Question #1: For your blog, in addition to reading the two of these, review at least two videos from theACT-UP Oral History Project. Then write about the question of direct action. Can it be justified? Under what circumstances? What tactics do you feel are legitimate? Are these rules different for different causes? ACT-UP was operating in an environment where the people they were advocating for were literally dying around them. Does that change your impression of the tactics?
I watched these two videos: Alexandra Juhasz (Interview #008 January 16, 2003 Power and Privilege) and Maria Maggenti (Interview #010 January 20, 2003 Lesbians for Bush) and thought about the question of direct action. Before and after watching these videos, I already believe in direct action and the power that it can hold. Juhasz talked about power and privilege and the mass outing of all the men in power who became infected, and how the movement to ACTUP initiated a change in thinking about AIDS and the gay community. She draws on the fact that AIDS is not only seen as a "gay disease" anymore and that gay men are in many places of power (still), only they are out now. I found Maggenti's discussion much more interesting, and was actually pleasantly surprised, not knowing what I would get with the "title" Lesbians for Bush. She described how she and a group of other activists infiltrated a republican conference, "disguised" as republicans and giving fake names and stories about how they were related to the party and the Nixon administration. She puzzled over how easy it was to fit in, even for the men in drag (haha!) and eventually came to the action part. With Lesbians for Bush signs and shirts, they started to yell "ACTUP!" at a preselected cue and did so for six minutes until escorted out of the building (while a "fat" woman played the piano and sang God Bless America over their voices....??!?). Maggenti's story was very interesting and while I am not sure about whether her action created any change, I think it was effective for awareness purposes.
I did not see these videos but they sound really interesting, especially the second one! What they did to reach their audience was very creative and a bit risky which are important for direct action. I think that any challenge to an authority or structure makes a difference or draws attention and thought even if no immediate effect or change is seen.
ReplyDelete