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Wanted: Unruly Activists
The first thing the members of Congress did before they heard the testimony of General David Petraeus, the Administration's new political point man on the war, was to throw the members of Code Pink out of the room. The Code Pinkers are those obnoxious females wearing their eponymously colored T-shirts with end-the-killing slogans on them.
The women of Code Pink are liable to pop up at any solemn public gathering demanding peace at the top of their voices. They are unable to understand that elected officials are better informed and wiser than they are and thus they mistakenly dis people important enough to warrant bodyguards.
During Code Pink's brief moment in the sun, several Republican members of Congress groused to House Arms Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D. Mo) about the scandalous trouble-makers. American politicians, who these days are equipped with security details, have come to regard political heckling as a misdemeanor of greater gravity even than making a pass at an undercover cop in a men's room. Heckling used to be an inseparable part of public debate and, once upon a time, a politician was judged in part by his ability to come through with the kind of humorous riposte that sets audiences to laughing and the hecklers to the sidelines. Lincoln, Churchill and Disraeli were masters at it.
The Code Pinkers are playing what ESPN would call Extreme or X-politics. X-politicians make noise, bust up meetings, chain themselves to furniture, do the big floppola in front of the security personnel and wail like hell when they are dragged off. Most of us are incapable of playing X-politics, but thank God the women of Code Pink are not.
You don't play X-politics because you want a new school superintendent or a stop sign on your block. You play it when it's about war, about dying, maiming and mass misery on a scale too large for any mind to encompass. You play it because the war party always has all the drums and all the bugles and all the flags. You play it because somebody has to smash through, be the truth-teller. And it's not going to be people with normal temperatures and Anglo-Saxon inhibitions.
X-politics is only for the lion-hearted. Samuel Adams played it at the Boston Massacre and the wildest, craziest and yet most essential X-politician in our history was John Brown, Old Potawatamie, who ended dangling from a noose, the North's most electric abolitionist martyr.
An X-politician does not have to lead an armed insurrection, but he or she must do something that enflames indignation and ignites anger. On a small scale that is what Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr did. He's the man who was gang-tackled by the Capitol cops to keep him out of the hearing room. Put your hands together and give it up for the Reverend as you watch the seven-minute video of his encounter with Capitol Hill's finest.
MoveOn.org plays its own, somewhat more sedate brand of X-politics. The day before the hearings it kicked war partisans in the shins with a full-page New York Times ad, with a headline that screamed, "General Petraeus or General Betray Us?". It drove the likes of Orrin Hatch (R. UT) to offering resolutions of condemnation and denunciations of MoveOn.org's wickedness for suggesting the General cannot be counted to tell the whole truth.
(In the interest of full disclosure, the writer confesses to having sent MoveOn.org a small contribution immediately after having read that ad.)
A newspaper ad alone could not have so convincingly disseminated the thought that Petraeus had moved from being a four-star general to being a four-star Republican politician. For that the ad had to provoke a furious reaction from the war lovers.
The essence of X-politics, whether it's Cindy Sheehan or Eli Pariser, one of MoveOn.org's better known people, is to use the other sides' rage, money and status against itself.
May Code Pink strike again. And again.
Nicholas von Hoffman is the author of A Devil's Dictionary of Business, now in paperback. He is a Pulitzer Prize losing author of thirteen books, including Citizen Cohn, and a columnist for the New York Observer.
© 2007 The Nation
112 Comments so far
Show AllHappened to just read this over at "The Nation" and thought "The Nation" has redeemed itself. At least until Katha Pollitt starts up with advising Sheehan to know her place again and let Pelosi run the show.
Problem is, Ms Pollitt, Pelosi isn't running it for the citizens of this country. So, there is no use in condemning the tactics of activists who have to shout to be heard--especially when the criticism only serves that status quo spiralling ever close to the edge.
"You play it because the war party always has all the drums and all the bugles and all the flags. You play it because somebody has to smash through, be the truth-teller. And it's not going to be people with normal temperatures and Anglo-Saxon inhibitions"
Shout it from the rooftops!
