Progressive Participation Trophies?

Today, Sept 30 2018, you may have noticed a lot of folks with the social media profile pictures "blacked out". Apparently as a protest over the accusations made against President Trump's Supreme Court nominee.

I commend these activists for taking some action, but can't help but think that this may be an example of a mentality that may actually give a criticism that the authoritarian followers that people like Trump rely on have about what has come to be known as #TheResistance.

Many on the American Right, and perhaps elsewhere, want to blame the culture of the last twenty or so years for the rise of activism. They seem to single out the Millennial Generation that became the apparent base of Bernie Sanders's movement and the driving force behind much of the activism since Trump's election.

To these people, a culture that rewards people for merely showing up has produced a generation that feels entitled. The "participation award" to the right, has led to #MeToo, #NotOneMore and #MedicareForAll. They can't see that an American youth culture that has become diverse and connected may be behind some this. Electing a man who sounds at times like George Wallace, Strom Thurmond, or a European Fascist can't have anything to do with young people leading the way either.

But the same technology that can connect, can also give a false sense of accomplishment. Sharing a post, liking something on a social media page or changing a profile picture is not comparable to being "boots on the ground". Yes, a person may get some harsh feedback, but that will not hurt as much as a police officer's baton or a bat wielded by a white supremacist.

If a person really wanted to voice displeasure with the Kavanaugh hearings. Instead of blacking out a picture, they should have volunteered at a woman's shelter, or done a clothing drive for a women's shelter. They should have phone banked or canvassed for Planned Parenthood or a local women's organization.

As one of my fellow activists once told me: "A pair of boots on the ground is worth fifty social media 'likes'".