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Move the Money, Starve the Empire
June 26 may have been the last day of the U.S. Social Forum (USSF) in Detroit, but it might very well be the emergence of a more powerful antiwar movement in this country.
The U.S. Social Forum is a meeting place for progressive social justice organizations to discuss issues, strategies, and ideas for building a social movement in this country. The sessions on the antiwar and anti-militarism track made several linkages: between the domestic economic crisis and the bloated military budget, the expansion of U.S. bases and the displacement of farmers and indigenous peoples from their land and livelihoods, and the rise of militarism and violence against women.
We can't address the economic crisis blighting neighborhoods throughout the United States without moving money away from war. That's the only part of the national budget not being cut. Organizers at the USSF united two disparate sectors. One is comprised of grassroots base-building organizations with multicultural constituencies working to secure jobs, education, and services. The other includes national peace organizations with mostly white, middle-class membership.
These two groups largely organize separately. But they came together at the USSF because working poor people clearly can't get the jobs and services they need without challenging military spending. Likewise, peace groups can't end wars without a broad movement challenging the military-industrial complex.
25 Percent Cut
Mike Prokosch is among the organizers of the 25% Solution campaign in Massachusetts, which aims to cut a quarter, or about $250 billion, from the Pentagon and other military agencies and institutions. The campaign wants to redirect this money to social services, education, and job creation, all of which have been slashed in this era of joblessness and foreclosures.
"The military industrial complex is shaping peoples' choices and lives," Prokosch says, referring to the cycle of dependency that military bases and institutions generate in towns in which it dominates the local economy. He points to how Dorchester's high unemployment (which doubled in the last year), cuts in job training for youth job training programs, and surging dropout rates have fueled the military enlistment rates for the city's youth. And the only sector of the economy that hasn't been slashed is the military.
"The more the military base grows the more the cycle of dependency grows," says Prokosch, who has spent his entire life in the cause of peace. He remains clear-eyed about the odds. After all, he reminds us, the U.S. Empire has been growing for over a century and the defense budget for over 60 years. But he remains hopeful of the potential of a broad base of diverse communities across the country working together to take on the military-industrial complex: "If we want to do this, we we're going to have to build something larger and more powerful than the military industrial complex that can scare Congress more."
Barbara Lott-Holland, an organizer with the Bus Riders Union of the Labor Community Strategy Center, describes the tremendous militarization of low-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles. "Our neighborhoods are militarized zones in this country," Lott-Holland says, "terrorized in the name of the war on drugs, the war on gangs, the war on poverty." She describes how the United States has the largest prison population in the world, with over 2.2 million in prison, of which one million are black men. "There are more black men in prison than there were during slavery." Many inner cities today require students to go through metal detectors as they enter the school and have police patrolling the hallways and grounds. "More high schools now look like prisons," says Lott-Holland, and many classrooms in elementary schools in Los Angeles don't even have windows. Lott-Holland believes that "this country systematically treats youth as criminals," monitoring every move of brown and black youth from their schools to their neighborhoods.
U.S. Military Abroad
Just as money for jobs, health care, education, and housing is going from taxpayer pockets to feed the military-industrial complex, so is the money for foreign military operations being used to displace farmers and indigenous people in every region of the world. Members of the No U.S. Bases movement described how the over 700 U.S. bases around the world have become sites of conflict between American soldiers and the local population. Meanwhile, the United States continues to expropriate land from farmers and indigenous people to expand or build new bases.
One site of resistance is Guam, also known by its indigenous name, Guahan. An incorporated U.S. territory, Guam is the intended relocation site of 8,000 Marines from Okinawa. Unsurprisingly, the U.S. government didn't consult the people of the island, a disturbing parallel with the eras of Spanish and Japanese colonialism.
Lisa Natividad of the Guahan Coalition for Peace and Justice explains that the island is very small, only 212 square miles. From top to bottom, the island is 32 miles, and the widest point is eight miles wide. Despite Guam's small land mass, the United States is still planning to transfer the troops, which will include their families, other military personnel, and the construction of massive infrastructure to accommodate nearly 80,000 people that will occupy nearly 40 percent of the land. According to Natividad, the Department of Defense drafted an environmental impact statement that outlined plans to dredge 72 acres of the reef surrounding the island and reclaiming 2,200 acres of land. "Looking at the legacy of militarism," Natividad said, "the build-up of the bases will mean worsening health outcomes and shorter lives." Natividad says there are over 100 Superfund sites on Guam.