And, my humble thanks.
Impeach Pelosi!
What an image.
American citizens who disagree with policy are not welcome in Congress. In fact they are met by thugs in uniforms and thrown out.
Meanwhile, some lying General with the blood of many thousands of people on his hands, and who turned a blind eye to the theft of millions of dollars, gets the red carpet treatment.
Says an awful lot about Congress and our government these days.
PS... the Nation is aligned with the Democrats. They'll sometimes act independent, but when push comes to shove around the elections, they'll always find an excuse to back the pro-war, pro-corporate Democratic candidate. The Nation doesn't seem nearly as broke as they were back when I subscribed in the early 90's. I think they found some money somewhere. And mysteriously, this pro-Democrat election alignment seemed to appear at the same time.
That the Nation is going into 'suck-up-to-the-Democrats' mode this far in advance of the Sheehan-Pelosi general election contest tells me that some Democrats are really concerned about this race.
If after you try petitions, phone calls, emails, letters and the people who you voted for don't listen then up the ante...make so much noise they have to listen.
I personally hope Cindy unseats Nancy...
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2956422.ece
Petreus thinks he will be the Republican Presidential candidate in 2012 and is maneuvering towards that end.
This means he's either an idiot, because someone who backs and promotes a policy that 70% of the American people dislike isn't going to win any elections ... or it means he knows the American election system is rigged and that by sucking up to the right people today, then in 2012 the computers will spit out his name as the winner.
Code Pink - where do they get the funding for these shenanigans? The average American isn't going to get into the same room with Petraeus that easily. While these alleged raise-hell organizations like MoveOn get some attention, they are used and supported by competing and equally problematic power sources. You do something antisocial like punching John Glenn (some years ago) they'll lock you up for terrorism. So Code Pink gets on the evening news for a modest but socially acceptably mini-heckle during a big old dog and pony show. Yawn.
Meanwhile some keyboard commandos yawn at their computer screen and pooh-pooh those who bear the cost of putting their bodies on the line for everyone else.
Excuse me pal, but you are a weasely little schmuck.
Vern,
Sorry, I missed the last few lines. My fault. Thanks for pointing it out. Mr Von Hoffman, statement retracted.
"Code Pink - where do they get the funding for these shenanigans? The average American isn't going to get into the same room with Petraeus that easily...."
Yes, they can! As a former DC area resident, I cans assure you that, In spite of all the crap. The public is still allowed in all congressional hearing rooms, congressmans offices and tha capitol gallery. You might have to get in line early, but you are allowed in if any seats are left. Now, I'm not saying your presence in a hearing chamber or your congressmans office will change anything. But, this public misconception that citizens don't have physical access to the the legislators is dismaying.
That's why the Rev, Yearwood incident is so alarming - never has a citizen been removed for merely waiting in line to get into the gallery.
as far as code pink, they recieve enough donations to operate a small group house in DC. That's all.
Excuse me, Vern, but calling someone a 'weasely little schmuck' is really nasty.
Note, everyone, that Vern did not get muted for this incredibly vicious attack. So I'm guessing that we have some double standards here. If you're on the 'correct' political side, in this case liberal or so-called progressive, you can make nasty attacks on the ones who ain't. But if you're libertarian or right wing and you make such an attack on a liberal you will most likely get muted in a second.
Is this correct?
True, it was nasty.
It was intended to be.
I am disgusted and angry with the sneering disaproval our activists are subjected to--just because they speak out against the staid well-heeled ruling class--who lie decorously through their teeth in the spirit of bipartisanship.
And people wonder why the hell people aren't out in the streets--when the underlying message is don't get the hell out of line.
Who the hell needs Karl Rove when we are all too able to set up the talking points to sabotage ourselves.
Now, you were saying? Something about the poor libertarians?
trails_end September 13th, 2007 12:46 pm
Simply some readers don't read completely or fully understand what you have said...So some dodging of curved balls is required and then maybe let it go....
Rather than your catty little tag team,
you can directly address me if you have a problem.
