What would it take for most Americans to hit the streets in protest?

[Blackhatjack]

Is there still an activist spirit in this country?

Do we take our responsibilities as citizens to preserve our constitutional form of government seriously?

If so, exactly what would it take to drive us into the streets in protest?

[NMDemDist2]

1. the draft n/t

[Taverner]

2. Yessir!

That would do it

For reference, see the movie "The Gangs of New York"

[Annces]

3. Yep

[ThomWV]

8. True, unfortunate but true.

[Beaverhausen]

31. I agree

At most protests and political meetings I attend, there are very few teens, 20 and 30 somethings. When I ask those who are there, they all agree if there was a draft younger people would be in the streets.

[ikojo]

34. Agreed....right now the middle and upper middle

classes are not as vested in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. If their kids were going over in great numbers, the kids may not take to the streets but their MOMs sure would.

[adigal]

46. Yup - I would protest as my kids refused to go n/t

[stranger81]

55. Draft.

I've come to the unfortunate conclusion that we won't get a majority of Americans on the street until a majority of Americans feel it where it hurts -- at home.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. I'd like to say the draft

but at this point... I don't know anymore...

In fact, I fear most people don't care since it does not affect them in any way that they can directly tell

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

5. Empty bellies

and no roof to keep the rain off.

[bdamomma]

26. that is about right, our bellies are too full right now

we have too many "toys" to keep us distracted, when you come to the point of having nothing, what do you have to lose other than to fight back?

[Virginia Dare]

6. Close all the Starbucks down...

and turn off their Blackberrys.

[MisterHowdy]

7. threaten to take away their TV's

n/t

[Annces]

9. Or take away everyone's gun

Some people love their guns.

[Greyhound]

60. That would definitely do it. We'd have nation-wide rioting in about an hour. n/t

[Spazito]

10. The cancellation of American Idol?

Not sure if I am joking or not.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. And 24, but yes I fear you are right

[FiveGoodMen]

11. More importantly: What would it take to change the US government's actions?

Remember the several-million-strong 'focus groups' scattered all around the world that couldn't keep Bush out of Iraq?

Seen the recent actions of Congress despite their clear mandate from Americans?

Protest doesn't mean anything when the powers that be don't give a fuck.

How do we get rid of these traitors -- on both sides of the aisle -- and get someone in power who can be trusted?

[Greyhound]

62. History shows that there has only been one way to successfully get rid of the parasites,

but usually they are replaced by worse.

[Robbien]

12. One day of protests does what?

Even if tens of millions went out into the streets for a day of protesting inside governmentally approved caged protest areas, what would be accomplished? A short news story in the back section of the newspaper perhaps.

[Atman]

13. Shut off our internet service

And actually...I don't think that'll be too far in the future.

.

[bdamomma]

32. that would do it also, but only if it was progressive sites such as this

one.

[Lerkfish]

15. I'm coming to the sad conclusion that nothing will.

very sad.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. If The Remainder Of The NFL Season Was Cancelled

eom

[liberal N proud]

17. The end o f Reality TV

People are riveted to the reality shows and can't bear a few hours away from the reality or sports event on the BOOB tube to stand up for the rights they are losing every day.

[Lucinda]

18. I really don't think there is a single thing that

would prompt "most" Americans to hit the streets.

Sad to say it though...

[bdamomma]

35. very sad what about our children? do we really want our children

to live in a fascist government?

[hunter]

19. No gasoline.

But they won't get very far because they'll have to walk.

[Wiley50]

20. Widespread, near universal foreclosure ought to do it

whether it would do any good....?

[Ilsa]

21. An unauthorized video of people in the privacy of their homes or at work

being shown or used against them. Then they are told it is for the good of the Homeland.

[tech3149]

22. How many generations are we from the founding fathers?

For that matter, the "greatest Generation"? It's very easy to be complacent when you don't understand the possibilities of the threat. Those that still don't understand the threat will have to feel a lot more pain before they wake up. Might be when the house and car have been repossessed, the cell phone doesn't work, and they can't find a refrigerator box to sleep in.

[LSdemocrat]

23. A responsible, independent news media

[porphyrian]

24. It would take protests working effectively.

And convincing people that they do once they do.

[provis99]

25. how about relieving my dislike of arrest

Because taking to the streets in protest, even if just to read the First Amendment, seems like a ticket to jail these days.

[Patsy Stone]

27. Take away all cell phones.

Tell them it's because it aids the enemy. Throw anyone in jail who uses one.

