"The Return of the Long Lost Art of Righteous Brazenness" (new article)

[stevietheman]

Subtitle: "Are Americans relearning how to speak out without fear?"

Link to Article

Following is an excerpt:

The final weekend of April 2006 gave us Americans a big taste of something we haven't beheld for a very long time: People actually standing up and saying things on their mind, apparently without fear of any retribution whatsoever. Americans have seemingly regrasped the powerfulness of catharsis in one full swoop.

In one extended weekend, we saw three major national protests in favor of immigrant rights, getting U.S. forces out of Iraq, and doing something about the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. We saw the highly talented Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondents Dinner emit a blast furnace of "truthiness" that scorched a tumbling President and an uninquisitive lapdog American press. We are seeing a crescendo of pundits and concerned citizens across the U.S. make the case why there is no case for a new elective, preemptive war with Iran. And this weekend capped an extraordinary period where we see 1) state legislatures in three U.S. states (so far) openly considering whether Bush should be impeached via the invocation of special rules developed by none other than Thomas Jefferson, and 2) multiple retired U.S. generals openly speaking out against the current U.S. Defense Secretary--acts historically unheard of.

Americans who deeply care about the republic are learning how to speak out again. But why now? Let's explore some possibilities.

[Hardrada]

1. Yes, this is good.

[Richard Steele]

2. "apparently without fear of any retribution whatsoever" they say...

WRONG! I call 'BULLSHIT' on that.

The fear of retribution is stronger than it has ever been.
And everyone knows it.

This 'new wave' of people speaking their mind openly
is not due to any mythical subsidence in RETRIBUTION;
it is entirely due to the growing numbers of formerly unremarkable,
ordinary, "everyday" American Citizens
who feel they HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE.

Housing forclosures are at the highest rate in recorded history;
last year the American savings/earnings ratio went into negative numbers,
The average American in 2006 has less money than they had in 1976,
and the poor are poorer than they have been since the USA abolished SLAVERY.

There are many MILLIONS of us who saw our parents work hard to get ahead,
millions of us who REMEMBER a time when the American Dream was real...
and we know damn well that it isn't real anymore.

[stevietheman]

3. The "Yes, I wrote this" kick. :)

By the way, Smirking Chimp has also republished it.

Link: http://www.smirkingchimp.com/article.php?sid=25933

[stevietheman]

4. Afternoon shameless plug kick :) n/t

n/t