Well, do you?
and keep in mind--this is a progressive board. We don't coddle the Right here-just because the MSM and the Democrats do.
trails_end
Not all progressives are "liberals." You in a sense, are contradicting yourself.
I didn't say anything about 'poor libertarians'.
I am a libertarian. A libertarian is not a neo-fascist. The neo-fascists often call themselves libertarian, but they are misusing the term. Many liberals call the neo-fascists libertarian, because they call themselves libertarian.
See http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/libertarian
True libertarians are neither left nor right, not in the usual sense of the word.
The thing that was bothering me was the double standards that are being employed on this (and many) websites. If the reverse were happening, and the left-wingers were muted more swiftly than the right, I wouldn't care for that either.
"AND SO IT GOES"
GARBOTOO, A website or board that would impress me, left, right or neither, would be one that allowed all disucussion no matter how troubling, contrary to the usual, or offensive to some.
We don't coddle the Right. If your libertarian perspective echoes the free market blather of the corporate class--then you are merely taking issue with some arbitrary label--which isn't reflecting the fact the views promoted on CD a good part of the time may be in direct conflict with your free market fantasies. In fact, I consider capitalist cheerleaders the very dregs of the worst--and whose free market advocates done dug the hole we are in. Not to mention the greed and fundamental mean-spiritedness of the cult.
Thanks, simonhhh
Not necessarily, trailsend. I have witnessed many progressive board spammed and shat on by libertarian trolls seeking to sidetrack, distract, disrupt sideswipe, sabotage, red-bait, and generally piss on legitimate discussion and then whine when someone calls them on it. It's like psych-ops or trying to reason with a christian fundamentalist.
Mr. Von Hoffman failed to mention that a Wall Street Journal reporter overheard Ike Skelton say to Duncan Hunter, "That really pisses me off down there, those assholes", referring to the protesters. This is another slip of the tongue that lets us know what they think of the anti-war crowd, along with Congressman Obey who referred to Tina Richards, the mother of a marine who was headed to Iraq for his 3rd deployment, as an "idiot liberal". Then there was Pelosi who called the anti-war protesters camped outside her mansion in SF last month "nuts". So, I guess we know where we stand with the Dems in Congress.
Vern, I know you don't coddle the right but you do coddle the left.
I don't want to be coddled and would be pissed if anyone tried to do so.
What you're saying is a crock of shit..Now watch me get muted.
Capitalism is not bad. State-run capitalism is bad. Like I said yesterday, it sucks and so does communism.
And, Vern, 'Well, do you..what?' (What do you mean, 'Well, do you'?)
First Asset to the Revolution: Sharply Defined Terms. Always use The Oxford English Dictionary (for all English dictionaries derive from its 27 volumes). "LIBERAL"---as in "the liberal arts." The practice of which meant, how are you going to cultivate yourself once you have filled your needs for food/clothes/shelter etc.? In other words, LIBERALS BELIEVE THAT LIFE IS MORE THAN WORK. If "the average savage" spends 15 hours per week on essential needs, what is our excuse working 40+ hours a week? It's the cost of "conveniences"? Our soft-life shackles are the reason we "need" to make a gas station out of the Middle East, and it's not going to happen....
Wasn't the editorial about unruly activists i.e. Code Pink? Why are you people arguing? As is the case with Code Pink, intelligent people are not going to take you seriously if they can't even hear you over your own noise.
Yes, and your contribution to the topic?
Otherwise, yes the thread was hijacked. A good example of my point regarding the intent of trolls. To hijack the discussion
We could always try mass marches a la Gandhi!!!!
Until the US populace gets the courage to take to the streets and follow the example of Gandhi's non-violent marches and demonstrations nothing will change. The people have got to WANT the Constitution restored enough to ACT accordingly. If there is no such desire, there will will be no more US Constitution (except in name only).
Things will change only when the populace is alienated and hopeless.
Then they may :
STAND UP - for what they believe to be right.
SIT DOWN - in the nearest street to bring transportaion, retail, everything to a standstill.
