Thread by @mayatcontreras

1)Let’s talk about movements and counter-movements. The tweet below is an example of “bothsiderism” indicating both sides of an issue are equal in validity and intent; they're not. Movements tend to start with grassroots support, counter-movements astroturfed with corporate cash.

2)Grassroots movements start in the community looking to create change, equity, liberation. Usually, that community is being harmed by decision-makers, policy, dominant narratives. They elicit the support of the community, looking to bring attention to the issue, & change laws.

3)Countermovements are started by decision-makers, think tanks, religious institutions, and corporations that would "suffer" profit losses due to a grassroots movement. Bigotry, sexism, and queerphobia play a large part in counter-movements.

4) Countermovements tend to be well-funded through generational wealth, corporate profits, with the underlying objective of preserving white supremacy; they maintain and continuously craft dominant narratives to harm and dismantle movements, the press aids them in this objective.

5)Countermovements are threatened by movements that would regulate their corporations (Climate Justice), that would "force" them to pay a minimum/living wage (Economic Justice), that would stop discrimination and sexual harassment on the job (Racial & Gender & Queer Justice).

6)The Civil Rights movement was in large part to attain Voting Rights and strengthen our democracy. The Counter-movement to Voting Rights is by mostly wealthy white men in power and their donors trying to stop Black people from voting.

Are those two valid sides?

7)I need the media to stop being (or pretending to be) naïve about our past and current political landscape. The GOP is the countermovement. They want to harm anyone and everyone that is not wealthy and white (yes, including their base. They disdain their base).