Yeah, it’s interesting that the curriculum starts by portraying the American revolution as a just and righteous war, with ragtag bands of freedom fighters going up against a brutal and overwhelmingly powerful oppressor… And then as soon as the revolution is concluded, the messaging takes a hard turn to “but also violence is never okay and peaceful protest is the only acceptable way to instigate change!”
In the chapters about the civil rights era, Malcom X and the Black Panthers were barely mentioned in a footnote. And only really as a “oh also not all people were peaceful, and that violence only hurt the protestors’ message” warning.
And the sad part is that the propaganda works. Every time some politically-charged violence happens, you inevitably have people in the comments chanting about how violence is never the answer, and peaceful protest is the only acceptable way to change things.
Born around 1985 here and…same.
I think the biggest disservice regarding the Civil Rights era is talking up MLK every year…and not once mentioning Malcom X or the Black Panthers.
MLK would have accomplished nothing if the alternative wasn’t them.
It paints the picture that hippies and marches are all that’s needed. It’s not. The oppressors need to feel unsafe.
Yeah, it’s interesting that the curriculum starts by portraying the American revolution as a just and righteous war, with ragtag bands of freedom fighters going up against a brutal and overwhelmingly powerful oppressor… And then as soon as the revolution is concluded, the messaging takes a hard turn to “but also violence is never okay and peaceful protest is the only acceptable way to instigate change!”
In the chapters about the civil rights era, Malcom X and the Black Panthers were barely mentioned in a footnote. And only really as a “oh also not all people were peaceful, and that violence only hurt the protestors’ message” warning.
And the sad part is that the propaganda works. Every time some politically-charged violence happens, you inevitably have people in the comments chanting about how violence is never the answer, and peaceful protest is the only acceptable way to change things.
Oh they do. Thats why “antifa” is a “terror org” now lmao