Term from the 60's I see again...

[Archae]

"Outside agitator."

During the 60's this term was used by "investigators" of the 60's riots, to raise the specter of some outside evil force causing trouble in inner cities. (Communist most likely...)
Never mind the grinding poverty, racism in government and "white flight."

Roger Corman made a movie during the 60's, about a racist "outside agitator" (played by William Shatner no less!) who stirs up racist trouble in a town, and then leaves.

According to ABC news, most of those arrested in Ferguson are from other Missouri towns, or even other states.
Are these (as one commentator called them) "outside agitators?"
Or is this just an excuse to ignore the racist police force and government, and grinding poverty?

[Enrique]

1. that movie sounds good

i never heard of it before. It was actually shot in Missouri, the film crew supposedly got kicked out of the Mo. town for being Communists.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intruder_(1962_film)

[Lindsay]

2. You would think that after all this time

they'd have figured out a way to update the script.

I guess it's worked out well for them.

(I did have to laugh when I heard some teevee talking head mention an outside agitator who'd come to Ferguson...from St. Louis. Gosh, no wonder the cops are scared!)

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. It seems like most of the "outside agitators" are from the greater St. Louis area.

Even those from "Illinois" (East St. Louis).

[el_bryanto]

4. It's a comforting fantasy that the ruling class in Ferguson can tell themselves

"The people who live here are just fine - they know that we are good and decent people. It's the outsiders that are confusing them and making trouble."

In fairness we see a similar reaction here when people post an unpopular opinion - they will regularly get accused of being a freeper or an an intruder.

Bryant

[Archae]

6. Or a (fill in the blank corporation) shill.

I lost track of the number of times I've been accused of being a shill for Monsanto, since I go with actual science and not hysterics and wild accusations.

[LunaSea]

5. "The Intruder" online

Please note there is offensive language in the trailer and film.


Trailer-

Shatners first film, and the one Corman is most proud of.

[Tutonic]

7. Term used by Bull Conner, George Wallace, etc

Used to refer to Martin Luther King and freedom riders--accusation was that the Civil Rights participants were "Communist Agitators" from outside of the area. First the notion that they were communists was laughable. But then combined with being agitators, it was just too much for gentile southerners to comprehend. And they were all from the outside--invading into the well kept and preserved south! To be sure it is a "dog whistle" to the remaining southern ladies and gentlemen--that the high falutin Negroes are once again stirrin up trouble. Time to get those dogs out.

Can't say that I have heard any black citizens or others use this term.