Political activism in America is often presented as something that rises naturally from the people. A controversial event happens, people become angry, organizations mobilize, protests begin, and a movement grows.
But there is another question worth asking:
Who is paying for all of it?
Large political movements require more than passionate people holding signs. There can be money involved in transportation, advertising, legal support, organizers, communications, nonprofit organizations, security, social media campaigns and national coordination.
That does not mean every protester is being paid or that every political movement is secretly controlled by someone else. But it does mean Americans should be willing to look deeper into the financial networks surrounding major activist organizations.
Are Political Movements Really Grassroots?
A grassroots movement typically grows from ordinary people who organize around a shared concern.
But once a movement becomes large enough, outside organizations may begin providing funding, training, media support or other resources.
That can include nonprofit groups, political organizations, wealthy donors and advocacy networks.
There is also the larger issue of foreign influence.
Foreign governments have historically attempted to influence American public opinion and politics. Today, that influence can take many forms, including propaganda, social media manipulation, financial relationships and support for organizations that advance interests beneficial to another country.
That is why simply looking at the people participating in a protest does not always tell the full story.
Sometimes you have to follow the money.
Foreign Influence Does Not Mean Every Protester Is a Foreign Agent
It is important to make a distinction.
Someone participating in a protest may genuinely believe in the cause and may have absolutely no knowledge of who finances the larger organizations connected to the movement.
The more important question is what happens further up the organizational structure.
Who established the organization?
Who provides its largest donations?
Who funds its campaigns?
Are there international organizations involved?
Are foreign governments or foreign-linked groups attempting to influence the conversation?
These are reasonable questions regardless of whether the movement comes from the political left or the political right.
Why Foreign Governments Would Care About American Political Movements
The United States is one of the most politically, economically and militarily influential nations in the world.
Because of that, America’s competitors have an incentive to influence American public opinion.
A divided United States can potentially become a less effective United States.
If Americans are constantly fighting each other over politics, race, religion, economics and culture, the country can become increasingly unstable and distrustful.
Foreign influence operations do not necessarily have to convince Americans to support another country.
Sometimes creating greater division may be enough.
That is why Americans should be cautious about political messages designed primarily to make people angry at one another.
Social Media Has Changed Political Influence
Political movements today can grow faster than at almost any other time in history.
A single video can reach millions of people within hours.
Hashtags can organize demonstrations.
Online personalities can shape political conversations almost instantly.
But the same technology that helps legitimate activists organize can also be used for manipulation.
Fake accounts, coordinated networks, misleading information and foreign propaganda can all be used to amplify political division.
That makes understanding the source of information increasingly important.
Before sharing something, supporting an organization or joining a movement, people should ask where the information came from and who benefits from spreading it.
Follow the Money Before Following the Movement
Americans should never be afraid to investigate the organizations attempting to influence them.
That does not mean automatically assuming that every protest is fake or every movement is controlled by foreign interests.
It means doing the research.
Look at public financial records.
Look at nonprofit disclosures.
Look at major donors.
Look at partnerships.
Look at the organizations funding advertisements, legal services and political campaigns.
And when foreign connections exist, ask what those relationships actually mean.
The goal should not be to silence political activism.
The goal should be to make political activism more transparent.
Americans Need to Think for Themselves
Political movements can accomplish meaningful change.
They can also become vehicles for propaganda, manipulation and division.
Both things can be true.
The responsibility ultimately falls on the individual to investigate before automatically accepting the message being promoted.
Don’t support something simply because everyone on social media appears to support it.
Don’t oppose something simply because a political party tells you to.
And don’t assume that something is completely grassroots just because it looks grassroots.
Follow the money. Study the organizations. Understand the agenda. Then make your own decision.
That’s how we begin investing in our culture instead of allowing someone else to determine it for us.
INVEST IN YOUR CULTURE — interrupting the daily program with a different perspective.
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