Derrick Parra
Soc 122 MW 5:45
March 9th, 2016
Flint Water Problem
In Flint, Michigan, there has been a poisoning of the water supply since 2014. There was an unelected emergency manager appointed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. As a result of the emergency manager they switched the source of where they derive the water from the Detroit system to the corrosive Flint River poisoning the city's water supply. The activist scene in the video are using not one but two social movement theories in order to get their voices heard and bring justice to Flint, Michigan. As an activist states, "they thought it was a joke they were going to use the Flint River because everyone knows how gross it is". They are first using Resource Mobilization theory to gather enough people to protest their cause and are also drawing on Political Opportunity Theory as a result of the political debate happening in their city between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
Black Lives Matter
As the 2016 election nears Black Lives Matter movement has been pushing awareness of racial oppression and police brutality of African Americans a key issue for the candidates. As Professor Melinda Abdullah states, "We recognize that both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party are controlled by monied interests. So no matter what the candidates attempt to do, being controlled by the two-party system is hugely problematic and is disempowering and oppressive to black people." as just one of her reason why they're not endorsing any candidate. The movement is using to an extant Political Opportunity Theory to have their voice heard. No they don't have a politician speaking on their behalf but they are using the election as a means to have their voice heard. Although people in this movement feel their stance is neutral they still feel like they are side and are also drawing more attention to their cause.
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