I've just made a post in S+P about change and protest in response to questions about what any of us can do to change the way our countries are being run: I was there in the 60's and 70's. What's changed isn't people's passion or desire to protest, but their ability to do so. Over the last ten years, the right to gather to protest has been lost in most european countries, and anyone who is seen as being an activist can be remanded under so-called 'anti-terror laws' without trial. Civil liberites have been eroded because the public in general have much greater access to the truth and alternative views on the way they're goverened, particularly through the internet. Whereas once we only had the newspapers and TV, whcih told us exactly what the government wanted us to know, now anyone with a net connection and half a brain can find the real facts behind just about anything. We have two main tools to aid protest - the internet and civil action (strikes) The 'net allows us to comunicate and organise against them, whilst strikes hit them in the pocket. Every day lost in industry costs the government billions. Protests as they used to be - mass gatherings - do nothing. It's a one day story on whatever news media will carry the story, and its no more of a threat to the government than people walking in the park. What they DO fear though is people like us organising and having influence over votes and commerce. We ARE commerce, we make products and we buy them, thus funding government. Without us playing the game, they are lost. We all tend to feel that we have no power, but we do, we support the government in every way and give it the money to do whatever it pleases. As it is now our opinions aren't even considered, because we aren't making use of the tools that we have at hand and we don't try to organise ourselves into coherent groups - but the second we do, things will change. Decide on what you believe, what you want to change. Advertise here for like-minded people, get a name, a letter head, a website. Members are votes, votes are power. We could begin today, this second, all we need are like-minded people who are prepared to send out letters, help guide the group, and act when the time comes. How many members does GC have? Can you imagine all of the US members voting as one in any election, and what it would do to civil and government opinion? So, first question: what do we want? What are we hoping to change? What would we like instead? The main thing I'd like to ask is, who, hypothetically, would be down for creating a pressure group? All I want is a 'yeah' out of interested parties, just to see how much power could be wielded by the members here. MelT
A people orientated government would be nice...with universal education and health care! Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh1
im in. i think the revolution should be violent, and non sparing, the same way our countries neo conservative revolution has been of the same fashion.
I would gladly give my life to fight those would try to oppress me and take away my rights as a human being. Fortunately here in canada I believe we still have those things, for now anyways. Besides there is no way in hell 6 billion people all around the globe are going to just fall in line and obey.
of course not, but if there was some event that uncovered the darker side of our current government, or something were to happen which caused them to retaliate in a way that was seen as being unconventional, then i think people would wake up. people are so disillusioned by all the misinformation these days, that anything out of the norm is seen as a "conspiracy theory" or a hoax. people are so sick of hearing one bad thing after another, after another, that they refuse to accept that thigns are as bad as they seem. you hear it all the time, lines like: "all they show on the news these days is the bad news" "man, its been forever since there was some genuine good news reported on" "oh man, thats so stupid that you think the govt control the media, i mean, come on..." people have forgotten the past, and are so focussed on putting themselves at ease by imagining that nothing is really wrong, thats its just become a huge state of national, and international denial. i personally agree with the current islamic jihads upset with the western worlds. it is us who have imposed on their freedoms, and its them who have been put at risk, as well as the entire world for that matter, and its at the hands of a select few people. the media is bullied into not reporting things that really shoudl be reported on, because people just refuse to take any interest in anything that may be seen as extreme, or a possible conspiracy. everyone is so quick to accept no fault on the part of the government, and the god damned war in iraq is just a means for distracting everyone from what is actually going on, corruption, murder, torture, and some of the worst attrocities that i have whitnessed in my life. in my oppinion, its about time that this country and the world, experience a mass awakening, an enlightenment of the people, showing the true nature of the government, as well as their true intentions. unfortunately, it will take a lot of provoking on our part, for the govenrment to lash out in a way that would shock the nation. weve already had our rights tto protest the war taken away, and people actually agreed with that. you talk to the average person and they say that war protesters are annoying and dont help the situation at all. while they may be loud and annoying to some, since when have people stopped caring about what the government is doing about our freedoms?? ill tell you since when, its since the government took those freedoms away, only to replace them with harsher rules and laws, threats of abuse of power, and an illogical, unjust war, as well as a totally made up one in which a group of people are singled out and targeted, pretty much depending on the crisis of the day. its pathetic. there needs to be a change, and a swift one at that. none of this oh, well aaaafffterrrr ron paul gets elected BS. we need a swift, hard, and possibly violent change to our countries government, and it needs to be at the hands of its people, not at the hands of a nother already established political group. this needs to be new, and built on modern thinking, not outdated colonialism.
dude, it only takes one person to change the world. But it only takes one other guy to change it back.
i dont entireley agree with that...unless that person has power and authority (authoritauh)...like idk..the president.... the chances of a single person succeding will always be less than a large movement.... its just one of those things that...it just depends which side you want to be one, easy, or not so easy... I wish it was easy....but unfortunatley life doesnt work that way, and people who believe in something, need to put their heads together and make something happen, it doesnt mean that people who dont support us even need to be affected....but i think everyone will agree that anything that will benifit this country and its future.is good ..and possibly prevent complete and utter financial chaos....( to not so complete and not so utter financial chaos)...( personally i think the financial chaos part is unavoidable....its just a matter of softening it up and recovering slowly).....
thats not true in the current world. one person in power can change the world, but the average person, has no say or power at all. power is money, and money is power. thats the truth these days, its all money, and military force. thats why i think the revolution could never be peaceful.
ok...i have an idea, how about a boycott of anti-prohibition companies... AOL for example have those banners about stoners never accomplishing anything... http://forum.grasscity.com/seasoned-tokers/186476-im-hereby-canceling-my-account.html like we said we need to make our voices heard and out presence felt, and while being too peacful wont accomplish anything, and violence wont accomplish much good either.... boycotts are an effective way to establish a definite presence we should choose which companies deserve it, and spread the word you know edit: its definatley a good place to start