Since 2006, Natividad and other women have been informing their community about the impact of this expanded base and drafting comments to be included in the environmental impact assessments. They are also looking to strengthen ties with neighboring islands in Micronesia and in the north, which are also being assessed for occupation and militarization.
U.S. military aid has also been having an impact on the militarization of Colombia and fueling of guerrilla and paramilitary wars. "The history of the Colombian conflict is not separate from U.S complicity," says Claudia Castellenos, a human rights lawyer from Colombia. Last year, the Colombian government signed an accord with the United States that will permit seven additional U.S. military bases. "The presence of U.S. cooperation signifies the increase militarization," says Castellenos, "which supports the paramilitaries against the population." Plan Colombia, the U.S. bilateral aid package that includes military assistance, has coincided with the death and disappearance of thousands of people. Castellanos is working with women's organizations to establish leadership development schools for their children "because they will decide if they will participate in these wars or not."
Transnational Feminists Unite
Another potentially strong linkage that emerged was the connection between feminists here in the United States and those working to confront patriarchy and militarism abroad. At a workshop entitled "Transnational Feminist Organizing to Resist Militarism and Empire," women discussed how militarism is used to rape women, inflict violence on people, contaminate the environment, and strip farmers and peasants of their land and sovereignty. Brazilian feminist Alessandra Ceregetti from the World March of Women, an international feminist grassroots movement, talked about how they promote peace and demilitarization.
Graciela Sanchez of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio, Texas - home to five U.S. military bases - offers some wisdom on how women might be at the center of organizing against militarism. "We have to learn to do the work as mujeres (women) to change the culture of violence, of war, of hate, of greed toward that of our abuelitas (grandmothers) of love, sharing, compassion, respect, honesty, and truth."
She also gives a stinging critique of how organizing in this country has been centered and defined by men and by identity politics. "I can't separate my queer self, my woman self, my working-class-background self, my immigrant-family-from-Mexico self, or my curly-headed self," says Sanchez. "We can't separate our identities; we must look at issues holistically and make the connections."
Toward Ending Empire
On the last day of the USSF, several dozens of major antiwar and social justice groups gathered to discuss how to build a powerful movement to counter the military industrial complex. Organized by Peace Action, War Times, and the Beyond Empire Working Group of Grassroots Global Justice, the morning caucus attracted a multicultural, multi-generational, and multi-issue audience representing a broad swath of the U.S. population to continue conversation on how to move the money from war.
"There's one imperial strategy," says Gwyn Kirk of Women for Genuine Security, "And people here and around the world are brought in to support empire." Veterans from Iraq Veterans Against the War also pointed to the need to bring in veterans, soldiers, and their families as they are the ones also directly impacted by unending wars. A resolution submitted to the National Movement Assembly of the USSF to oppose U.S. wars and militarism urged a focus on October 2010 as a month of solidarity actions.
As we took a group photo, we started with the chant, "End the War," and then realized that our motto was off. We adjusted it to, "End the Empire."
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Show AllBy the title, I thought the article would argue for divestment from the USA and boycott of US products. Then I thought it would argue for tax revolt. And finally I found that it was arguing that we all chant "End the Empire". The idea of starving the Empire is timely and hopeful. But how?
You're on the right path: to the extent possible avoid working in their jobs, buying their consumer goods and paying them taxes.
* Create worker cooperatives -- democratically managed by the worker-owners.
* Example: Carp Catchers Cooperative. http://carpcatchersco-op.wetpaint.com.
* Create solar energy system which is low capital, local, distributed in both generation and use of energy. See: Solar Furnace CHP: http://solarfurnacechp.wetpaint.com.
* Create the Small Business Investment Exchange so we can mutually raise seed capital, start-up capital, grow-up capital for worker cooperatives. See: http://sbic.wetpaint.com.
