A few thoughts on creating change and restoring democracy

[Goldstein1984]

A few quotes upon which to build a discussion:

"Nemo understood that it did not matter what humans thought, because humanity was the problem. His duty was to save life in the sea from the greed of mankind. I understand that philosophy and I have lived it every day of my adult life."

"We think are re-enacting the Second World War......They see themselves as against the West and that no one will tell them what to do."

"We're not a protest organization. We intervene against illegal activities, and as far as we're concerned Japanese whalers are poachers. The oceans are being pillaged and we are the only organization out on the high seas trying to do something about it."

"I do what I do because it is the right thing to do. I am a warrior and it is the way of the warrior to fight superior odds."

Quotes from Guardian article on Sea Shepherd at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/10/paul-watson-sea-shepherd-whales

*************My Thoughts******************

What do these quotes have to do with restoring democracy in the United States?

"Nemo understood that....humanity was the problem." -- Our problem is the system.

"...no one will tell them what to do." -- Our ruling elite believe they are not responsible to the people.

"We're not a protest organization. We intervene against illegal activities..." -- We must intervene against corruption.

"I am a warrior and it is the way of the warrior to fight superior odds." -- We are in a class war, and the workers up against superior odds.

Today I was listening to a podcast of Bill Moyer's interview with historian Howard Zinn. Zinn said something that I truly believe. No significant change ever comes from within the system. The system is designed by the powers that be to keep them in power, to perpetuate the status quo. Change occurs when people unite and threaten to destroy the foundation of the status quo, forcing those in power to make concessions to salvage what power they can.

I believe that we will see no significant change in the U.S. until Americans recognize that the system is self-perpetuating, that only doing what is necessary because it is the right thing to do will cause change, and that the powers that be will continue to suck the blood from American workers until we threaten to destroy the foundation of the system they use to enrich themselves while impoverishing the masses.

I am not advocating violence, although I suspect that the people will be subjected to a great deal of violence and oppression when they take to the streets in numbers large enough to threaten Power. I am advocating civil disobedience, marches for liberty and against war and oppression, boycotts, divestment, general strikes, hunger strikes, and, for those with the resources, financial support of organizations that work outside of the system to promote civil liberties.

I've already committed to pursuing this course. I've divested my retirement accounts from stocks; we've cashed out of our bank and moved all of our business to our credit union; I'm changing my charitable contributions to support NGOs that champion my views; my entire family is boycotting all purchases of durable goods; and, for what it is worth, I've started a letter-writing campaign that keeps my input flowing to Congress and/or the Whitehouse on a daily basis. And, to put corporate money to good use, my modest bonus this year will partially fund a trip for my wife and me to attend several planned protests in Washington, D.C. in March. In better times, the bonus has always funded scuba diving trips.

I know that not everybody is in a position to act, but those of us who are must.

[grasswire]

1. I salute you, citizen

Solidarity. The people still hold the power if they will stand together.

[Goldstein1984]

2. Yes they do.

If they will.

[Goldstein1984]

3. Addendum to OP:

I am looking for more ways to make a difference. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

I've always tended to be a loner, and joining is difficult for me, but I'm ready. If any Alaskans on DU have suggestions for local groups, I'm listening (reading).

[TheWatcher]

4. I salute you as well, my friend, and I stand with you, but I am afraid a great many here at DU

probably won't.

They are too busy feeling good about becoming a Police State and rolling over and going along with whatever TPTB have in mind, simply because their "Football Team" is in control. I know I sound like a broken record, but so do they. They'd rather feel "safe".

"I believe that we will see no significant change in the U.S. until Americans recognize that the system is self-perpetuating, that only doing what is necessary because it is the right thing to do will cause change, and that the powers that be will continue to suck the blood from American workers until we threaten to destroy the foundation of the system they use to enrich themselves while impoverishing the masses."

Right now the majority of them cannot only not see it, they EMBRACE it, or they simply don't care to pay attention, and wallow in whatever distractions that Junk Culture provides them so they can turn off their brains and not think about it.

The Germans called it Superior Indifference.

In this era it's called Invincible Ignorance.