FIGHT - I hope like Gandhi's Pathan friend Badshar Khan(Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan) (check him out)a Pashtun nonviolent Muslim
FIGHT - Even if it means sacrifice to themselves to totally repudiate the oligarchy
FIGHT - As if their lives depend on active resistance - which they do
When people realize that they cannot ignore the actions of the government and realize they themselves are the governmet, only then is change possible.
What a shame to let cowardice bring down such a noble experiment of human governance!!
Here are some comments by a man who stood by Gandhi - Badshah Khan, who led a 100,000 person army of non-violent Pashtuns from the Khyber pass region. He was a Pashtun (Afghan) political and spiritual leader known for his non-violent opposition to British Rule during the final years of the Empire on the Indian sub-continent. He was a lifelong pacifist and a devout Muslim. He was known as Badshah Khan (sometimes written as Bacha Khan), the `King of Chiefs', and `Frontier Gandhi'.
"To me nonviolence has come to represent a panacea for all the evils that surround my people. Therefore I am devoting all my energies toward the establishment of a society that would be based on its principles of truth and peace." –
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
"Today's world is traveling in some strange direction. You see that the world is going toward destruction and violence. And the specialty of violence is to create hatred among people and to create fear. I am a believer in nonviolence and I say that no peace or tranquility will descend upon the people of the world until nonviolence is practiced, because nonviolence is love and it stirs courage in people." – Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan to an interviewer in 1985
His story is contained in 'Nonviolent Soldier of Islam: Badshah Khan, A Man To Match His Mountains', by Eknath Easwaran (Published by Nilgiri Press).
Also see NPR highlights:
http://www.npr.org/programs/musings/2003/jan/khan.html?sc=emaf
Bane Richter: your post is even more yawn, and trails_end: stick to the point of the post, and while your at- stop using labels... they weaken your (anyone's) argument.
I would like to hear more exapmples of how an Xpolitico may have reached the media or politicians. Also, more on how we actually reach media/politicians (what actually perks their ears? Money/Donations? Ratings/Votes?)
leading to.... what extreme stunt would favorably affect donations/polls? Line people up around their state capitols and allow them to take, on-by-one, an ax to their credit cards? Man that would feel good.
Here's what RoundAbout says in his petition, linked to above.
"Never before, in the history of our world, has there been a threat so grave or imminent as that which is now posed by the United States of America and the sociopaths that rule it."
Wow. I guess Nazi Germany never really happened or the Roman empire.
And. you don't know me, RoundAbout. I'm probably a lot poorer than you are and have no desire to be anyone's master. Nor would I ever want to see a situation where there would be an anarchism where masters and slaves existed. But the likelihood of that happening in an anarchism is a lot less than under a government system. What we have now IS a master and slave situtation. It's called big government. It's just the same as any other big ugly government, whether it be Stalinist Russia, Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany or the present neo-fascist United States.
Can you people be this blind to reality? It wouldn't even help if we had another revolution here because people like you would just take over and we'd end up with another corrupt stinking system of Big Government.
Honestly, wake up before it's too late. And fuck the United Nations.
As someone who is not a USA citizen (very proud of living in a nation that bestows more freedoms than the USA does to its citizens), what I found most disturbing is the escorting of those who demonstrates the USA so-called freedom of speech "rights." I may be wrong, but I thought USA congress shall make no law abridging the Freedom of Speech. As Mister Skelton demonstrated, he cited a law, I assume made by Congress, granting those who practice this right be arrested. I don't understand. This example illustrates typical American hypocrisy, as does your Government infringing on people's right to peaceably assemble in Washington DC. Your Government does this by arresting people who utilize their rights granted in the USA Constitution, yet nationalists of the USA complain when Americans practice their rights. Genius! How can that be possible? The name of your nation is NOT Soviet Union, Cuba, or North Korea - it is The United States of America. So quit acting like a dictatorship that supposedlty spreads Democracy. No wonder why many people throughout the world view you as the stain of humanity that YOU TRULY ARE!
