It's time to start the revolution today--DKos

[Louisiana1976]

If the citizenry waits too much longer to start the revolution, it will be too late. People need to wake up and accept the truth. What was once a distant possibility, has become a reality. The United States of America has been taken over by a neo-fascist corporatist cabal. All the tools of oppression have been carefully crafted and readied for deployment in the very near future.

Unfortunately there are many people that won't be able to accept this very obvious fact until something drastic happens to them personally, as the result of the oppression that's sure to escalate.

Some point to improving trends in the economy, and some token regulations of the financial industry, and health care, which are being touted as meaningful, but are actually a fraud to hoodwink the populace--again.

snip

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/11/813294/-Its-Time-To-Start-The-RevolutionToday

[FiveGoodMen]

1. Agreed

[Asgaya Dihi]

2. It was time long ago

In one way or another I've been an activist for a lot of years. First and starting back in the late 80s or so it was the drug war but over time it expanded into a lot of issues. Through one administration after another I never lost hope or stopped fighting, not until recently. Recently I'm so fucking angry and hopeless that I can't deal with the public without too much temper showing, I do more harm than good. It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can't. And it wasn't any of the people we're fighting that did it. It was crap like I complained about last year in the following post.

http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6404409&mesg_id=6405822

When we were on the bottom it was all about open minds and seeing the other side, how we could do that and they couldn't, but when we thought we were going to be on top all the sudden anyone with a concern was just a 'concern troll'. That's what broke my heart. Not the people we were fighting, but the people we turned into ourselves.

I'm not sure that we don't have the government we asked for and demanded. Time after time after time we give up rather than fight, we go along to get a crappy bill passed instead of fighting for a good one, we find reasons to excuse things that if it weren't for the politics we'd know was wrong. This didn't sneak up on us and we had time to try to direct the administration in a different direction when these people were still being appointed. That was the time for the revolution.

David Sirota had a good article on the subject a while back. It's dated but still worth a read.

Progressives Pay the Price for Confusing a Party With a Movement
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/09/04-9

[BeFree]

6. We lost...

...when we allowed our votes to be put into a black box and counted in secret by the machines.

And we still have people denying that FACT. Still.

So until yall get with it and take back your vote, you're just pissing in the wind. And not even worth listening too, about much of anything else.

[Asgaya Dihi]

8. Not that I disagree in principle...

but I'm not sure exactly who "yall" would be. That's a subject I've mentioned here multiple times in the past, how we risked the next election by fighting over the last one instead of fixing the damned system so we don't lose another.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1342819&mesg_id=1342867
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1372102#1372170
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1341662&mesg_id=1342622
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1341662&mesg_id=1343394

Can't agree that anyone isn't worth listening to though. Even a broken clock is right twice a day and if we aren't listening we can't complain too much when nobody listens to us either. This idea of deciding "I'm right and you aren't worth the notice" has a lot to do with why we're in this mess. We stopped listening.

[BeFree]

13. Yeah

Meant to reply to the OP. Didn't know you were up to speed on the fraud, it is so rare to find anyone who is.

Have sat here and 'listened' to all the moaning and groaning about how congress is screwed up and I'm just sick of it not being realized that it's "our votes that don't get counted" that is our #1 problem. It is why congress IS screwed up.

The effort to get people up to speed on the issue has drained me and frustration weighs heavy. But look at you, here you are a great ally that was never even known before. Funny how things happen.

Thanks.

[Asgaya Dihi]

17. Sorry for the slow reply

It's been a weird time for me and I got caught up elsewhere. No worry on anything, I do know how you feel. I've got so frustrated with things that I can't do what I used to do anymore either and I wish that I could.

It's been a long time since I posted here, yesterdays post was the first since the mess I referred to above got so hostile and I stopped reading here, but last time I was a regular Brad from http://www.bradblog.com posted here on a semi-regular basis and he was always pretty well on top of the voting issues. If he got out of the habit of doing that you might consider dropping him a note and suggesting that he's missed, or maybe just post pointers to his coverage for yourself. They tended to be well received in the past since he was pretty good at research and sourcing.

