Radical Activism by Bumper Stickers and Pins

In Radical Media, John Downing explains that using bumper stickers and pins/buttons, among other means, was a popular means of expanding the message of radical activists. Not only are they inexpensive, easy to produce and distribute, but they are also an easy way to get a message to numerous people without having to go door to door or hold meetings which may or may not have interested parties attending. Downing says that these forms of publication were more popular in the late 20th century. I think buttons and bumper stickers are still widely popular, but they have lost their significance in the radical activism sphere.

There's been a recent trend, especially in the last 20-30 years, of teenagers and adolescents using pins to promote popular culture rather than any radical message. Musical acts and movies are now advertised on buttons and proudly displayed on denim jackets and backpacks in schools across the nation. Hot Topics has made this fad hip again with their line of humorous or popular pins, including most recently, the Twilight phenomenon. Additionally, bumper stickers have also become an activist message of the past. While some stickers do have a political message, such as the "Kick the son of a Bush out," they aren't quite the radical activist message that they could be. While these modes of publication are both economically friendly, they don't seem to have the same impact as Downing describes in years past.