Comments on: Redress code

By: Stan

Stan — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 21:49:41 +0000

I wore a pith helmet. I looked really good in it.

But generally we wore light clothing, as had been advised by the numerous Indigenous communities that we were lucky enough to meet with while we were there. I won’t lie, I did some swimming in the Xingu river too, but I’d hardly classify it as a “vacation”.

Did you want to contribute to the discussion or just bait people?

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 21:32:33 +0000

How typical of Stanley to worry about what to wear to a protest. Shallow is as shallow does.

What did RAN wear when they went on their $50,000 vacation in Brazil? The mind reels.

By: Luke

Luke — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 15:42:16 +0000

Yeah, but the suits in that case, Robin, were a reflection of identity, not a dress code.

Powerful conservatives and power in general respect well-dressed people because their well-dressed-ness reflects something about their identity, specifically wealthiness. Just putting on the drag isn’t going to make people take you more seriously.

By: Robin

Robin — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:06:40 +0000

I also have some mixed feelings about this but I’ll just share one quick thought. I was living in NYC during lead up to the Iraq war and I participated in several massive anti-war marches. One of the most memorable groups of marchers for a lot of folks were the “Corporate Lawyers Against War.” They dressed in pinstriped business suites and marched together with simple placards delaring not just their opposition to the Iraq war, but to war itself.

Personally I found this moving. I know that corporate lawyers are “part of the problem” in a lot of people’s eyes, and that’s often true, but I think the Lawyers in that march served two important purposes. First, they clearly sent the message that the anti-war movement social and class distinctions. Second they served as an important reminder that real movements for change are ultimately about brining people together–not victory of one group against another.