This current cabal will do just enough and throw enough crumbs from the table to keep the rabble from rising up, before something worse comes in by 2012, or 2016 (If there is even a country to still loot, destroy, and exploit by then).

The cycle will continue as you say until the people finally wake up and act, but it is becoming horrifyingly clear that America has become a Broken Country, full of Broken People. The Stockholm Syndrome like mental illness that infects this population is breathtaking.

The question I have is not whether We The People Stand up, but whether there will be enough of us to do so, and if we do, will we not only be up against the Death Star that is the current system, AS WELL as The Sheep who are not only willing to go along with it, but, actually FIGHT and DEFEND that which is killing them.

We are devolving into a soft, weak, cowardly, indifferent, dumbed down, terminally apathetic population that soon won't even be able to defend itself against tyranny.

It reminds me of what a glazed eyed Jennifer Tilly said to her still human Husband in the remake of The Body Snatchers.

"Where are you going to go? Where are you going to run? Where are you going to hide?

NOWHERE.....Because there's no one...like you....left....."

That being said, we must not give up, and we must not give in. We must continue to try and start a dialogue, a discussion, a movement in the right direction, even in the face of hostile opposition from those we are trying to bring around.

I might add this quote to your OP:

In the beginning a patriot is a scarce man, hated and feared and scorned. But in time when his cause succeeds, the timid join him, because then it costs nothing to be patriot.
-Mark Twain

[grasswire]

5. I have been saying something since 2000...

...in various places around the Internets. There comes a time in the life of every citizen of a troubled nation when he/she must decide whether to embrace liberty or tyranny. The choice risks a person's very life, liberty, and sacred honor. No choice is a choice.

Too many people in my family had to make that choice over the generations, and too much blood was spilled in the protection of our way of life for me to step away from our common responsibility to future generations.

We've lived with freedom, peace and prosperity relative to the rest of the world. The least we can do is act as if that mattered and is worth some of our energy.

[Goldstein1984]

6. We are of like minds

I have three--soon to be four--grandchildren. I do what I do for them, because I'm ashamed of what my generation, and the generation that followed, is leaving for them.

I also have one son in the Army (scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan this year), and another son preparing to join. The first one joined out of what I call economically induced patriotism. The second will be doing the same.

My wife and I have been planning to retire to Latin America for some time, but it now appears that Latin America is likely going to be the next geographic region we opening invade. So, when I retire in about 8 - 10 years, we will be joining friends in Thailand. We're making arrangements to ensure that our financial resources will not be subject to manipulation by the U.S. government by that time.

If the nation is on a path to being what it should be by then, we will reconsider. If not, then I have no problem doing what my ancestors did--leaving a place that no longer reflects their beliefs and values (They left Germany as Hitler was rising to power). Then we'll do our best to persuade our children to join us.

On the bright side, I'm learning Thai so we can join our friends at their home in Thailand for a month or two next winter, and we'll start setting down roots then.

Until then, I plan to do what I can for my grandchildren.

[laughingliberal]

7. There's one upside to the financial ruination my husband and I suffered 2 years ago

I think about this a lot nowadays because, really, I have little else to do with my time. As difficult as it has been I do take heartened to know we are contributing very little to the corporate beast. We buy just enough gas to get to our shop and make deliveries to our customers. We go no where we don't have to go to for work and run errands on the way to and from work. We conserve gas as if it's gold.

We buy just what we need in terms of food and, when we can, we buy at local markets. Our business is antique restoration and custom wood finishing. We recently bought out the inventory of a finish shop that was closing and got what is, likely, a 6 month to year's supply of stains, sand paper, thinners, and other supplies for a few hundred dollars which will save us a few thousand over the next months. Again, less money going into the hands of suppliers.

We buy a few clothes at 2nd hand shops (cause why would we spend good money on new clothes that will be covered in stain and varnish, anyway) and have a few things left from our former life we can wear when meeting with a new client or such. Have bought not one new item to wear in over a year. We keep one cell phone which is the contact number for our business.

