Maybe you’re not a fan of anarchy or the movie “V for Vendetta,” but everyone can appreciate the occasional good-intentioned rebel. Nov. 5 is the famous Guy Fawkes Day celebration in Britain, based on the arrest of a British revolutionist in 1605 who wanted to restore Catholicism as the state religion by blowing up Parliament. But why should us Americans care?
Guy Fawkes’ face is well known for a reason: he is the face of revolution and change. He is the face of “Anonymous,” the famous “hacktivist” group. Even though he was anti-government and many British people engage in burning Fawkes’ masks on Nov. 5, others wear his mask as a warning to the government.
In the film adaptation of “V for Vendetta,” Hugo Weaving plays the character V. He proclaims the famous lines: “People shouldn’t be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.” This movie inspired a social revolution and gained Fawkes even more publicity centuries after his assassination.
The conspirator Fawkes certainly was confident in his ability to threaten the government. According to his biography, under the super-clever alias “John Johnson,” fellow conspirators and Fawkes purchased a plot of space directly under the parliamentary building. This is where they planted at least 20 barrels of gunpowder for their plan to demolish Parliament and reinforce Catholicism in the nation. Thus, the infamous “Gunpowder Plot” was born.
V warns in the film the government may try to censor and instill fear in its citizens to create the illusion of safety. This way, a leader will have complete control over its people. The film’s storyline argues that by sitting back and letting awful things happen, we are the ones to blame. V points out, “If you’re looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.” And this is more prevalent more than ever during this current presidential election. It is important to be aware of the motives behind our candidates.
Sure, Fawkes ended up getting caught in 1605 and failed to blow up King James I, but we can still celebrate the effort. The fact that almost no one has successfully stood up to the American government recently is striking, especially during this controversial presidential election.
Personally, I think we need a Fawkes-like anarchist group to save America from the turmoil that will likely occur after the presidential inauguration. Also, if Fawkes masks were involved, I wouldn’t complain.
Michael Shammas from Mic magazine tells readers that “this Nov. 5, when you watch ‘V for Vendetta,’ watch it with a critical eye, and remember: Usurping freedom by appealing to security concerns is the oldest trick in the book.”
