A Los Angeles Times writer did some research and found that the logo used for the Tea Party rally on Saturday in D.C. actually comes from communist, socialist and lefty roots.
In his Sunday article, Christopher Knight points out that the raised red fists used as the logo for the 9-12 Tea Party rally were copied from left-wing and socialist movements that have been around for almost a century.
Unity and resistance are what the fist represented in 1917, when it was first employed by the Industrial Workers of the World, a union organization founded by socialists. And in the 1940s, when it stood for various nations’ communist party organizations.
That’s also what it meant when it was revived in the 1960s, appearing as a symbol for the SDS, as well as anti-war and feminist movements. It was the basis for the black-power salute given by John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. And today, it’s the symbol for the Progressive Labor Party (pictured), a political outfit whose website says it “fights to smash capitalism.”
Ironically, it’s the people who attended the Tea Party who were spreading unfounded claims and fear that the Obama administration is trying to turn American into a Socialist country. Yet, look who is using communist designs and pretending that they are right-wing. Can it be possible that Glenn Beck and Freedom Works, the organizers of the events didn’t even know about this?
Meh. Iconography like that always ends up being subverted, perverted, remixed, and reused.
I could point to numerous examples of both anti-Bush and anti-Obama paraphernalia that are mildly disturbing to folks like you and I, just because we understand some of the history behind the icons/coloring/design, but which doesn’t even register with the general public.
At this point, that fist is almost clip-art; a stock element used to assert populist support for what you’re trying to do/say.
That’s like saying Obama’s logo is round and so is the PLP’s above so they must both be communist… sorry, bad analogy… choose someone else’s round logo compared to the PLP…
anyway, since when does communists get a copyright on a body part?
it just as the first comment… it a generic symbol of a like minded group who oppose some policy, social idea etc…
didn’t black panthers use the fist also? maybe what it really stands for is ‘revolution’
Thats Funny I thought it was the universal sign for fisting.
As a designer of logos, as an artist, AND a social-anarchist I’m going to say this might be a stretch, and perhaps a tad inaccurate, if not propagandist. Yes, it’s an icon that was first RECOGNIZED perhaps in colloquial culture with leftist movements in the US, but I think we need to maybe look further into the history of iconography to determine exactly where the upraised fist originates. I would say we need to look at this image globally AND historically.
I think the real question on everyone’s mind is
Who really raped and murdered that girl in 1990.
When I do my research in google, I get 400million+ hits that says Glenn Beck did.
And here recently, a body of a girl was found at Yale. The woman who was getting married yesterday. As all of you know, Glenn Beck dropped out because he was an alcoholic.
This is not a coincidence.
Yeah so what? No one has the monopoly on the ‘fist’ which means ANGER from whatever side it comes.
This article is a waste of time.
I love Glenn Beck! he is a hero! but it does make me wonder…there seems to be a lot of questions but no answers
if glenn beck didnt murder and then rape a young girl, and I am sure he didnt!, then im sure he’ll prove it to all the haters
These people have no idea what they’re evolving towards.Maybe it’s a good thing the detention centers are being built.