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Overdosing on Symbolism
On reorienting the politics of reform towards the substantive
A friend recently sent me some screenshots from his neighborhood Facebook group. Everyone there was outraged that the local beer place hadn’t issued any sort of statement condemning police violence and expressing solidarity with Black Lives Matter.
The website of the establishment in question mentions “a grassy backyard,” brags about the number of taps, and assures us that the bartenders are “friendly.” Since New York is still shut down fairly tightly as the pandemic rages, the backyard and the taps are no longer relevant and most of the friendly bartenders have presumably been sent home. It looks like they’re still selling bottles of beer to takeout customers, but that’s about it. Let’s call it Generic Neighborhood Beer Place (GNBP).
It’s true that GNBP hasn’t said anything about George Floyd, the disturbingly violent tactics used by police around the country to quash both rioters and law-abiding protesters, or the Black Lives Matter movement.
It also hasn’t said anything about any other subject in the last two months.
The most recent post on GNBP’s website (“Stay safe out there”) was from March 15th.