* Create your own worker cooperative and let's network. Some guidance is at Mutual Aid Society of America: http://masallp.wetpaint.com.
* Create eco-villages using permaculture and become self-sufficient and sustainable.
* Boycott businesses owned and run by "Norski Predators" a.k.a. the Evil Empires of the super-rich.
Jim Miller
jimmiller5417@yahoo.com
* Create worker cooperatives -- democratically managed by the worker-owners.
* Example: Carp Catchers Cooperative. http://carpcatchersco-op.wetpaint.com.
* Create solar energy system which is low capital, local, distributed in both generation and use of energy. See: Solar Furnace CHP: http://solarfurnacechp.wetpaint.com.
* Create the Small Business Investment Exchange so we can mutually raise seed capital, start-up capital, grow-up capital for worker cooperatives. See: http://sbic.wetpaint.com.
* Create your own worker cooperative and let's network.
* Create eco-villages using permaculture and become self-sufficient and sustainable.
* Boycott businesses owned and run by "Norski Predators" a.k.a. the Evil Empires of the super-rich.
Jim Miller
jimmiller5417@yahoo.com
The United States government, that is, the actual part that makes the decisions that affect all our lives and irrespective of so-called party, is made up of bloodthirsty, stupid, corrupt, amoral, aggressive and swaggering incompetents - led by Obama. While the general public may not love these crumbs the way they love their favorite celebrity, they won't stop voting for them. How overwhelming, how fearful and truly chaotic must this disaster become before real change takes place?
Absolutely, the fascist amerika empire MUST be ended before World Peace can happen ! Solutions will come from Worldwide group effort..enormous, constant, non-violent effort. There are deep forces of Love and Compassion at work...DO NOT GIVE UP !
Sorry, they're not stupid nor are they incompetent. They know exactly what they're doing and why. Their job: To keep the masses at bay, busy, distracted and generally on the ropes while their partners-in-crime rape and pillage the planet.
They are as you mentioned, bloodthirsty, corrupt and aggressive.
Until public funding of political campaigns is required no progressive change will occur as both the Dems and Repugs continue to each limit their true mission to getting more corporate money than the other party.
I have been resisting efforts to build a third party. I now think that this has been a mistake on my part. Somehow, we have to get the job done. We have to stop saying that this cannot work and make the effort. Even another failure can make a strong statement to the establishment. We need to roll up our sleeves and get to work. A third party needs to be ready by November. A third party needs to at least help to defeat Obama in 2012. If Republicans win back control, then that is what must happen to move to the next stage. Hopefully the Republican and the Democratic incumbents will be trounced in the November election as well. Who in the world trusts these people anyhow at this point? The "Parties of No"? This is what Americans want?
At some point, we have to believe in the American people once again. Americans are not stupid either.
Good luck USSF but be prepared to confront the "conservatives" who strongly support empire building and the Obamabots who make "practical" excuses and also preach "personal responsibility" !
Good. Cut military spending and put it into jobs and restructuring the economy to create new jobs in sustainable technologies.
The military industrial complex won't go down easily even if there was a political will to bring it down a peg or two. If they really lost unambiguously in Afghanistan they might be easier to cut back afterwards.
Happy 4th of July weekend!
(sponsored by our new corporate masters)
Inertia is the real and final problem. All of this sounds good, but people soon back away. Of course, virtually all of this was discussed even before the US invasion of Iraq. On February 15, 2003 some 12 million people (at least) demonstrated against the war all across the world. But the Bush administration yawned and little or no attention was given to the cause. I personally participated and supported the Boycott America movement which may have lasted up to a year, but effectively lasted only about 3 months. Then it was downhill from there.
All of this is terribly obvious. It would truly not be that difficult to simply boycott America. What this means is to simply stop doing any business whatsoever with large corporations. Sometimes people would have to pay a little more and/or drive a little further to avoid doing business with big corporations. Furthermore, if one investigates to see what large corporations do to garner business, it becomes obvious that the corporations are often engaging in what should be illegal and even criminal activities. Take any one corporation and delve deeply into what and how they do things, and you'll soon see that something smells. This is what greed and power do and always have done. Someone is getting screwed. So morally it makes sense to boycott. Additionally it means greater safety and security in terms of the economy, in terms of jobs, and in terms of the environment. Again, just do a minimal amount of research and you'll soon discover that this is true. For a starter you might check North Dakota which was barely affected by the "great recession".
