Going All In - Participation 301
Are elected officials still failing to act? Or even to acknowledge the legitimacy and popularity of your cause? It might be time to take things to the next level…
Direct Action
If you’re struggling to get elected officials to take your concerns seriously and not able to attract much public notice or media attention, “direct action” can be an extremely useful tactic.
Direct action is a term that encompasses many different types of activity that involve people going beyond the spoken and written word and disrupting business as usual, whether that’s in public space or economic institutions. That could mean rallies, protest marches, sit-ins, labor strikes, tenant strikes, consumer boycotts, financial divestment, and more.
There are many good books and online resources on the power of nonviolent direct action and we encourage you to read them. This is An Uprising by Paul and Mark Engler is an especially useful introduction to the topic. Many of its lessons from the experience of civil resistance movements from across the world are embodied in the Momentum institute which helped give birth to the Sunrise Movement and Dream Defenders.
Know that even nonviolent direct action may meet fierce blowback from authorities and violent repression from the police. Do your homework and work with experienced direct action organizers so you don’t get surprised by anything that happens.
The question for people pursuing direct action is whether they can use the media and public attention they get to swing popular opinion in their direction so much that the elected officials don’t feel like they have any choice but to sit down and work out a deal. Even then there are limits. That’s the subject of our next section.
Electoral Power and the Limits of Advocacy and Direct Action
The Black Lives Matter uprising in June 2020 was the largest and most widespread protest movement in U.S. history. It both represented and generated a huge shift in public opinion about policing and anti-Black racism. Yet despite the massive protest and opinion shifts in LA, we have yet to see major policy changes. Why are LAPD officers still getting raises while essential civil servants are furloughed? Only three of the 14 sitting Councilmembers even voted to ask the police union to return to the bargaining table to renegotiate contracts approved before the pandemic and fiscal crisis. After the largest protests in the City’s history, amid the largest wave of demonstrations in U.S. history, the LAPD budget — which takes up 53% of the City’s general fund — was barely trimmed.
Very few politicians wanted to risk being branded “soft on crime.” Even now that public attitudes have shifted, the LAPPL and similar unions (e.g. County Sheriff's Deputies, state prison guards, etc) have built formidable political operations that can badly hurt a politician’s chance for reelection.
So while we absolutely need to urge politicians to refuse money from law enforcement unions and disavow spending on their behalf through “Independent Expenditure” committees, we also need to commit to supporting elected officials and candidates who do the right thing.
In 2020, in 2022, and beyond we need to show them that there is a deeply committed constituency for transformative change that will put its time and money where its mouth is. We need to support candidates who go against the police associations, fossil fuel polluters, corporate landlords, and other anti-social interests.
Elections, Independent Political Organizations, and Governing Power
Not just who’s in office, but the people they appoint as department heads, advisors, and staffers make all the difference in the world for those of us who are committed to pursuing democracy, justice, and emancipation for all. Elections are a crucial opportunity for empowering our friends and allies, disempowering our opponents, and pressuring fence-sitters to swing our way on tough policy decisions. But elections are only the beginning. You probably don’t run an organization and you might not have any money to donate to candidates and political causes.
If you’re a citizen, you have the right to vote and that’s no small thing. Voting is the bare minimum a citizen can do.
We devote so much attention and money to national politicians and that leaves local elections to special interests like police associations, oil companies, and corporate landlords. Find out who your local representatives are and research their voting records. See if they are truly representing your interests and uplifting the causes you care about. And whether or not you’re a citizen, you can get involved in volunteering with candidates and political organizations who share your beliefs and organize people in your own neighborhood to support true community champions.
This November, many City and County offices will be on the ballot, including competitive races for LA County District Attorney, LA County Supervisorial District 2, 4 and 5, and several LA City Council and LAUSD seats. It’s never too early to begin thinking about how to champion someone who aligns with your values.
The political insiders and big money interests start mapping out their moves many years in advance. Community groups and coalitions need to start doing the same thing and collaborating effectively to do it.
For more details, please download the full LA 101 guide.