I have awareness of a few Americans who say that the women of Code Pink was being rude and stating that the action of practicing Freedom of Speech was inappropriate which made the police arrest the women. I am reminded that while rights granted by your Government can be taken away (hence they are not rights after all), worse has happened throughout the world. In fact, on the continent of Europe, former heads of state and ideologues were killed for doing exactly what Mister Skelton did that day, and so were people like your Republicans and fundamentalist Christians who do not respect what the majority of a given nation would like for its Government to do. Again, throughout history, people who had similar agendas to Republicans and fundamentalist Christians, who essentially ruined the nation they ruled in every which way, were KILLED for doing such action. Scum similar to the Republicans, fundamentalist Christians, and millionaire CEOs of the USA is one reason why the such events as the French and Cuban Revolutions have happened, as well as Nazi takeover of Germany prior to WW2. Republicans and fundamentalist Christians should feel greatful they live in the USA because HERE, they do not stand a chance...obviously!
I did write this before and then never posted it because I took my puppies for a walk. (It has more to do with the article.)
Nicholas Von Hoffman has to be kidding applauding Moveon.org. Moveon is as useless and ineffective an organization as possible. Moveon members (when asked to pick a Democratic candidate) chose Kerry over everyone else, the same way all the Democrats did. Now I hear those same people shouting for Kucinich.
Kucinich, at one time, was my choice. Now that I know more about him, I would never vote for him. He's voted for some horrible legislation.
Ron Paul or Barbara Boxer are the only ones, that I know of, who I would even consider voting for.
What's wrong with Kucinich?
Ron Paul is anti-choice, Barbara Boxer is not. Neither of them inspire the progressive movement very much either.
I have no idea who I'm voting for this time around. But I do know that the only wasted vote is a vote for someone for whom you need to hold your nose.
Please! enough of that Ron Paul, the free market/freedom libertarian craps.
Brava! Code Pink. But, I must agree with Sir Melvin Cleophus's observation that the only way to ever regain control of the federal government must be through class war. This is precisely what US elites have feared since the contry's inception and have worked hardest to nip in the bud, an effort that continues unabated through media and its allied distractions, and is clearly present on this thread.
To hell with every politician in office. Vote for new names and faces. The old ones are antiquated, complacent and useless.
BANE - I know someone who tried to join CODE PINK. Several of the major CODE PINKERS are VERY wealthy. Mansions. Beverly Hills. After learning that, I am even more impressed with them because they could sit around eating petit-fours all day, but they fight against this illegal war and they have themselves dragged off to jail time and time again. It's good that some people with big money are fighting for the people. It gives one hope that money does not corrupt EVERYONE. Most, but not everyone.
karlof1 - I agree. The PEOPLE will HAVE to take this country back from the crooked and corrupt politicians. It's INEVITABLE.
Curmuggeon - I like that idea. I remember one march Gandhi led. All the people marched through the streets to their destination, and the police came with their sticks and started beating them. The people were falling to the ground bleeding from their severe injuries. But EACH TIME, the people rose back up and kept walking. They didn't use violence in return. They kept walking with their beaten bodies and dangling limbs. The police saw this, and were immediately stirred. They dropped their sticks to the ground in SHAME.
Hey curmudgeon99:
I think the real fear some people have is not what would happen to them if they step out and protest. It's what would happen at home.
You hear all this talk about how great the economy is but trust me screw this house bubble crap. The Economy was crap way before that. It was great for CEO's who had record profits. But not for people that work for a living.
Most people are one car malfunction, one broken bone, sick child, bad case of the flu, or just happen to be late cause of traffic situation from loosing it all.
And not because they don't try. They just are stretch to the limit.
So for a person to muster up the strength to risk loosing there job, they house, and the lives to stand up for what they believe in can some times be more than the average person can do.
They are not selfish by nature but forced by the system and the "new rules" to survive at all cost.
Sure a lot of people would love to boycott Wal-mart. But it sure is nice to have money left over on their paychecks after taking care of the monthly shopping.
Most people would love to eat healthy. But it sure is a lot easier to eat for 4.50 a day then it is to eat for 13.50 a day at a healthier place.
Most people are already working 45-55 hour work weeks and not by choice. One day of work is one bill that won't get paid.
