How does appearance affect protest?

Appearance can be an effective way to convey a message during protest. This week we examine the effects of appearance in the film The Yes Men and in the punk rock culture. Both groups are rebels, in a way, as they are protesting established norms. For Mike and Any of The Yes Men, this norm is the generally accepted practices of the World Trade Organization. It's amazing to see the outlandish claims these guys make at various presentations, and people just go along with them without even raising an eyebrow or appearing suspicious. The punk rock culture, on the other hand, uses its deviant look to send the message that it is protesting authority. Indeed, punk is many times only a stage in one's life that occurs during the rapidly changing times of adolescence.

Andy and Mike begin many of their pranks by dressing normally, only to quickly change into a comical figure such as one with the leisure suit. They use their respectable appearance at first to gain ethos with the media or conference organizers, and then once on stage their true motives come through as they try ridiculous and brave acts like talking about the Re-Burger or describing the invention of the Employee Visualization Appendage. Their presentation in Australia was the most sincere, and it was interesting to see how they did not have as much fun with this sincerity as with using satire and sarcasm.

The punk rock culture's style and appearance is a natural fit with their anti-authority attitude. By wearing violent-looking clothes and extreme make-up and hairstyles, they send a clear message that they do not want to conform with society. The culture has developed many violent and deviant stereotypes, which have been propagated by the media (nearly all negative portrayals), so that parents often become worried when their children adopt this lifestyle.

PETA and Guerilla Girls

PETA effectively uses appeals to mainly logos and pathos. Its FAQ section is very thorough and presents solid reasoning behind its mission to protect animal rights. By using shocking statistics (such as the fact that 16 pounds of grain are required to produce 1 pound of beef), the organization presents a convincing case for vegetarianism and its benefits as far as the environment. Pathos are an obvious appeal whenever images and videos are shown of the meat industry. A criticism of PETA is that they are too extreme. The organization may be acknowledging this concern in its decision to distance itself from the radical Animal Liberation Front.

The Guerilla Girls are a secretive group that I had not heard of before. By not allowing new members and by being so elusive, I think they limit their effectiveness in a way. People that want to join are told on the website that this may not be possible. The protest approach taken by this group is appealing - the use of humor and sarcasm are often not associated with a feminist protest, yet those are some of their strategies. With eye-catching billboards and signs, as well as the strange gorilla mask, this group is definitely unique. Guerilla Girls are less likely to offend people than PETA, as PETA takes a more stern approach and is more apt to recommend a particular change, while Guerilla Girls uses humor a great deal and is more likely to let the audience draw conclusions.

Both groups use a variety of mediums to reach their audiences, and I think that's important to reach a broad group of people. Examples included billboards, videos, photographs, and demonstrations.

We Are Traffic

Anyone who has struggled to maneuver a bike around a busy city will relate to the experience of the folks in We Are Traffic. As a xerocracy, the group known as Critical Mass has no central leadership, and anyone is free to suggest a bike ride to the group. A major objective of this group is to gain back the streets as cyclists, who are usually always the minority (and a pesky obstacle in the eyes of rush hour traffic drivers). I thought the documentary was revealing in the ways the mass media can avoid covering something (in this case, the police brutality used to stop a ride in San Francisco). This just goes to show how y0u must consult many sources to find the truth. And as our Main Building refers to at UT Austin, knowing the truth shall set you free.

It was refreshing to see Critical Mass take an entirely new approach to protest. Instead of angrily protesting, the majority in this loose organization viewed the ride as a time to let loose and have a great time with fellow members of the community. I particularly enjoyed the sign "Honk If You Love Bicycles" that was displayed at intersections full of honking cars, as well as the "Get Off Your Assphault" flyer. This comical, good-humored approach to the protest won over many people. Also, instead of viewing people in cars as the enemy, they were viewed as allies. The concept of Critical Mass proved to be hugely successful, as events were staged around the world. Each city has its own unique riding culture, as there is not a hierarchy of leaders and managers. I see that some cities (e.g. Chicago) still have a fairly active group of Critical Mass riders, but it appears that the heyday for Critical Mass was in the '90s. Future protesters can learn something by studying the tactics used by Critical Mass.

Ethos as a means of persuasion

Establishing ethos with an audience goes a long way in persuading people to adopt your viewpoint. Without ethos, a speaker or author may simply be viewed as a loud, opinionated orator without the background or reputation to back it up. In class, we have examined several acts of protest, and each has used ethos in a unique way.

Stokely Carmichael comes across as well-educated, referencing the philosophers Camus and Sartre. His use of "we" (first person plural), decreases the rhetorical distance and draws his listeners closer. The humor he uses throughout the speech shows a desire to keep his audience tuned in to his message.

Fannie Lou Hamer, in contrast, is a person of simple words and sentences. Word size is an ethos factor, and her short words make the speech sound more conversational and personal. Her credibility is aided by good character and good will, as evidenced by her nonviolent protest history with the SNCC. Furthermore, she comes across as an honest and straightforward person when she states her home address at the beginning.

The ethos for the Freedom Marches is strengthened by MLK’s involvement in the walk and in his subsequent speech. “Our feet are tired but our soles are rested” – this use of present tense by MLK gives more immediacy to the event, and he acknowledges that it has been a group effort. The participants’ good and peaceful character is implied in the President’s description of the Selma police retaliation as “an American tragedy.”

Malachai Richter, in my opinion, presents the least effective case of ethos with his self immolation. He did not establish the most solid background and character for this to be effective, as there is speculation that his alcoholism and depression may have contributed to the suicide. Only the aftermath of his protest was seen by most people. The common opinion that he was mentally ill makes many people only want to quickly forget this act of self-inflicted violence, rather than rally around his “anti-war cause.”

Cindy Sheehan, meanwhile, presents the most effective use of ethos, as seen from her overwhelming media response and the interest generated (sometimes 1,500 visitors daily to Camp Casey, including celebrities and members of Congress). She establishes good character by touring around the country and world giving speeches, and her peaceful demonstration near Bush’s ranch shows her perseverance and passion for her anti-war cause. Her research and education is apparent in her quoting of Thoreau during one of her speeches and in her decision to write a book. Finally, she demonstrates her intentions to better our country with her decision in December 2007 to run as an independent for Congress.