A reflection on activism:
Generally, the craziest shit happens at first when there is a feeling amongst the public of "We just can't take this shit anymore" and the reaction is noticed. It is noticed because of the conflict between the police and the public. The police react to the public reaction and they go way too far. They go too far because the situation is unprecedented and they act on the spot with aggression. The public responds to this aggression with far less aggression, when they do show aggression, partially because they generally just have no interest in the same aggression. It is the police though who draw the majority of the attention to the conflicts though as the police reaction is just so over-the-top and unnecessary. This clash of reactions creates a conflict which "sells."
In the past this conflict would be packaged by a media outlet going through various editorial stages before finally being broadcast to the world through media systems. That was the past. Now the traditional media systems have become extremely conjoined and monopolistic after the telecommunications act of the Clinton Presidency. The internet has made up for this gap of information and expanded up on it because the internet has no editorial procedure, and also because of the broad global public accessibility of the internet.
This reaction can only last for so long though. The protests do eventually calm down. When they calm down is when the real problems really come out. We need to organize and address the real issues which led to the reaction. Everyone has a different method of addressing these issues though. Some have also been far more effected by these issues than others and as such are more stubborn in their approaches with how to solve problems. This creates divides.
What sustains the reaction for as long as it does is the common hatred of the oppressor. "We're all being attacked. This is bullshit. Fuck them." Or "They're being attacked, This is bullshit. I can relate to that. Why is this happening?! Fuck the attackers!!!"
It's the organization which causes the problems in the end. The organization ironically also makes it seem like the issues went away. No one wants to watch organization. Organizing doesn't get people's blood pumping. Organization is boring to watch. Organization is tedious. So it seems like there is a lull in the action. When the action does resurface that first reaction cannot be reclaimed because that first reaction was a shooting star of unity.
In some cases the new organization is taken up by groups who are more congruent with the system in place. This pisses off many who have given up on the current system and want something new. Those pissed off look in other directions. In some cases these people start their own organizations. These either fall apart due a lack of experience working together or they actually come up with some very interesting ideas.
Ultimately a balance needs to be met between those congruent and those seeking something brand new. Should there be no balance met and only those seeking congruence and change succeed there will be minimal to no change at all. Should there be only something new established very likely more harm than good will be accomplished as, unless this new thing is universally accepted by all... a power vacuum will be created and only the most corrupt and oppressive will claim the void and fill the vacuum.
Real progress unfortunately comes slowly... painfully slowly, because truth be told, it really is never good enough. So the new organizations will come forward to act but they will not have the same effect as that first beautiful reaction. They wont have the same effect because now their reaction is not just based on the same rage. Furthermore, the police combat tactics have learned from past reactions and know what will make them look the worst in the public eye. So when the regrowth of action comes things seem far tamer because the new action has been tainted with organization which, although necessary... was a bit of a buzzkill.