So I wish we could some how band together but until we are all suffering and have nothing else to loose. It might not happen until our children or our grandchildren are ready to take on the mess that we let happen.
~Future~
Wanted: MSM coverage.
I first read this article Wanted Unruly Activists on the
DC CODE PINK list this morning. I requested to be on the
DC CODE PINK list some time ago - following one of the first large actions - 300,000 of us - walking around the White House some years ago. I had not known of CODE PINK
before that particular action.
But over the years following that action I find myself
at odds with the manner in which members of CODE PINK show their disapproval of the Bush administration's war agenda.
I came down to DC for this past Mother's Day march to Congress - leaving quite disappointed in the manner of the march. Certainly not a true Mother's Day march for peace. It became just another anti war rally - with chants of SHAME SHAME SHAME that I refused to chant. I was standing right next to Cindy Sheehan as she stood on a flower pot in front of the Department of Justice screaming the words SHAME SHAME SHAME. I simply could not chant with her. I do not feel that Gonzales has been an honorable example to hold the office of Attorney General - but to chant SHAME SHAME SHAME at the Department of Justice was not in keeping with a Mother's Day peace march.
Walking to Congress that day we could have been chanting
PEACE SALAAM SHALOM instead. We could have been singing true peace songs and chants - more in alignment with
what we would want for our country and the world. But that is not what came about. It could have been quite different. We could have attracted the attention of 3 lanes of traffic and pedestrians all along the way between the White House and Congress chanting for peace rather than merely being disruptive. Please think about the difference in approach.
I do not believe in war as a means of working out conflict. I disagree vehemently with the actions of the Bush
administration with regards to spending trillions of dollars killing thousands of innocent people in Iraq and Afghanistan. I believe in the reverence for all life.
Yours, mine, and all creatures sharing this earth together.
But you will not see me vigiling or marching with CODE PINK. Not again. Not unless the manner of their protest changes.
To be truly effective in altering the politics of war I believe we need more people refusing to pay for the weapons of war - more people willing to take steps to communicate their sincere concerns to their legislators in a careful, respectful manner - more people to stand up to say NO.
I do not believe I am alone in my unwillingness to vigil with members of CODE PINK. I believe there are many more
women who question the manner in which CODE PINK
chooses to disrupt Congressional proceedings.
I believe we as the 'peace community' would be more
effective if we were truly peaceful in our approach to
addressing Congress - with more decorum, with more respect for the process of addressing our concerns. Congressional legislators - and the public at large - might be more willing to listen to - and support - our concerns if they were presented in a more careful, respectful manner.
Without the yelling and screaming so prone to come about
during CODE PINK protests.
I am here in DC - choosing to come down from Massachusetts to housesit for someone in order to join with others in protest of what the Bush administration continues to do. And yet I am no longer willing to stand with militant activists to show my disapproval of what this administration is doing.
I may agree with their message of NO WAR. I may be just as
upset and disappointed in the lack of Democratic objection to what is being allowed to continue. But the manner of delivery by 'unruly activists' distresses me - and I believe you might find quite a number of concerned activists who feel similiarly.
Yes - we need more people to come out against the Bush
administration's war policies. We do. But I can assure you
the manner in which members of CODE PINK, Cindy Sheehan and
'unruly' activists are behaving will keep the majority of 'peace' people WE NEED on the sidelines not coming to rallies or vigils UNLESS the manner in which peace is promoted by peace 'anti war' activists alters in a more peace oriented direction.
In the meantime I would encourage anyone serious about ending this war to seek out information of war tax refusal -as a means of protesting this war - and all wars. What was it that General Alexander Haig said? Let them march all they want as long as they pay their taxes. They can not spend money on weapons killing innocent people if we refuse to give them the money for those weapons, can they? No.
Let everything you do be done in love.