[Miss_Underestimated]

28. We are experiencing the perfect storm of corrupt media, corporations & government

We need to take control of at least 1 of those to slow down the other 2. Would help to support a leader who really wants to represent the people: Kucinich. If he were able to get word to the public about what's really going on and what to do about it, maybe we could make some headway!!

[Blackhatjack]

29. Those of us who lived through the sixties recall the protest marches and civil disobedience...

It is an experience most people today did not have and in many cases know nothing about.

There is a threshold level that once exceeded will get the average American's attention and spark activist outrage.

However, you have to be aware of the injustice and appreciate it for the danger it presents.

Is that spirit of standing up for our rights still out there?

[Nay]

36. I lived thru those times as well, and frankly, there were FEWER people

protesting then than there are now. IIRC, we didn't field hundreds of thousands in march after march back then. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but the fact was, the protests were actually discussed in the media and debates were ongoing. Protests were not marginalized or ignored as they are now.

The unfortunate thing about staging even more massive protests is the feeling that no one would know--or care. Or that you would simply end up in jail and have no effect on anything because these bastards truly don't care what you think or do--they're gonna do what they want, and you have no power over them. The core cabal has cannibalized both parties, and we are paying the price.

[Auggie]

30. No TV. Or censored TV.

[ljm2002]

33. Here's another question...

...What would it take to have a global general strike for 1 week?

I'm totally serious. We have the Internet, why can't we have a global movement to counteract the global reach of the corporatists who are really the powers behind all of the thrones anyway.

[defendandprotect]

44. We can do these things and we should have begun already --

"Lights Out!" in Australia is an environmental message -- but it can be used as anti-war --

It has to be announced -- An hour blackout to send the message -- and then subsequent follow-ups for

start.

We can take our cars off the road from time to time -- Let's say 15 minutes on Saturday, every car pulls off the road for 15, 20 minutes or more. Pull over to a parking space or parking lot.

Stop buying gas for a period of time -- stop buying from all but one gasoline company.

Etc . . . .

Banking . . .

Every business needs our cooepration --
think about it -- !!!!

We don't like the votes today -- today we should have reacted.

[ljm2002]

50. Well the little people of the world...

... are all screwn by the same few and their deadly policies. If enough of us recognized it, and organized an actual week of action -- I'm talking about closing it down, in anyplace where we could get enough numbers.

It would take awhile to coordinate such an action, and it would take more organizing skills than I have, but wouldn't it be a helluva thing!

There really is power in numbers. The powers that be are doing an excellent job right now of dividing us up. In this country, the divide between left and right has never been deeper nor the contempt more palpable. Around the world, the developed nations have immigrants and demagogues to make them hate the immigrants; and of course we are taught which countries are to be demonized this week, this month, this year...

But we little people could, if we so chose, and worked at it -- we could join hands around the globe and take action together against the forces arrayed against us. If it weren't so far away, I'd suggest next May Day. But I'm not sure we can wait that long.

Okay it's a pipe dream. Gotta have something to get me through the day...

[samplegirl]

37. Censor the Internet Political Sites

[Kip Humphrey]

38. 70 years of tyrannical rule?

[Chomskyite]

39. It would take a shutdown of all the cable and satellite TV services.

Or, for that matter, just take away coverage of the NFL, College Football or College basketball. You'll see protests like you wouldn't believe.

[defendandprotect]

45. How about no one tuning in for these "events" -- ????

[Blackhatjack]

40. What if a family member/friend were arrested and held without charges? Would that be enough?

(BTW that is already happening).

[Hekate]

71. That only has the effect of culling the herd.The rest of the herd pretends not to notice.

Sorry, I'm feeling really cynical tonight.

It's large-scale conscription (the draft) that will get a critical mass of people agitated. Particularly young people of draftable age.

Hekate

[dicknbush]

41. Nothing but 6 Dollar a gallon gas and 18% interest rates on Mortgages

We don't give a crap really We just want to have everything cheap. There is enough information out there for everyone to be completely outraged by this band of thugs running the country and no one has the time to do what is necessary to stop them and that would be massive continuous and persistent demonstrations that would bring this government to its knees that would include shutting down Washington DC by peaceful protest that would require sacrifice and we just don't have the Passion to do that anymore I am sorry to say I am one of them. I have bills to pay and children to take care of a home to maintain and a mortgage to pay and o and on and on. We really don't have the freedom to just walk to the capital and say ENOUGH AND I AM NOT LEAVING UNTIL YOU STOP! But that is what it would take otherwise these guys just keep on doing what they are doing and that goes for the Democrats as well. IF they the Democrats were truly prepared to go to the mat with this they would just keep sending Bush Bill after Bill after Bill that he would be forced to Veto and soon enough the public would let Bush know he is an ass and sign the bills.

