Active support
Active support means supporting a movement on an ongoing basis. This includes being present at events of the movement, convincing those around of the aims of the movement and acting independently in one's environment to advance the cause (according to Erica Chenoweth). - Paul and Mark Engler in This is an Uprising
Examples of Active Support
|
Disposability discourse |
Much discussion around the severity of COVID was lessened by expressing how it mainly sickens and kills elderly, chronically ill, and disabled people. This discourse suggests these groups are seen disposable. |
|
Loosened restrictions too early |
When governments loosened COVID restrictions in response to business demands, political pressure, and public impatience, rather than scientific evidence, high risk populations (the chronically ill, disabled and elderly) were subsequently told they are disposable yet again. |
|
Working through illness |
Regulations around how many sick days should be required when someone falls ill with COVID also demonstrated ableism. In relation to these regulations, and in favour of profit above health, many politicians including US President Joe Biden, praised themselves for working through COVID, instead of encouraging people to rest and recover if they'd fallen ill. |
|
Individualism |
Individuals have been encouraged to make 'personal' choices on vaccines (without legitimate health restrictions), masks and gatherings. "There is no individual safety without collective safety and collective safety requires that no one is safe unless everyone is safe." - Mia Mingus [1] |
“Active popular support” includes behaviours such as [2] :
1. Showing Up: for rallies, marches, phonebanking, doorknocking, teach-ins, etc.
2. Voting With The Movement: the cause (e.g., abortion, climate change, immigration) is the deciding factor in the active supporter’s vote
3. Persuading Others: at school, at family gatherings, on social media, at work etc.
4. Acting Independently Within Their Place Of Influence: lawyers taking on pro bono cases, teachers using their classrooms, union members using meetings of their local
If you have any suggested revisions or additional resources to share related to the above content, please email them to kenzie@lehub.ca.