I do understand the idea of "the issue has drained me and frustration weighs heavy", that's how I eventually got to be as well. Long boring story but for personal reasons I knew how bad things could get and I spent much of my life trying to fix things. Then just when we seemed to have the best chance for real change that I've ever seen in my life we decide we'd rather sink into infighting and judgment rather than push for that change. I could fight the rest of the world, but not the ones I expected to be standing beside me. I just can't do it anymore. I've got no faith left in people, or that things ever can or will change. I wish I felt different, but I don't. I'm starting to believe that this is really the world that we want and deserve.

I hope I'm wrong though, and that's a part of why I don't post much anymore too. If I am wrong the last thing we need is for me to convince anyone otherwise, they need to be out there still even if I can't be. If the hostility and such gets to you too much take breaks so you don't end up too depressed also. That worked for me for years, just not anymore.

Be well, peace :)

[upi402]

18. Thank you for your service

and long, selfless efforts.
:patriot:

[gimama]

3. HUGE "NO WE CAN'T" rally, DC,tomorrow

www.enduswars.org and www.afterdowningstreet.org

[cali]

4. that post is ridiculous- Right down to how we should all march in all black uniforms.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Maybe it's satire?

Hard to tell; plenty of the objectives are reasonable, but the blackshirts, and the instuction to form cells (but then saying the cells have to be closely coordinated) seem like a pisstake.

[grasswire]

11. tell it to the people who moved the Civil Rights conversation

They dressed mostly in black, and marched. And they eventually succeeded.

[cali]

16. that's a pathetic reach

and no, they decidedly did not wear uniforms.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. Paging Ted Kazincki...

[seeinfweggos]

7. just change "neo-fascist corporatist cabal." to "liberal, fascist, socialist"

and this piece is pretty much indistinguishable from teabagger agitprop.

[FiveGoodMen]

20. And in a war, both sides point guns and shoot in a very similar fashion

But that doesn't mean that both sides are equally right.

[grasswire]

10. I sure agree with this point

"Leave pots and pans, and funny signs, and effigies, and tutus, and pom poms, behind. Instead, wear a uniform. Maybe all black . . ."

I truly believe that the left has too long failed to move toward its goals because its protests are filled with stilt-walkers, puppets, papier mache whales, drummers, and so much more ineffectual crap. And the assorted dirty stinky protestors make it easy for middle America to dismiss the message.

I have long advocated using the Civil Rights Movement as a model. Protestors in that movement dressed in their best clothes because they were serious and would not be set aside or diverted. Men and women in go-to-meeting clothes, with resolve and solidarity would scare the bejabbers out of authorities.

[varelse]

12. Are you ready to join a highly organized and disciplined protest movement

This step is very important. Form cells for this movement across the nation. Be highly organized and disciplined. When rallies and demonstrations are organized, do it in tandem, and coordinate very closely.

Get the appropriate permits. Send out press releases to local and national media. Stay on message.

Leave pots and pans, and funny signs, and effigies, and tutus, and pom poms, behind. Instead, wear a uniform. Maybe all black, with military-style boots.

Have a chain of command for every cell. Optics: A stage, sound equipment to properly project the words of truth to power spoken by leaders of each cell. The members of the cell standing at ease, but in formation in front of the stages. Slogans and chants carefully designed to show organization, resolution, and a strong message to the corrupt powers-that-be.

I'll pass, thanks.

[Brickbat]

14. Oh, thank Maude the phrase "truth to power" was in that little manifesto. I would have been

disappointed it if hadn't been.

It's great to talk about a revolution. Call me when you've decided to do something about it. (I'm referring to Luis Mendoza, who wrote this; not the OP.)

[grasswire]

15. this part is wrong

"Starting with the tragic events of 9/11, and culminating with the financial debacle of 2007/2008, the complete takeover has materialized."

The takeover didn't begin with 9/11. The author has forgotten the coup of 2000, where the formerly immutable rule of law was twisted and power was seized through thuggery, cronyism, deceit, the tainting of the judiciary, and the violation of the precious principle of one man, one vote.

RIP America.

[Swamp Rat]

19. Fraud... don't forget the outright extortion and theft.