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My assumption is that it’s a reference to the French Revolution, when the people rose up against their privileged wealthy oppressors.
I assumed it was a reference to the French Revolution and therefore the former.
Well yea. They murdered them. Do you think that is a productive way to have the conversation around wealth inequality in the country - by referencing an implement of murder against rich people?
I don’t believe that a productive conversation will convince rich people to give up their wealth and power.
Neither are veiled threats. No one (or very few) are going to voluntarily give up their wealth and power. I wouldn't if I had it. The problem is systemic and needs to be fixed at that level. JMHO
Do you view it as a physical threat to Bezos's safety? I think I'd agree with you if I did, but I see it much more as a political statement well within the bounds of political protest.
I would view it as a physical threat in the same way we viewed the Bubba Wallace noose thing last week when that story first came out.
I guess I'll need to change my stance if this is how most people interpret it. I view it as purely symbolic but I guess that's not widely shared. It's not a good protest symbol if it is so misunderstood.
No. I don't believe that whoever did that, assuming it is true, is planning on murdering Jeff Bezos. But it can easily be spun that way which is why I said it was unproductive. Oh there's the crazy left/antifa/radical left/etc threatening violence again and then people stop listening, even the ones who may be convinced to your side. I didn't say it was illegal, just unproductive. I may be naive in this day and age but I just don't think winning hearts and minds to effectuate change is best done with violent imagery or implied threats. There's enough data and reasoned argument to be had on this topic without bringing in what I consider an emotional response rooted in anger.
This is a good analogy and I think there's a lot to think about when comparing the two (let's assume the noose had actually been put there to send some sort of message).
I do want to add a point that the French Revolution, while sometimes romanticized, was a pretty ugly and bloody time in history where there weren't many "good guys" on either side.
I didn't realize that could be a reason. I still voted "don't like it," because it is a harsh message to send, and it could clearly be taken the wrong way.
Well I've already backtracked a lot because it seems like the message isn't being made very clearly.
Didn’t they make a movie about this? Except I think it was an orbiting satellite rather than gated castles.
In the context of a protest, yes. Both are instruments of death used as props for political theater.
I don't understand.
This is the problem though imo. You might appreciate the nuance of what those protesters are trying to say, but most people won't. I see it as similar to "Defund the Police". These kinds of statements are fine for energizing those who already believe in the cause, but do little to draw in individuals who need a bit more convincing or perhaps lack awareness. And how effective is a protest really if it fails to do the latter two things?
What I mean is that this country has a history of black people being lynched that is scarily recent. Lots of people alive today were around when lynchings were still going on. That's an extremely fresh wound and a very powerful symbol in this country today.
In any protest movement the people who attract the most attention are, inevitably, the extremists. This is then followed by those who oppose the movement focusing solely on the extremists in an attempt to demonize everyone who is protesting. The key to the success of any protest whether or not the general public accepts or rejects the demonizing attempt.
1. Just because the protesters are extreme doesn't mean their message has to be extreme.
I'm going out on a limb and guessing "White".
Not Our Wealthy White Men? That doesn't seem to flow very well and I'm not sure there is enough space there for five letters. My guess is it covers a mistake.
I remember when I was in 6th grade I was going to do my History Day project on the guillotine and its use and symbolism during the French Revolultion. Our principal, who apparently decided to audit these projects (IIRC - not really revelant why she became involved), saw that such was my topic and immediately vetoed it. To credit my teacher, she actually went to bat for me and requested the principal reconsider but was just given the reply of "it's too violent."*
