The idea of civility is something that the elites aim to make us achieve in our activism, the idea that we must be polite and courteous in our messaging and activism. Ultimately civility is a tool of the empire, and it's part of the numerous attempts to delegitimise any sort of meaningful resistance to oppression, and here I'll try and articulate some thoughts as to why that it is.
"We Marxist-Leninist niggas, and we some Marxist-Leninist cussin’ niggas, and we gonna continue to cuss, godamnit. Cause that’s what we relate to, that’s what’s happening in Babylon. That’s objective reality. Don’t nobody be walkin’ around in Babylon spoutin’ out at the mouth about a whole lot of academic bullshit, intellectually masturbating, catching diarrhea of the mouth." - Black Panther Fred Hampton, "It's A Class Struggle Goddammit!", November 1969
Civility is defined by the Oxford Languages as "formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech." It's put forth as a value by elites and politicians, yet nowhere in this concept is actual kindness or empathy given a place of significance. Many are propagandised to believe that we must be polite in order to unify the masses; and unfortunately there are many people that will look down on your activism if you aren't, and this bleeds into classism and elitism as well. But being polite and classy does not mean you're empathetic, that you're kind, that you have a good soul. How many politicians were there, that clutched their pearls over the lack of politeness displayed by Donald Trump while they were on their way to authorise another war crime? Think of how many fictional villains we've seen throughout history and culture who display the utmost class while attempting to butcher our heroes. Might a passionate and angry rant from an activist sound more raw and rude than the refined prissy pretty speech from a US Department of State stooge? Probably, but which person has more empathy and soul from their intentions? Probably the activist! This is why it's essential to emphasise how civility is quite a separate concept from actual empathy and kindness, as far too many bad actors embrace their cloak of civility as a potential shield from their nefarious intentions.
"That is my temperament. I enjoy creating systems on a grand scale, and I enjoy helping people who are vulnerable. And I enjoy crushing bastards." - WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange In a SPIEGEL interview, 2010
Making the distinction isn't at all saying you can't be nice to people either, it's pointing out how the over-emphasis on polite conduct over substance is a strawman of elites that needs to be taken head on. It's an extension of elitism to believe that you need to be civil and formal as a qualifier for your activism. The civility that elites, politicians, and straight nonces hold so near and dear to their hearts implies a civility towards them, a politeness and professionalism that brings you to your level in their eyes, but not something that boosts your activism for the cause. Why are we trying to please our oppressors in the process of fighting to release ourselves from the chains that they shackled us in? In the court of public opinion and framing, all the elites have is civility and their own classiness; because beyond that people will only see them for what they really are: criminals, sociopaths, pricks, nonces, eugenicists, possibly Satan himself if we're talking Kissinger, and just overall douchecunts.
"Fuck tweeeeeelve, fuck 12, fuck 12!"
"FUCK CENSORSHIP!"
"and FUCK THE CIA too!"
"How's that boot taste ya pig!"
"fuck the FBI!"
-Chants and screams heard from various protests
It's a disservice to activism and the fight for our freedom if we allow our oppressors to dictate the terms of our framing and how we carry ourselves. Civility is a tool of theirs, an attempt to drag us into their arena of classiness and elitism where they can beat us with experience and delegitimise our cause. Kaiju know better than to try and fight Godzilla in his turf of the ocean, so maybe we can be aware of the same when we fight real-life perpetrators of human and environmental destruction? These are perpetrators of heinous crimes we are fighting; not only will they weaponise civility to delegitimise our movements, but if we do try and be civil with them they will not actually concede anything, merely tear us apart and laugh behind closed doors at the scraps. For example in 2018 Gazans marched peacefully towards the border between them and the Israeli Occupation and where met with violence from the Zionists which resulted in death and injuries of everyone including children, medics, and journalists (Watch "Gaza Fights for Freedom"). There are too many similar instances to name, we can't be civil with our killers and succumb to using their framing or holding protests which suit them.
"If you want to call me a terrorist I've got no problem with that; but I would ask you who is it that's terrified? And if it's the bad guys that are terrified I'm really super OK with that." - Commander X Anonymous Interview with Montreal Gazette, 2016
It sucks that something like civility has been co-opted by the powers that be to try and handicap our movements it does. But the good news is that does not mean we cannot be nice towards one another, for remember we're fighting the system and the tyrannical despots it enables. Even so will activists cuss and fight even with each other? Absolutely. It's not the most civil, nice, or pretty, but you know who else does that? Family, friends, husbands, wives, HUMANS. We're passionate, brute, empathetic, blunt, and loving creatures mostly, we shouldn't try to suppress that to please the few people orchestrating our systemic oppression. This civility is one of the purest forms of gatekeeping; people every day are being starved, bombed, sanctioned, murdered in unjust circumstances, it is natural to not have a polite reaction to any of that. The reduction of activism to only being meaningful if it's civil, polite, pleasing, floating on soft clouds of professional activism-speak only serves to de-claw legitimate resistance. The powers that be will attempt to alienate our movements by making it seem like our outreach is shite without civility, when in reality our passion and humanity puts us closer to our brothers and sisters than the system and gatekeepers protecting it will ever be.
