Ain't Gonna Be No Revolution

[kentuck]

People are too lazy and comfortable, not to mention brainwashed, for this to happen. The only way to win is at the ballot box. There is not going to be any revolt against this Administration or any other - we have to get more votes than they. Talk of revolution is only idle chatter, unfortunately. At least, in the good ol' USA... Just my opinion.

[DrDebug]

1. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens ...

... can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has
- Margaret Mead

[bryant69]

3. I guess it depends on the definition of revolution

Her words could just as easily apply to us fighting through current channels to get the Bush Gang out of power and Democrats who will alter course in.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[DrDebug]

7. It should be about 'us'

There is a group of dedicated people here and it's growing day by day. It's just a couple of 1000s with another 30000 or so lurking, so it's not in the millions, but that's not a problem. It's large enough to make an impact.

[whistle]

4. That is why weapons of today are so lethal, exploding bullets...

...for christ sake!

[Protagoras]

15. Change, yes.

Fix...not necessarily. There's a point where quotes are inspiring, but they can also just be rhetoric. I'm afraid that if we feed idealism without emphazing the requirements for effectiveness, we'll be nothing more than a small and exceedingly marginalized group that no one is required to take seriously.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

2. The problem with your analysis is

that people won't be comfortable much longer. The party is about over.

[Stanchetalarooni]

6. I second that opinion.

[Protagoras]

17. The follow up question though...

Is how much can it suck for how long? The Dark Ages lasted how long?

[Fovea]

5. The error is thinking

that today is tomorrow.

It won't take a lot to get Americans in the street.
This is particularly true once they cannot afford to drive there.

[Stanchetalarooni]

11. Don't you think that the neocons have contingencies for that day...

...when the dialogue ceases and there is rioting in the streets.
Teach your children: Those streets will become killing fields if and when the shit hits the fan.
Most here know that the American Dream is but a cruel ruse. In the Wizard of Oz it was harmless to peer behind the curtain. "oh well, the jigg is up"
In America we have the capacity to become just as hate filled as the next when we fully realize that we have been raped, our mothers and fathers raped, our sisters and brothers raped, and that we, ourselves were complicit.
How many broken bodies does it take to fill my tank?
Who here has stopped filling his tank?
There is no exit, in my opinion.
There are just tectonic plates in dynamic tension, moving in opposite directions, pressure building until only god know where and when it will blow.

[htuttle]

19. No, no I don't

Hell, they didn't even have contingencies for what happens after they take Baghdad.

These are the most incompetent imperialists the world has ever seen. If they hadn't had the military forces provided to them by past, more competent US administrations, they would never have gotten anywhere at all.

[Telly Savalas]

24. So people take the street. Then what?

[democrank]

8. I hope you`re wrong, but

if the apathy out there is any indication of things to come, I guess I shouldn`t get too hopeful. The WMD lies about the Iraq War were bad enough but once the torture scandal broke, I was certain citizens would do something. I was wrong.

It`s stunning to me...that we can round around bragging how we`re number one, how we have the best society, the most solid values...yet still do absolutely nothing about the government-approved torture.

[dandrhesse]

9. It's easier to come up with 100 reasons for failure than one for success

Whether we or the rest of the country want to undergo a transformation we will. The frustration, anger and resentment that is so prevelant and becoming more intense will not go away. It may not manifest itself in the form of a revolution in the traditional sense of the word. But social change will occur. It is not possible to oppression, deny and exploit a people endlessly without social upheaval. Leaders are already being identified and the opposition is growing. Americans have history on their side and I choose to believe that the people of our country are experiencing a political awakening.

I live in an area with a lot of conservatives that routinely pray for the success of the president and his endeavors. Since the election and especially in recent weeks there have been no prayers offered for the president and in fact rarely do I hear his name mentioned except in disdain. The tide is turning.

[htuttle]

10. "A hungry mob is an angry mob"

It all comes down to the price of bread if you ask me. That has been true of almost all popular revolutions.

[shadowknows69]

22. "me belly full but I'm hungry" Marley I presume? n/t

[Zorra]

12. I agree there "Ain't Gonna Be No Revolution", but the blackboxes "ain't

gonna change a thing".

We will never regain our democracy as long as the US uses electronic voting machines.

[H2O Man]

13. Interesting post.

I agree in large part. Most people have no idea what a revolution really is. A revolution isn't marching in the streets, carrying signs, and yelling slogans.

The idea of a violent revolution is pure fantasy. Those who fancy themselves as part of the vanguard of such a movement are clowns.

The only worthwhile "revolution" that can occure in America is a revolution of values, which is what King described in his most militant speech. And that type of change is not only possible, but it is, in the long run, easier than the alternative, which is further decay.

[jukes]

14. you're entitled.

but i have little faith in the election process.

i agree people are too lazy & stoopified to revolt...for now.

but things cd get quite worse, & quickly.

i DO believe that it won't happen until the world powers get tired of repeating chamberlain's mistakes and our quest for lieber-oil starts WWIII.

water-guy: i may be mistaken, but i'm NOT a clown. i've been shot at before; i'm old, tired, and refuse to live in a theocracy or a dictatorship pandering to religious crazies.

they murdered Dr. King. unless the future changes course from where recent history seems to be leading, SOME of us won't have much choice.

[forgethell]

16. Other than just

blaming the people, shy do you think this is so? It seems to me that people get involved or excited about "revolution" when they consider themselves to be on the downside of things.

Maybe the American people feel they're doing all right, and this is why they are not in the throes of a revolution?? Maybe they are. How, then do we bring them to consider that other people may not be so well off as they are??

I ask this because I think we are on the wrong track in our electoral strategy. Unless I am wrong in my opinion, and the election really was stolen, we have to consider why we are losing, electorally. Of course, I'm willing to admit the election might have been stolen, but I see very few people here willing to admit that it might not have been, either. But suppose it wasn't?? Then what do we do about it? There is no real reason we can't pursue both the strategy of challenging our election methods and the strategy of examining our goals and policies. I think we've examined out tactics well enough, and have still not found the answer, so it must lie elsewhere.

[stillcool]

18. My favorite definition....

of a miracle is the slightest change in perception. Many of my friends and family members are like a hamster on a wheel, going round & round afraid to stop for one second lest they catch a glimpse of reality, and lose the dream. That dream is all that matters, and when it is threatened they hold on all that much tighter. Little rays of reality are penetrating their world and forcing them to ever so gingerly question WTF is going on, and miracles are occuring.

[callous taoboy]

20. I disagree. There are revolutions happening as we speak-

One of the biggest revolts in this country right this minute is employee theft: Theft of time and goods.

[UdoKier]

21. Not to mention - advocating one is against posting rules here...

and would get unwanted federal attention if it were allowed.


For such a thing to actually happen, people would actually have to go out of their houses and talk to each other.


But then again, with most Americans sinking into a swamp of debt, we may all be spending a lot of time outside once the real estate bubble pops...

[zippy890]

23. who's comfortable?

I know a lot of people who aren't comfortable at all, and its getting worse by the month.

Families can't pay the high rents, the oil bills, the cost of gas adding to the problems.

I see people every day, hear of them, broke because of medical bills they can't pay. Unless you have a rich relative to bail you out, its gotten very tough for a lot of people.