Tractorcade
In February of 1979 farmers from the American Agriculture Movement (AAM) protested to defend their rights. To try and force a change in agriculture policy these farmers drove their tractors to Washington DC. Coming from all over the farmers lined the roads outside of D.C with thousands of tractors. Nearly 3,000 farmers aimed to make the sale of farm commodities at sub-parity prices illegal and to form a National Board of Agriculture Producers.
Tractors gathered in front of the Capital. Photo by Smithsonian Institution Archives.
The lines of tractors on the road created major traffic jams throughout the city. The farmers protested, blocking the avenue for weeks. The farmers were eventually blocked into the National Mall by police buses. City officials wanted to maintain peace during the protest but was eager to have the Tractorcade leave. While the farmers braved the cold winter in protest, President Washington ordered the farmers to pay one million dollars for being a nuisance to taxpayers and dealing damage to the National Mall. The citizens living in Washington D.C. were unhappy with the protest because of all the delays and traffic issues they were causing. Despite the protests adding cost, unhappy citizens, and being confined to the mall parking lot they refused to leave.
Tractor plowing snow during the 1979 Tractorcade. Image courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Archives.
The winter off the protest the weather changed and a severe snowstorm fell in D.C. The only vehicles able to move on the snow covered ground were the tractors. The members of AAM came together and helped the city of DC by plowing the snow off the streets. They plowed hundreds of cars out of the snow and helped get nurses and doctors to nearby hospitals. Helping clear the streets. This helped the farmers gain sympathy from the citizens, but even with more of their support it did not do much for the cause. After weeks of demonstrations the American Agriculture Movement became unorganized. Some farmers flipped a vehicle, threw parts, and threw a live goat over the White House fence. The police chief ordered that all future Tractorcades should be banned unless the farmers could get organized.
This protest relates to the teachings of Gaudium et spes because the farmers organized a peaceful protest. The members of the American Agriculture Movement did not agree with the laws and guidelines set by the government so they protested for the rights they believed they were entitled to and did so by staying in the limits drawn by natural law and the Gospels.
Due to growing cost and unorganization the farmers the tractorcade was ended. The government continued to foreclose farms and businesses. The AAM did not create the dramatic change they had hoped but since then they hold a major role in Agriculture policy making in D.C..
This is an absolutely fascinating protest, that before this post and your intriguing presentation, I had no clue of this occurring. I think a question that is not often raised in regard to peaceful protest is "what is the cost of the continued operation of a protest?" The tractorcade ended, as you stated, from a lack of organization on-top of the mounting costs. I cannot imagine driving tractors to D.C. and in it for an extended period of time would be remotely cheap. Like morale in a battle or a riot, the financial impact of participating in a protest can cause the participants to waver, lose interest/priority, submit to mounting opposition pressure, and/or ultimately fold. This idea of folding in a protest can be seen in my blog post about the Akron Riot of 1900. The crowd was extremely animated and certain in their conviction to capture Louis Peck, going at length to burn the city hall, sabotage the fire fighters who tried to put out the fire, among other behaviors. This idea of breaking the resolve/morale of the rioters did not come in financial terms as it did with the tractorcade, nevertheless, the sending in of two army regiments by William McKinley was enough to break down the organization of mob violence and deter the people from further riotous behavior. Tying tractorcade into Gaudium et Spes, it is apparent that Gaudium allows for the peaceful protest of one's government, the redress of grievances, so to say. There is no question that the protests are peaceful as these farmers were not aiming to roll over cars, smash buildings, and harm the public, rather to cause disruption and to make a scene.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I found it very fascinating that even though these farmers were protesting, they still plowed the roads due to the snowstorm that hit D.C. that year. What the farmers wanted which was the National Board of Agriculture Producers in order to make the prices fair for them. Out of all the protests from this semester I understand yours the best. Mostly because I can relate to where these farmers are coming from. The pay that these farmers receive is how they are going to survive and is sometimes their lively hood. But these farmers never gave up which I find impressive because they were blocked in by police and the fact it was winter. This protest was something that the farmers needed to do in order to not get walked all over. Sometimes people forget that we have food due to these farmers and all the work that they put in. Even when the farmers were going to have to pay one million dollars for causing problems to the tax payers. They never gave up and for the most part was peaceful.
ReplyDeleteThe interesting aspect of this protest is that the farmers resorted to means that were not violent but did disrupt the fabric of society which drew more attention to their cause. Their cause was a justifiable one in the eyes of the Church because they were working in a movement of solidarity. Unlike other protests, this one is unique in that the protesting extending to the nation’s capital to the front of the President’s residence. The throwing of parts probably would not be viewed as favorably by those who take a more peaceful approach toward similar movements, but these actions definitely helped in presenting a level of importance toward their cause. The sad reality of this is their efforts were all for not considering their objective was not achieved but the actions did have the lasting effect of being discussed on in future classes.
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