Category Archives: Uncategorized

Tracing the progress of same sex marriage

Posted on December 14, 2012 by David S. Meyer

Molly Ball’s excellent article in The Atlantic traces the development of the ongoing campaign for marriage equality.  Ball notes that 2012 was a watershed for the gay rights movement; after losing in state referenda 31 times, advocates of gay marriage … Continue reading →

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Movement overreach in Michigan

Posted on December 12, 2012 by David S. Meyer

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder blamed the unions when he signed legislation designed to devastate them.  He said that he had no intention of pursuing “right to work” legislation in his state, because it would be controversial and divisive.  The last … Continue reading →

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Occupy outcomes: community, rhetoric, and law

Posted on December 7, 2012 by David S. Meyer

The influence of successful social movements generally plays out over a longer time than the movements themselves. What happens afterwards is complicated and contingent, and activists aren’t always quick to claim credit for what they’ve done. Nationally, Occupy effected a … Continue reading →

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The Tea Party versus the Republican Party (again)

Posted on December 6, 2012 by David S. Meyer

The Republican Party in Congress is riven between legislators who want to represent their politics clearly and consistently and others who want to govern.  We often score the first group as acolytes of the Tea Party, but it’s a little … Continue reading →

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December 1, 1955

Posted on November 30, 2012 by David S. Meyer

Fifty-seven years ago today, Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama.  When local activists learned about her arrest, they organized a city-wide boycott and filed a lawsuit, kicking an emerging civil rights … Continue reading →

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Naked truth; nude protests and the politics of attention

Posted on November 28, 2012 by David S. Meyer

Obviously, she wasn’t armed. The story is that Lady Godiva rode through the streets of Coventry naked on a dare some time in the 11th century.  After repeatedly complaining to her husband, Leofric, who had imposed those taxes, she took … Continue reading →

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Occupy Sandy and mutual aid

Posted on November 26, 2012 by David S. Meyer

Piotr Kropotkin was an anarchist because he believed that absent government, people would help each other.  Born a Russian noble, Kropotkin renounced his title and spent his life as an activist and theorist, and proclaimed his allegiance to poor.  He … Continue reading →

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Occupy and the 2012 elections

Posted on November 23, 2012 by David S. Meyer

Unlike the Tea Party, the Occupy movement wasn’t visibly invested in the elections.  Occupy groups didn’t endorse candidates, even candidates who came out of the Occupations.  Occupy groups didn’t raise money for the elections, didn’t form PACs, much less SuperPacs, … Continue reading →

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Workers of the world (at least Europe) unite

Posted on November 14, 2012 by David S. Meyer

For Marx and Engels, “workers of the world unite” was invective.  Today it’s descriptive.  Across Europe, but particularly in countries implementing harsh austerity regimes, workers are taking to the streets, sometimes landing in violent clashes with police. The global financial … Continue reading →

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The Tea Party and the 2012 elections: part III

Posted on November 14, 2012 by David S. Meyer

Tea Party groups supported Republican nominee Mitt Romney and many Congressional candidates.   They lost the presidency.  They made no new gains in Congress; some Tea Partiers lost their seats, and some–like Minnesota’s Michele Bachmann, barely held on.  It wasn’t a … Continue reading →

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