So if you want safety, if you truly want to do the right thing, and if you even want to prosper - yes it pays big dividends in the long run to invest in your local economy, your local merchant, your neighbor's business, and even your own sideline business - you will commit yourself to the boycott. It really and truly works when enough people do this.
(Incidentally, because it works so well, the corporations will soon get wind of what is going on and will almost immediately take action to get your money back. You might have leverage before you even know it. But then it might even get nasty - unless you grow and grow and grow. Look at how the banks are trying to get business back from all of the customers who transferred their business to credit unions and local banks. Look at how even Wal-Mart is now green as green can be.)
But we just don't do what we need to do, at least not for very long. We are conditioned to stay within the fold, to conform, to follow our "leaders". We listen to the media even though we know good and well that the media lies, distorts, distracts, and ignores critical issues of the day that can affect us all. The media completely dedicates itself to championing the business and conventions of big corporations. It pays very big bucks to do so. Virtually everything in this society supports the big corporations and will continue to do so. Oh, and don't forget, there is very big money for the individual to do so. Look at Russ Limbaugh as an example. $50,000,000 per year; maybe more. That is really why and how the corporations prevail.
But we can get along quite well without the really big bucks. It does not really take that much of a sacrifice.
This is what I recommend. Find friends wherever you live. Talk about a lifetime commitment to such a boycott. See if you can get people to make the commitment. Make a compact; maybe even sign some kind of contract. And then get busy to find ways to make the break and sustain yourself and your comrades and friends. There are ways. Just do it. It is not so difficult.
But you must remember to remind one another of your purpose and your values all along the way. You must encourage each other. You must celebrate what you accomplish. AND don't forget to give to others when you take away from the big corporations. It is the giving in the end that will really succeed and really sustain you.
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER
Hope is stirring. Grab a paddle and help stir.
By Jim Miller
April 10, 2010
Our national economic model will not yield many benefits for the vast majority of people until worker cooperatives own and manage at least half of the nation’s enterprises. Our current national economic model has failed the vast majority of Americans and has benefited mostly the super-rich and their political junkies. We need a different economic model.
Rather than trying to take over bankrupt enterprises as the workers did in Argentina (Sin Patron by www.lavaca.org; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvJrCSVTPOo ), we can raise the start-up and grow-up capital among the workers by asking them to invest small amounts each payday in one or more worker cooperatives. The model for this approach is Mondragon Cooperative Corporation. The mechanism will be direct purchase of equity interests and debt obligations through a KIVA-like link, to be known as the Social Benefit Investment Exchange (SBIE).
SBIE business plan is now in the concept stage and is beginning to take shape. The initial resource is the software and IT formulation. The “front office” or CRM will be based on www.thebrain.com or Personal Brain (PB) as they label it. This system is a mind-mapping, virtual socio-gram for navigation and for ordering information. The “back room” will be a non-traditional database based on www.asksam.com. We have RFPies out to both companies.
The build for SBIE PB 1.0 is in progress. If you want to participate, you will need to download and install Personal Brain 5 .. found at: http://www.thebrain.com/#-53 Then please email me and I will return the then current edition of build SBIE PB 1.0 so you can edit and add to the project. As soon as The Brain has a stable online version, we will migrate to the hosted version and then we will have direct access to our SBIE formulation of PB for our front room. This software will be developed under Creative Commons license.
I am thrilled to have found the mind-mapping software offered by The Brain. They have many tutorials and a forum which really works. I’m very impressed. While the learning curve is a bit steep at first, once you get the hang of it, it seems very simple to understand and use. I spent a day researching mind-mapping software and The Brain is clearly the best of its class.
SBIE will need a database to organize and provide security for the ownership, identity and transaction data. We have chosen AskSam to design this “back room”. We need to move away from Windows and onto a Linux platform, running an Apache DB server loaded with the AskSAM and PB software. The jury is still out whether to use AskSAM, but it appears to be the best choice, all things considered.
