Remember, remember, the 5th of November! From an unsuccessful plot to kill an English king to an Alan Moore comic book movie adapted into a dystopian movie directed by the Wachowskis, to a presidential election? Some might think connecting these might be falling into a bottomless pit of hyperbole, but given the political climate of today's America and the actual date the election is taking place, many are ready to sport their Guy Fawkes masks today in a totally non-satirical manner.
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"People should not be afraid of their governments," an Alan Moore quote reads with "V" from V from Vendetta posing in a meme. "Governments should be afraid of their people." The 5th of November is the election day for the 2024 United States Presidential Election. While many think of this as a coincidence, many are prone to think otherwise.
"Please remember that V was fitting a totalitarian regime that rose to power through fear of a virus they created in a lab, intentionally released, and blamed on terrorists," reads another meme's caption. "With any luck, we will have another reason to remember, remember, the 5th of Novemeber," wrote a user in X, using a V GIF.
The Guy Fawkes Mask
If you are not up to date with all the references, let's talk about some well-deserved context. Guy Fawkes Day celebrates the failure of a plot to kill James I, a protestant king, on November 5, 1605. While you could think that the celebration popularized the use of the Guy Fawkes mask, named after the failed 1605 plotter, you would be wrong. Sort of.
While versions of the Guy Fawkes mask have been used throughout the centuries, the most commonly known version that you see in your favorite Anonymous hacker video was designed by David Lloyd for the V for Vendetta comic. The comic, and the subsequent movie, tell the story of V, a vigilante who is adamant about destroying a dystopian authoritarian United Kingdom government. Many then used the mask as a symbol of protest in the following years.
Given the history that this day carries and its popularization in pop culture, you can understand why many are giving this particular election more weight than any other in history.
Political discourse in this election has been off the rails, with the Republican and Democratic parties attacking each other in many ways. Sometimes attacking policies, other times attacking the nominees personally. Whether you are voting for one candidate or the other, things seem to escalate quickly as many vote convinced to prevent a major political catastrophe should the other candidate win.
Whether you will use a Guy Fawkes mask today or not, the best thing you can do is vote for whoever represents your ideas and vision for the future of America. Remember this 5th of November not as a day to be afraid of, but as a day that celebrates freedom.
