show of force

The masses are often overruled. How often do they act against the interests of the people they represent? Clear majorities want a decent minimum wage of $17/hour. Majorities support a host of other downright leftist policies. Most americans say government should run a universal healthcare program. These majorities often hold up across political parties and the urban/rural divide. But even with our broad support, we haven't achieved these goals yet. Why not? Our achievements, from the civil rights era to queer liberation, all came from protest. ACT UP forced drug manufacturers to lower the cost of HIV medications. They shamed the government into funding AIDS research and expanding who they studied. The Montgomery Bus Boycott was an organized boycott that lasted more than a year. It began nearly a decade before Rosa Parks' famous act of resistance. Their struggle continued until the supreme court ruled segregation on buses was unconstitutional. These victories and countless more were…