There are some guidelines, namely a collaborative approach to the design of the SBIE. Great minds can run in many directions. We want to engage great minds. The schema is also direct interaction of investors and investees. We do not need a host of middlefolk claiming control and pulling out commissions.
Your help is need and will be greatly appreciated.
Jim Miller
jimmiller5417@yahoo.com
Jim,
What is it that you believe will motivate the masses to adopt this form? Are you seeing efforts moving in this direction in any part of the country? Do you know the specifics, if so? Do you know of cooperative businesses that are up and running? How has the local city councils reacted? What about the Chambers of Commerce? As the representatives of big business in America, I would expect that the Chambers would be making very deliberate efforts to block these efforts. Are citizens supporting the co-ops? Are you hearing people talk about getting involved?
Jim Hightower is talking at length about citizens getting involved in cooperatives. But I am only aware of small efforts here and there at this time. The United Steel workers were engaged in talks with Mondragon to come to the Midwest, but I do not know whether anything panned out. Do you?
I do not see big business ignoring cooperatives or Mondragon for that matter. In fact, I expect that they are already plotting to block efforts to succeed right on the front steps of city hall. You saw what happened to healthcare reform I presume. Of course, recently, Wall Street won their current battle. I expect to see the same thing all over again when it comes to winning back local control of the economy. More than likely Obama and the Dems will attack as well if anything starts to look promising. So are you and others anticipating the fight? If so, what and how do you expect to meet the challenge?
Californians managed to stop Pacific Gas and Electric from blocking efforts to achieve local control of development and use of alternative energy sources, but the margin of victory was very small. PG&E spent over $50 million in the election. Mercury Insurance (auto insurance company) funded a big campaign to legalize charging big re-entry fees to citizens who drop their auto insurance for whatever reason (e.g. illness, college attendance, etc.) and was also turned back by the electorate. Again the margin of victory was thin. Even so this is encouraging. But do the masses yet comprehend that the big corporations are their enemies?
Of course, big business continues to look to take control of the Internet. If the big corporations succeed, people will once again be blocked in their efforts to regain their democracy and recover some influence.
Wishing you the very best. I'll be looking to learn more about your suggestions.
NAO,
My responses are nested in Italics.
Jim Miller
What is it that you believe will motivate the masses to adopt this form? Several forces will promote worker cooperatives. Education is already present as there are many NGO pushing this agenda. Mondragon Cooperative Corporation, Spain, is the most globally successful. See: http://masallp.wetpaint.com/page/Mutual+Aid+Society,+Mondragon+and+More
Watch the BBC documentary, “The Mondragon Experiment”: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7565584850785786404&hl=en#
Are you seeing efforts moving in this direction in any part of the country? Yes, but on a minor level. Do you know the specifics, if so? Do you know of cooperative businesses that are up and running? Yes. See the video on The Rainbow Grocery and the Cheese Board: http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=rainbow+grocery&emb=0&aq=0&oq=rainbow+groce#q=rainbow+grocery&emb=0&aq=0&oq=rainbow+groce&start=10
Have the local city councils reacted? Not as yet. The current land use regulations and zoning laws basically prohibit intentional communities unless one can successfully us the Planned Unit Development overlays. See: http://masallp.wetpaint.com/page/DUMBBELL+PLANNING+VERSUS+INTEGRATED+COMMUNITY+PLANNING What about the Chambers of Commerce? As the representatives of big business in America, I would expect that the Chambers would be making very deliberate efforts to block these efforts. Their intent may well be in that direction, but thus far, we have pitched the worker cooperative as a “business partnership” and thus have stayed under the radar.
Are citizens supporting the co-ops? Mostly the food co-ops are well attended. Are you hearing people talk about getting involved? Yes, to a limited extent: See: US Federation of Worker Cooperatives, http://www.usworker.coop/about There have been for many years, co-ops which are very successful, such as Ace Hardware, Tru-value Hardware, Organic Valley, and many other farmer marketing cooperatives.
