US Uncut
US Uncut is a decentralized direct action group in the United States established in February 2011 to combat corporate tax avoidance and highlight cuts to social spending and public sector jobs.[1] It draws its name, organizing structure, and tactics from UK Uncut, a movement that began four months earlier in London, England.
The group's first action occurred simultaneously in 50 cities across the United States, mostly at Bank of America branches. Since then, the group has expanded both its targets and its numbers.[2] As of May 2011, over 100 cities have had Uncut sponsored actions.[3]
Targets
In addition to Bank of America, US Uncut has held protests at Verizon stores, BP stations, FedEx stores, Target stores, and Apple Stores.[4][5]
Bank of America, the original target, was chosen for its role in the financial crisis and the fact that it paid no income taxes in 2009 or 2010.[6]
Verizon made over $24 billion in 2010, yet received a tax benefit of $1.3 billion.[4] The significant tax benefit it received was mostly due to redirecting profits through its British partner Vodafone, which has been the frequent target of UK Uncut.[7]
British Petroleum received a tax benefit of $9.9 billion for 2010 due to costs associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.[8]
Hillary Clinton became a target after US Uncut began publishing articles on the 2016 Presidential Race such as: "Who Said It: Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton?" and "How the Democratic Establishment Is Digging Its Own Grave", with the latter post's opening line: "As they circle the wagons for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party establishment appears to be doing everything they can to lose not only this election, but to ensure decades of Republican supermajority rule by stifling the hopes of the party’s future.",[9][10]
Politics
In 2015 and 2016, US Uncut began posting articles in support of Bernie Sanders to the exclusion of other and/or at odds with candidates.
Criticism
On January 8, 2016, US Uncut was singled out criticized by a writer, Garrett Griffin in an article titled "Who Does Clickbait Better, Liberal or Conservative News? The Answer May Shock You," an analysis of "sensational" headlines on most alternate media websites considered partisan by the writer. Griffin criticized the website for posting an article with the headline, "A Terrorist Just Fire-Bombed a California Mosque While People Were Inside," saying it could be considered misleading. From the article: "If terrorism often includes political purposes but not always, U.S. Uncut is justified in using “terrorist.” (“Fire-Bombed” is acceptable, as a molotov cocktail falls neatly with the bounds of that descriptor.) If political purposes must be involved, it becomes trickier. Some attacks, such as the almost yearly firebombing of abortion clinics or murder of doctors, can rightly be called terrorism using conservatives’ definition. But others, like an attack on a mosque, may be more controversial." [11]
References
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