1 Corinthians 16:14
'Love is the measure.' Dorothy Day
'Gather yourselves...All that we do now must
be done in a sacred manner.' Hopi Elders 2001
Those of you interested in helping Cindy Sheehan unseat Nancy Pelosi are encouraged to sign up at http://www.sheehanforcongress.us
"X-politics is only for the lion-hearted. Samuel Adams played it at the Boston Massacre and the wildest, craziest and yet most essential X-politician in our history was John Brown, Old Potawatamie, who ended dangling from a noose, the North's most electric abolitionist martyr."
While I applaud the due praise for Code Pink and The Rev. Yearwood, I think the above statement is meant to let the rest of us off the hook. It shouldn't. The last thing we need is to be told that some "lion-hearted" super heroes will take care of us. We all need to learn how to be the actors in this play, or we are doomed.
Hi Paul Bramscher,
I don't like that Ron Paul is anti-choice, either. But it's the only thing that I can find that I don't like about him. I'm not sure about his stance on the environment. I don't think he has one, or hasn't voiced it, I guess.
You asked 'What's wrong with Kucinich?'
Kucinich voted for some legislation, a while back, that stated that kids should be kept out of school if their parents refused to put them on the medication that the schools insisted they take. Ron Paul, on the other hand, co-signed legislation that opposed this outrageous bill, and made a speech to congress that moved almost all of them to vote against the original bill.
Barbara Boxer may not move the 'progressive community' but she's okay by me. She is the only Democrat, that I know of, that has an ounce of guts. She actually tried to get Bush impeached, for instance. She also tried to get a recount of the Ohio votes.
Yeah for the women in pink! We do need more of them. Never prouder of my gender. outrageous decisions by this administration calls for outrageous behavior by people with a conscience. I wish they'd call me!
Vern, you are awesome. The truth is though, most people are afraid. I live in a well to do community which is left of left and there are a few vigils here and there but not much action, a whole lot of shopping downtown. The academics and established art community somehow doesn't know how to organize with the inner city community, they love adopting the kids though. I know, a little jaded but I am just trying to get to the crux of the issue. Truthfully, screw the Libertarians and their free market crap and denial of causes of social injustice. We all know socialism or at least regulated capitalism would work better than this leviathan. Are any of you people organizing or what? I know there is probably a thread for this. You are all so damn smart and pithy, where is the backbone though. I know I can't sleep that well at night with all this bs goin down. All they need to do is get one generation through that is too happy with their cell phones and computers and then no worries for the elites. I worry that that generation is right behind us. KEEP HOPE ALIVE. KEEP ON TRUCKIN.
Go Code Pink!
They've been carrying the torch in-between the BIG demos, just like I join a dozen fellow activists for the First-Friday sidewalk vigil once a month. We weem to be a pitifully small
We all have to to what we can, when we can, where we can.
But every time I hear another threat made against Iran, I ask myself, "Is that when I'll step off the sidewalk and start blocking traffic?".
I like what Scott Ritter says about building a more effective antiwar movement in his book "Waging Peace". Being a former soldier, he speaks in the language of military campaigns - which causes many peaceniks to wince.
But I agree with him that 1000 demonstrators in Washington for 100 consecutive days would be a lot more powerful than 100,000 demonstrators for one day.
I'd like to see savvy web-organizers like MoveOn.org working on this - in addition to their "intemperate" newspaper ads.
Capitalism is good? State-run capitalism bad?
Umm, have I missed something. So as long as we dismantle the public schools, welfare programs, consumer protection agencies, everybody will have a better life? And of course, national health insurance must be off the agenda. Remember, it was your choice to be born into poverty, and the elites choice to be born to riches!
Capitalism blows. Get over it.
Good for Code Pink, but von Hoffman is right. There should be a lot more rudeness. Otherwise, it's just irritating and eventually taken for granted. There should be massive rudeness and the issues should be forced...all the time. Don't want to be rude? Did your mother tell you not to be rude? Did public officials tell you to calm down, "we'll take care of things"? Are things getting better?
Your brothers and sisters and sons and daughters in the military are killed for a reason no one can explain. (Of course, they can't.) You are lied to constantly. Your civil liberties have been hacked away. You've been silenced as legislation is written by and for global corporations. Don't want to be rude? What will it take?
It's your life, you know.