Jim Hightower is talking at length about citizens getting involved in cooperatives. But I am only aware of small efforts here and there at this time. The United Steel workers were engaged in talks with Mondragon to come to the Midwest, but I do not know whether anything panned out. Do you? Yes. See: www.ic.org for intentional communities. Google “worker cooperative” and the response is 238,000 hits.
I do not see big business ignoring cooperatives or Mondragon for that matter. In fact, I expect that they are already plotting to block efforts to succeed right on the front steps of city hall. I have seen no such firm evidence. Vermont, Michigan and Maryland have all passed legislation favoring L3C LLC's.
You saw what happened to healthcare reform I presume. Of course, recently, Wall Street won their current battle. I expect to see the same thing all over again when it comes to winning back local control of the economy. No doubt there will be a huge, long fight in the trenches. The Norski Predators harbor the “greed gene” which will be their undoing. Worker Cooperatives have proven their greater competitive advantages.
More than likely Obama and the Dems will attack as well if anything starts to look promising. So are you and others anticipating the fight? Yes. If so, what and how do you expect to meet the challenge? Obama and Dems are on our side so they will not attack. By forming the Small Business Investment Exchange, we raise capital outside of the current casino stock exchanges. By funding worker cooperatives, we will gain more social benefit investors than can the casino stock exchanges.
Californians managed to stop Pacific Gas and Electric from blocking efforts to achieve local control of development and use of alternative energy sources, but the margin of victory was very small. PG&E spent over $50 million in the election. Mercury Insurance (auto insurance company) funded a big campaign to legalize charging big re-entry fees to citizens who drop their auto insurance for whatever reason (e.g. illness, college attendance, etc.) and was also turned back by the electorate. Again the margin of victory was thin. Even so this is encouraging. But do the masses yet comprehend that the big corporations are their enemies? Probably not; we need to turn the heat on the Radical Right Republicans.
Of course, big business continues to look to take control of the Internet. If the big corporations succeed, people will once again be blocked in their efforts to regain their democracy and recover some influence. We must fight hard to keep the Web open and free.
Wishing you the very best. I'll be looking to learn more about your suggestions. Please read: World Plan for the Garden of Eat'n: http://masallp.wetpaint.com/page/WORLD+PLAN+FOR+GARDEN+OF+EAT%27N
While many of us are well aware of the problems, and many good articles have been posted, very few can outline how to practically bring about any substantive change to the status quo.
Voting, calling/writing your corrupt Congress rep or Senator is of little or no effect. Why? crudely put, our "democracy" is almost 100% public relations BS, marketing and brand management.
History clearly showns that social change comes from organized civil disobedience from the bottom up. However this is more difficult than it has ever been as our society is propagandized with very sophisticated methods, fragmented, divided, confused, and geographically dispersed in endless tracts of suburban sprawl etc.
The collective action dilemma is larger than ever.
However, when conditions worsen further I believe people will be spurred into action. The danger lies in the corporate controllers of information will mobliize the anger people feel against "out groups" like immigrants. This is being attempted as we speak and must not be allowed to fool us or divert attention away from those that are guilty of destroying us.
Simply require that a funding bill (new taxes) accompany any request for war funds. When people start paying extra for extra war, then they will become concerned.
Two ways to secure our country , 800 billion a year to the pentagon and the military industrial complex, which means war of occupation and empire, death and destruction and more hate towards America, which means more money for security and endless war and violence.
Or , 200 billion a year for the pentagon , and 600 billion a year for alternative energy contractors, solar , wind , engineering and manufacturing, jobs for Americans , and end our addiction to foreign oil.
Hell, let the military industrial complex bid for those contracts to, I dont care.
Its just that simple, and dont let anyone tell you different.
China has already committed to 75 billion in doing just what I described, and they are going to be the leaders in alternative energy and have those jobs if we dont stop fooling around with stupid neocon plans of empire.
BornFreeMen , Joe Spagnuolo Bradetnon Florida,Victim of fusion center gang stalking torture warrant less surveillance 24/7 for three years and running.
I have seen the American Stazi, and they work for the government.
They have discredited me , and tried to drive me crazy to protect their evil Stazi torture system.
Live Free or Die, I will not be silenced, or remain anonymous.