[Golden Raisin]

42. Blackwater mercenaries

kicking in someone's door at 2:00 in the morning and dragging innocent people off to Halliburton detention centers. Oops! It'll be too late by then.

[NoPasaran]

43. I'm thinking something that really upset them

By the way, I was of-world on the 11th. How did that whole general strike thing go?

[IndianaJones]

47. turn off their cable tv. nt.

[Telly Savalas]

48. A more relevant question is

what would it take for most Americans to hit the ballot box and vote for people who aren't total shitheads?

[Neshanic]

49. Draft

[Flabbergasted]

51. Prohibition.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

52. Cancelling the Super Bowl

Call me cynical, but professional sports are the only things that get Americans out into the streets.

[Colorado Progressive]

54. And how sad is that! I tell the hub, NFL is modern day gladiators! He agrees! nt

[MazeRat7]

53. Martial Law -nt

[Beerboy]

56. Why is going out in the street the ultimate political expression?

I see that a lot here.
I'm not saying it's wrong, but it seems an obsolescent gesture in this day and age, considering how media is collected and disseminated now as compared to say, 1980. Or even 1990.
The nature of activism has changed so much from the 60s paradigm that it would be easy to wonder what happened to all the people who care, but the advance of technology has given everyone a louder voice than we had before.
Not to knock old-school layin'-it-down in the streets and gettin' groovy, but it's anachronistic and a somewhat embarrassing method to employ in a sophisticated world-wide media age, in real time.
After harshing your mellow, I now return you to a cool thread.:hide:

[stranger81]

57. out in the streets, at least in my mind, doesn't necessarily mean

just marching down Market for a few hours . . . . . I'm thinking more along the lines of folks marching all the way up the White House stairs. Former Soviet-bloc style.

I'm tired of parading around like a fucking shriner. It's time for some action.

[sanguinivorous]

58. Another Kent State. (nt)

[JCMach1]

59. Beer rationing

:(


I WISH I were joking!

[Ghost in the Machine]

61. To get the sheeple out, they'd have to kill the internet *and* cable tv

oh... and cell phones. If people couldn't text message on them or yak all day they'd go absolutelt nuts!

As for me? Just tell me when and where...

[orleans]

63. paid sick days n/t

[Swamp Rat]

64. Gasoline @ $10.00/gallon

Cuz so many Americans do not give a fuck about anyone but themselves.

[depakid]

65. It won't even have to go that high

because by then inflation will be out of control and several sectors of the economy will have collapsed.

Gotta say, there are certain areas of the country that are going to mighty scary in the next 10 years....

[Swamp Rat]

68. I'll be in New Orleans partying like it's 1999

:beer:

[piesRsquare]

66. Mandatory uniforms in school, it seems n/t

[leftofthedial]

67. starvation (somewhere besides just New Orleans)

national TV blackout

pulling the plug on the NFL season

[marions ghost]

69. All of the Above

Because you don't see throngs of people in the streets does NOT mean that Americans are happy with the status quo. Or that they're brain-dead.

I think most people are getting the gist that things are really really bad. But it's overwhelming. Everybody just holds their breath and tries to cope with day-to-day problems. Many older Americans are either too jaded or preoccupied to feel they can run out and 'save Democracy.' A lot of people I know resent this additional demand. They just wanted to live their lives in peace. They want politicians ("public servants in a representative Democracy") to fix this mess, which is their job -- IF we had anybody with any integrity in office.

Try to find ANYONE who says they are happy with the situation in this country. Anyone who says they are
you can bet is involved in some exploitative activity.

[Hekate]

70. The Draft, and pretty much only the Draft. The millions of us who march now...

...are still too polite to be seriously noticed by either Bush or the MSM. On the whole we take out parade permits, arrange our marches to coincide with weekends and holidays, cooperate with the police...

A military draft of our young people would shortly cause civil unrest. This war is already incredibly unpopular, and although the propaganda machine will manage to convince just enough people that invading Iran is justified, very shortly that will also dawn on the majority of the public that a war with Iran is a really bad idea.

Start drafting people's sons and daughters for a new war, and there will be trouble. Somehow I think the marchers will start showing up in Washington in mid-week and snarling up traffic in a big way.

Hekate

[B Calm]

72. Hillary Clinton presidency

[Perry Logan]

74. (Snarka-snarka)

[Perry Logan]

73. One more stolen election.