Not Fit for Dinner: May Day and the Danger of Violence

Last updated on: May 4, 2012 at 7:00 am by C. Ryan Knight

Not Fit for Dinner: May Day and the Danger of Violence 2012-05-04T07:00:25-06:00 C. Ryan Knight

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Each Friday in Not Fit for Dinner, C. Ryan Knight explores political issues and the preconceptions guiding our understanding of and responses to them.

Note from Editor: Violent Protesters not Pictured. Probably.

The most recent May Day renewed debate about the place of violence in social movements like Occupy Wall Street. Emerging from their hibernation, Occupiers expressed hope that the movement’s May Day protests would be invigorating and launch an American Spring—a hope that some have said fizzled after disappointing results. (This criticism has not gone unanswered.)

The Occupy protests that gained the most attention on May Day did so through violence. The center of the first major episode of violence in the Occupy movement, Oakland saw another wave of clashes and tear gas. Seattle experienced an outbreak of vandalism. Tension ran high in New York as protesters were arrested for what was deemed “disorderly conduct.”

Historically, May Day has had a shaky relationship with violence. It is a labor rights holiday born out of the Haymarket Affair in Chicago back in 1886, where protesters and police died when tension boiled over. The holiday is not officially recognized in the United States. (Even Google avoids stirring trouble with a holiday Doodle in the US, using it abroad each year instead.)

Violence does not always emerge from May Day. In 1971, a group that became known as the May Day Tribe gathered to shut down Washington, D.C. unless America itself “shut down” the Vietnam War. Influenced by the non-violent resistance of the civil rights movement, the May Day Tribe focused instead on advancing their People’s Peace Treaty and allowing congressmen opposed to the war to make speeches.

Like the May Day Tribe, Occupiers remained essentially non-violent last fall and winter. Still, the movement has always left room for violence through its acceptance of what’s known as “diversity of tactics,” a series of strategies for effective social activism. The initial non-violent action the movement took before winter helped it gain its fame through unjust instances of police brutality.

The movement’s drift into violence this week is cause for concern. There are significant dangers if Occupy Wall Street does not return to nonviolent tactics and denounce the recent violence. Last October, author and editor Nathan Schneider warned that violence could end up undoing the movement’s legitimacy and power. The August 2011 London riots came and went largely because of the reliance upon violence. With social movements, violence attracts attention and wows people, but it frequently fails to make a lasting impression. Also, those critical of movements like Occupy Wall Street consider their case closed when violence breaks out.

The model for the effectiveness of non-violent resistance is of course the composite account of Jesus’ arrest. Peter attempts to defend his Lord and cuts off a soldier’s ear. Christ, however, intervenes not against the soldiers but against Peter: “Stop! No more of this” (Mark 22.51). Violence would have interfered with what had to occur.

Also See: Rendering Unto Caesar

It should be said that Christ’s arrest marks the all-important moment where the “plan of salvation” essentially reaches the point of no return. The Occupy Wall Street movement, with its May Day efforts, can by no means claim equal importance to what takes place at this point in Scripture (as in Matthew 26.47-56, Mark 14.43-52, and John 18.1-13). The movement can only offer the chance of change, not salvation of any sort.

Nonetheless, this monumental episode in Christ’s life makes an important point: in the hour of danger when change must be accomplished, that change risks being hindered when someone (or groups of people) attempts to advance that change through violence.

The success of Occupy DC May Day is arguably due to its peaceful proceedings. Reporter Emily Crockett described the DC May Day as community-based and lively, what with “inequality” pong being played (with water, rest assured), teach-ins about organized labor throughout history, and so forth. Through all this, there was a sense of joyous reunion for protesters present.

Educational and community-building activities such as those in DC strengthen the Occupy movement far more than vandalism and violence. Protesters’ efforts will only improve if they endure violence without fighting back. The Occupy Wall Street movement and its offshoots would be very wise to omit violence from its diversity of tactics as they try to regain momentum.

Previous Post

May 3, 2012

The Moviegoer: "The Kid with a Bike" and the Love that Never Leaves

Next Post

May 4, 2012 The Televangelists: "Grimm" Reveals that The Other is Often Ourselves

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Asides Elsewhere Featured Film Games General Culture Headline Literature Music Of the Moment Podcast Politics RetroPost Sports Technology Television Uncategorized Viral

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz