Hactivist collective Anonymous has decided enough is enough, and that it’s time for Americans (and sympathetic others around the world) to stand up and reclaim their government from the clutches of corrupt politicians who espouse tyranny. The group announced that on November 5th, it will hold a “million mask march” in which they expect hundreds of thousands of participants to descend upon over 400 locations, including Washington, D.C., in an expression of solidarity against oppression and despotism.
Participants are encouraged, though not required, to don masks featuring the likeness of Guy Fawkes, known for his involvement in the Gunpowder Plot. Originally seen as a symbol of treachery, popular culture eventually rewrote his legacy as that of a hero fighting against the unjust, and November 5th was designated Guy Fawkes Day. The 2006 film V for Vendetta gave us the popular stylization of his visage, and Anonymous eventually appropriated this mask and the date for its own purposes.
The main event is scheduled to occur at the Washington National Monument, evoking memories of well-known gatherings such as the legendary March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and countless other Million [insert noun here] Marches.
Exactly what Anonymous hopes to achieve through this march is unclear, beyond expressing its discontent with the state of affairs in the American government. However, the group is known for its decentralized and laissez-faire approach to organization, and the march may signal its shift towards a more clearly identified and focused agenda. It will also serve as a litmus test, gauging the eagerness of Americans to commit to another Occupy Wall Street style movement.
Ultimately though, it’s difficult to imagine the group scoring a clear and significant victory with this march. While most Americans are fed up with the political antics that have caused a never ending governmental stalemate, there is no acute impetus novel enough to rally around, as with the Great Recession and the Tea Party movement in 2009, or the global crescendo of political instability which lead to the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street movements. Furthermore, even with the massive support, publicizing, and dissemination of its objectives, Occupy Wall Street has all but disappeared, and it failed to accomplish its major goals. Anonymous shares many of these goals, but has none of the momentum behind it, or a real platform from which to combat the financial and political discrepancies plaguing the nation (because let’s be honest, it’s going to take a lot more than hacks and DDoS attacks to fix our problems).
Still, if Anonymous is serious about revamping its approach and transforming into a more effective political action group, it has picked a uniquely Millennial approach for doing so, creating a cultural mashup of a call to action. So as Guy Fawkes, V, or Anonymous might say, “Remember, remember, the 5th of November,” and keep fighting for your inalienable rights. The status quo is betting that you won’t.
Published on .Mic , November 1, 2013
-Namakemono
Namakemono no Manifesto 