Although the phrase could theoretically be used by activists on the right as well, I’ve never really heard anyone even remotely conservative use it. It is almost exclusively the purview of left-wing activists who view politics as primarily a matter of self-expression — meaning they have no desire to attend to how their message lands with skeptical audiences or anyone not already persuaded by their rhetoric…
In the days that have followed that original confrontation with Sinema (as well as additional ones on a commercial airplane and in a D.C. airport), there’s little evidence that LUCHA Arizona succeeded in putting any real pressure on the senator. Their issues haven’t been elevated. There’s no sign that Sinema is backing off of her positions. She’s gotten a mountain of sympathetic press, and the White House, which has spent weeks trying to pressure her, was forced to concede that LUCHA Arizona’s protest tactics were “inappropriate and unacceptable.”
All of this assumes, however, that actually passing legislation is the goal of this new wing of progressive activism. Among this cohort, activism is often seen as an end in and of itself. Expressing your ideas loudly and proudly, while being abrasive and even abusive towards those who don’t share them, is righteous. Who cares about public policy?
Join the conversation as a VIP Member