I support all of the goals of the USSF. Having said that, we must have a more sophisticated analysis than that indicated in this article.
RE: "The U.S. Social Forum is a meeting place for progressive social justice organizations to discuss issues, strategies, and ideas for building a social movement in this country."
The problem with this ostensibly noble goal is that it is divorced from history. Progressives have never been the instrumental force behind "progressive" change in this country. Rather it has been RADICALS that have been the engine for those few progressive changes that have come about. The last time there was a radical movement of any consequence was in the late 1960's. Many of the important radical leaders were co-opted into the the Democratic party by the mid 1970's where their energy could be controlled and dispersed w/o effect. That is also when we begin to see the end of progressive reform and the movement to the Right (that continues regardless of party to the present). This was not an accident.
A radical analysis shows that the environmental degradation, poverty, mis-allocation of resources, war, empire, and even patriarchy all flow from the capitalist economic system. Because progressives never look at the systemic cause of the problems we all want to solve, they continue to fall into the trap of "reformism", and therefore never achieve real reforms. The reason why radical movements are able to achieve real reforms is that they THREATEN the status quo, unlike progressives who ask politely for change. The powers-that-be never give up their power freely. They must be forced to.
I thought this group got right to the radical point. End the empire. And I'd say capitalism flows from patriarchy which far precedes it as does the militarism of patriarchy.
You cannot "end the empire" without addressing the system that produces it. It is true that patriarchy is older than capitalism. Yet, patriarchy serves capitalism. Should we focus on the hegemon that no longer exists, i.e. feudalism? Or, should we address the current hegemon? Academicism vs. praxis; pedantry vs. reality. You decide.
That's it -- Let's make "rad" a cool word again.
I explain myself as a "conservative radical," because I will never participate in violence.
The status quo can be threatened by TRUTH. Conserve truth.
Your term "conservative radical" is a contradiction of terms. Conservatives are the most violent of all. Conservative ideology, that is of maintaining and increasing the interests of entrenched and concentrated power, are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of millions (in WWII 60 million people alone).
"'The military industrial complex is shaping peoples' choices and lives,' Prokosch says, referring to the cycle of dependency that military bases and institutions generate in towns in which it dominates the local economy."
The material consumption, upward wealth redistribution, fossil-fired growth, and militarist world-domination rackets are all strategic partners in their shared quest to enslave the people and plunder the planet.
Shaping the people's opinions, views, desires, choices, and lives is the key approach. And to accomplish these, USan elitevil directing the rackets cultivate the people's dependency upon them. Thus endless wars and enlistment through bribery (wealth redistribution through no-bid privatization - the greed-carrot, the lure, the temptation to overcome the better interests we all hold).
Our better interests include creating self-sufficient local economies. One of the best activities is for the people to share the idea, form a network across the country to build independent local economies that can resist the greed-carrot dangled by USan elitevil through their Pentagun racket and their others.
Maybe I'm sexist, a craven coward or whatever but, and I believe this, the ladies are the only ones that can get whatever is going to change this whole corrupt piece of shit we have now.Pelosi,or her ilk , like Meg Whitman are not even ladies so forget them. Tony
Tony,
You are far from a coward.
It's not about gender -- It's about women and men who can balance their yin and yang so that we can shift from the tired old patriarchal military paradigm, which harms all humans and Mother Earth.
donnalou; thank you for the kind words but what I said stands for me: it will take the ladies to get this train going and once it starts it will be unstopable.You are a lady, think about it. Tony
As I sit here listening to my fuckwit 'patriotic' neighbors blowing up money with fireworks (who has the extra $$ to waste on these abominable noisemakers???) I submit to you:
The only way to take power back is with the level of violence that our slavemasters would use against us. Until you're willing to slit throats and hang the bastards, there will be no change.
So violence is fine if your cause is just. I have heard that one before. Sorry, but I don't want you anywhere near the seat of power.
This article points to one direct action we can take immediately which is to start with making the cause of Guaran (Guam) OUR cause. Let's help them stop the expanded military base, because it hasn't happened yet ... help them address the DEIS ... They need our voices to bring attention to their plight.
Good luck to Mike Prokosch on that venture.