Shame might not work forever, but it *is* working *right now*.
Key quotes from the article:
Researchers have known for decades that there are two primary types of people who perpetrate violence. The first is the small fraction who are independently motivated to commit violent acts. The second, and much larger group, are those who commit violence to seek approval and status from others. This is especially true among men who use violence to affirm their masculinity. Research on gender is particularly relevant for understanding ICE, which has an overwhelmingly male workforce and uses messages of masculinity and domination in its recruitment materials. A lot of men may be joining ICE because they think it will allow them to bond with other men and gain power in our society. ... To put it another way, the vast majority of men are only willing to engage in public violence if they feel like the people around them will approve of — and reward them for — that violence. ICE Watch works because it surrounds men seeking approval with people loudly expressing their disapproval. And the noise has the added benefit of drawing large crowds of bystanders who can quickly outnumber the ICE agents, who then have to decide if they want to escalate a situation or perhaps abandon their activity altogether.
And, the kicker? Where it takes 2 or 3 agents to make an arrest elsewhere, they are traveling by the half dozens in Minneapolis:
ICE Watch organizers have also observed that it takes many more agents to make a single arrest when they are around. In other cities, ICE traveled in groups of two or three, but in Minneapolis, we primarily see groups of 6 to 12 agents. The Department of Homeland Security has pulled agents from other cities to ramp up efforts in Minnesota, which guarantees there will be fewer deportations from the places they left. Plus, ICE's fixation on breaking up ICE Watch groups and detaining observers — often white citizens — has interrupted its original mission.
ICE Watch is shaming ICE (among other things, including documenting their crimes and providing a lifeline to those who are kidnapped).
And it's working.
And even if it wasn't working to the efficacy as shown, it's (1) cathartic to jeer at these fascists, (2) shows support to the community that you are not alone in thinking these agents are scum, and (3) still helping because everyone who joins ICE is a social pariah and knows it *because of this outward and ongoing shame*.
It doesn't matter if they think we're degenerates. Sometimes the things us "degenerates" say will stick and hit a nerve.
These boys are falling apart so fast ICE is trying to recruit therapists. Which is what inspired my earlier post about how treating these guys is a huge liability therapists don’t want to take on.
Also it is critical to us in the target area to signal unambiguous support for our neighbors and that those opposing ICE have significant and broad support.
"ICE is trying to recruit therapists" is a profoundly heartening sentence, and I thank you for it.
Even better? Think of all the misguided boys and men who see this and then don't join ICE in the first place.
I've heard that shame is a paralyzing emotion. It "doesn't work" when you try to shame someone into doing what they should, but it can work when you want them to stop doing what they shouldn't.