I may, at some time, recover enough to do some sort of nursing part time but I will never go back to work for any for profit hospital or agency. I refuse to contribute my labor to enriching a for profit health care entity.

We don't have much money but what we have to put in a bank (for our auto insurance which is drafted monthly) we have in a local bank. We deposit just enough for that once a month plus about $25. Any amounts I need for paying bills online go on a preloaded debit card and we use cash for everything else.

I have begun to look at the way we are living as our own personal boycott of everything. And I have no intention of stopping the boycott when things turn around for us.

I believe the ideas you post here and your brand of activism are the answers to, eventually, changing our system. I have no money to contribute but I do have time and am on the lookout for progressive organizations and causes that can use some wo/man hours.

[Goldstein1984]

9. We have out own personal boycott of "the system" going too.

Buying used.
Buying local.
Avoiding franchises and national chains.
Using cash.

We're also recovering from a financial disaster in late 2008, when the ethanol company where I worked went bankrupt only ten months after I arrived. We had purchased an inexpensive 85-year-old home, but we had done major demolition with the intention of remodeling out-of-pocket over a few years. We had to go in debt by $50K to rush the remodel so I could take another job elsewhere. I was fortunate that I had job offers in Miami, Florida, Pascagoula, Mississippi, Midland, Texas, Wanachee, Washington and Anchorage, Alaska. We chose Alaska because our grandchildren are here, but it was also a fortunate choice because all but one of the other jobs would have resulted in layoff as the economy continued to deteriorate--dumb luck.

We are holding onto the house because our son lost his manufacturing job, and he and our daughter-in-law have been living in it. Now he's employed again, but not at a livable wage, and he plans to join the military. Until then, 1/4 of my income goes to make the mortgage payment and assist them.

The move from Alaska, the emergency remodel, the move back to Alaska, and ongoing support of our family members in need have sapped our savings until only assets locked in retirement accounts remain. We live as though we earn a half of what I do. We intend to continue living this way once we recover.

We have checked out of the system. If there is going to be an economic recovery based on consumption it's going to be without our help.

Thanks for sharing your story.

[laughingliberal]

10. Yes, without our help

That's the key and a lot of people starting to take that attitude will, over time, could start to change things. Whether or not enough will wise up remains to be seen. One other positive for us is the work we do, generally, involves very high end custom homes or remodels. Remodels where the customer has been known to remark they are a half million over budget. The antiques we restore are generally approaching the priceless category. I say 'we' cause I do a little masking and sanding but my husband is the genius behind it and is one of the last of the masters working in the old world style in this country. The upside I see to this is our customers are, obviously, those in the top 1% or very close to it. So, at least this little bit we are seeing is the money from the top starting to be spent. The proof to me that the economy is recovering at the top is we are getting calls from this group of customers. But, as already laid out, we aren't putting a dime of it back in the hands of franchises and national chains unless absolutely necessary. We are, also, seeing a little work come in from the middle class sector, too, but they are still pretty strapped it appears. We are able to barter out some work with them a lot of the time. We do have a vehicle to keep running and traded some work on a table for a new battery for the truck recently. We need a new water pump for a car we use when the truck is not needed (less gas) and think we have someone who needs a piece restored who can install the water pump for us. We are getting quite resourceful these days and it is building some confidence in us that we have the ability to survive even though we do not have the steady income of my job any longer and all the trappings we, at one time, thought defined us.

[jotsy]

8. What puts our nation in peril needs to be purged. Change, in and of itself is coming.

It becomes then a question of which side will bring it.

The PTB has a bottom line objective which also happens to be its biggest weakness. To stop the flow of money to the corporatocracy is what I see as our best chance to be the on the facilitating side of change. If we wait and remain at the non existent mercy of the monetarily mighty, isn't it just a matter of time before they move on to more viable consumer bases and more profitable labor markets, leaving the shell of an empty egg that is vulnerable to the slightest pressure.

Lady Liberty has hit a fork in the road, the path she'll take is one we must choose before it chooses us.

[laughingliberal]

11. Kick nt

[Odin2005]

12. Out with Corporatism! In with Liberty! K&R

:yourock: