to whether we should network with the state and national groups that were forming everywhere. There were those that felt we should not be publicly identified with those whose tactics might offend. I was much too young and inexperienced then to understand that this kind of logic busting conservatism is self defeating.

Later when I moved to Los Angeles and started doing support work for the Black Panthers and others I often wondered how the folks back in S.L.O. would feel. The same split showed up in the anti-war movement that was following on the heels of the civil rights movement and then I noticed it again in the second emerging of the womens' movement. It took me years to understand that this kind of disagreement was absolutely predictable and we could spend our time and energy arguing about it or we could agree to disagree and use our time and energy to do our work in the ways that seemed most suitable to who we were.

Then I moved to Sonoma county and spent the first few years of my activism in the anti-nuclear movement here defending such things as civil disobedience as a tactic as well as how activists should dress and deport themselves. There was a strong attempt by some to put us all in panty hose and suits and ties. I actually had a disagreement with Helen Caldicott about this while we were driving her home after her first appearance in Sonoma County (1979). We saw eye to eye on everything else but she felt we should go the panty hose route and just think of it as a costume. I tried to explain that the middle class was not the only segment of society that we needed to outreach and wearing panty hose, suits and ties was not very practical when one was roaming about the back hills of Diablo for example. Fortunately Helen got alot more radical as time went on.

Another example that really sticks in my mind happened in the early '80s when we brought Bill Wahpepah, John Trudell and others up here for an event. John was not well known then and he had recently lost his wife and child to the fire that we all suspected was started by the feds. He read his poetry with his usual passion and was as awesome then as he is now and he and Bill talked about D.Q. University and other things going on in the Native American community. Afterwards a well known Sonoma County liberal activist cornered him (she was in panty hose) and told him he would be alot more "effective" if he weren't so ANGRY!!!! It was about then that I really started getting pissed about this attitude because it seemed to me that those who express themselves with passion and creativety are alot more tolerant of those who express themselves quietly and staidly than the other way around.

We have seen the same dynamic in recent years between the mainstream environmental movement and Earth First! Or the conservative elements in the Gay & Lesbian movement who want nothing to do with Act Up or Queer Nation. Catering or playing to the timids does not further the cause as we are seeing with Clinton's solution to gays in the military.

So this latest flap about the split over styles in the pro-choice movement should be put in its proper perspective. It's nothing new at all. I want to offer support to all you sisters with purple hair and rings in your noses that offended your more staid sisters. Don't change who you are for anyone and for those of you who can't handle it, go read some good history books (like Howard Zinns for starters) and learn how social change happens. It's not from holding back!! Return to Columns Page Return to Sonoma CountyFree Press Home Page