Non-Preaching Activism in New York. The Theatrical Militancy of Billionaires for Bush and Reverend Billy

Abstract

This article, grounded on a fieldwork conducted in 2007 and 2008 in New York City, aims at analyzing the social usages and effects of artistic and ironic actions led by two activist collectives: Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping and the Billionaires for Bush. The first organization is opposed to excessive consumerism and denounces actors, like multinational corporations, involved in the privatization of public spaces in New York City. The second collective—by using forms of action and ironic slogans pretending to endorse US government decisions regarding tax cuts and, more generally, any law favouring privileged groups—condemns policies which widen social inequalities. The resort to artistic and ironic actions assumes denouncing and non-preaching characteristics. First, these actions target elected people or institutions perceived as responsible for the social, economic, and political problems identified by the collectives. Then, the activists tend to criticize and disassociate from connotations which to them are associated with certain forms of religious ceremonies and political activism, delivering sermons and preaching to the choir. A major interest of the non-preaching nature of these artistic and ironic actions would precisely lie in their capacity to sensitize outside the social circles of converted activists. The article first examines formal transfers between art and activism—narratives, costumes, musical repertoires—drawing on US cultural and religious references while taunting them. The analytical description of these actions will lead to a critical insight into their political and social effects. To which extent do these musical and theatrical forms of protest have the capacity to call political beliefs into question, to arm convinced activists, to convert the undecided, or even the opponents to the causes championed by these protest groups?