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A pretty good metaphor for two different types of activism: one activist is asking questions of the mayor that desperately need to be answered—and he's *getting answers*—when an anarchist walks up and creates a physical confrontation that forces the mayor to end the conversation. https://twitter.com/ByMikeBaker/status/1286151667780476930
PS/ The first person—a real activist—had to do sufficient research on policing in Portland to be able to ask the mayor the right questions, and needed courage to pursue his line of inquiry no matter what. The anarchist collected a bunch of glass in a pail. That's the difference.
PS2/ There's the sort of activism that requires research and self-education and being eloquent and being courageous morally and dogged intellectually, and there's the type of "activism" that gets your adrenaline pumping and is mainly designed to keep life as exciting as possible.
PS3/ BTW, I have no problem with confronting the mayor with ammo casings! I actually think that's a very good idea! But he wasn't actually *confronted* with them, was he? They were silently dumped at his feet—forcing him to walk in a different direction without even looking down.
PS4/ Just so, I totally understand those who say Wheeler isn't a good-faith negotiation partner. If that's true he should be ignored—as anything you do with him is mere theater. But if you're going to engage, use words. Don't create a physical obstacle he can/must walk away from.
PS5/ Unless I missed it, Wheeler wasn't even told what was being dropped at his feet. Any public figure who suddenly has a large quantity of metal dropped in front of them in the midst of a tense standoff immediately must turn aside for safety reasons. No actual point gets made.
PS6/ I respect those who disagree with me here. I can only speak from my own history of activism. I met people who preferred physical confrontations—because it got their adrenaline pumping and made them feel good—and I met people who got sh*t done. There was a *clear* difference.
