To convince politicians, convince the country

[struggle4progress]

TA-NEHISI COATES
JUN 24, 2011

... Obama recounted how when F.D.R. was confronted by the civil-rights leader A. Philip Randolph about the racial injustices in the country and the need for the President to use his powers and his bully pulpit, F.D.R. said he agreed but he would only take action when he was forced to do so by a popular movement. "Make me do it," he told Randolph.

By threatening to organize a mass march on Washington in 1941, Randolph "made" F.D.R. take the limited step of banning discrimination in defense industries. But ... it took another generation before Martin Luther King, Jr. "made" L.B.J. take the lead in passing far more meaningful bills on fundamental civil rights and voting rights ...

... politicians respond to .. power. This is not the flaw of democracy, it's the entire point. It's the job of activists to generate, and apply, enough pressure on the system to affect change.

It's not like this hasn't been done before. You're reading this right now because it's been done before.

https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/06/evolving/240972/

[corbettkroehler]

1. Ta-Nehisi Always Caused/Causes Me To Reflect

Once again, he offered a VERY helpful perspective.

Thanks for sharing and enlightening from Memory Lane!

[Liberal In Texas]

2. Power comes from the people and people don't know what the f is going on

without a free press. Not propaganda.

When the press is controlled by the wealthy who want their interests protected we will get a significant population that think that the wealthy should have their interest protected.

The war in Viet Nam was brought into our living rooms on the CBS Evening News and the sentiment turned by most of the nation to end the blood-bath in southeast Asia.

We don't seem to have thins now. Fox is a straight out conduit between the White House and their editorial bias. The other news networks seem to be more interested in protecting their corporate images, profits and ratings than informing their audience of the truth. The producers want to stir up a ratings making horse race, to make their broadcasts a reality show.

Cronkite if he were alive today might feel more at home on Free Speech TV than CBS.

[walkingman]

3. We need someone to unite the various activists causes such as ME TOO,Inequality, Civil Rights,

Fair wages, Unions, Occupy, March for Our Lives, various enviromental groups, Climate Change, and many more to combine a YUGE force that have to be reckoned with by Congress. Ignoring the people for Ego or Party loyalty reasons is no longer acceptable. WE WANT SOME ACTION!

[struggle4progress]

4. "Be the change you seek"

[mopinko]

5. i said a few days ago-

if the people lead, the leaders will follow.

got a sneakin suspicion it wont happen till people hit the streets.