Can we successfully demand a change?

Question

I often think of the Boston Tea Party, where a group of brave, American Colonists, enacted out a direct action of protest against the ruling British government. Crates of tea were destroyed in protest against what was seen as unfair practices & favoritism by the British government. Samuel Adams and John Hancock were amongst the protesters, who dressed as Indians and partook in the act of protest. This act was a spark of the revolution and has become an iconic event.

My question is two-fold;

1) How would the media/public perceive an educated group of protesters destroying (hopefully without enviornmental repercussions) barrels of oil or crates of cheap imported goods (say, television sets, something that USED to be manufactured in the states)?

2) Are we afraid to "rock the boat"? That is, do you think citizens are afraid to boycott/protest in fear of being percieved as "nutty"?

Imagine your local businessmen dressing up as Indians, destroying a product in protest, crazy?

Answer 1

of course we can..... but we have been trained to accept that protesting is rabid fanaticism and looked down upon as troublesome and annoying....we have been sheeplified.....

1)   the press would view it as shocking acts of whackos....and thuggery    (example the group that did vandalism to the Hummer dealers)

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,2898...

  hindsight is twenty twenty......wrecking hummers did nothing.....$5.00 gas prices and GM to close 4 factories, may drop Hummer...

2)  i do not think it is much as being afraid of being labeled a whacko, it is the fear that the sacrifice will merit nothing....... we have lost sense of direction and it is hard to risk without having a hope of making a difference.

Answer 2

Where we have a representative government...we should rather demand a friendlier tax structure towards business and investment.

We are on a demonize-the-corporations kick right now that serves only to send the manufacturers and job creators to better investment elsewhere.

Answer 3

The media question is a difficult one.  It seems that whoever reports first sets the tone, unless a spin doctor gets involved.  If it were during a republican administration, though, I have no doubt the action would have the media's, and thus the public's approval.

Yes, we've become complacent.  Most people seem to think that protest is someone else's responsibility.

Answer 4

Professional sports and American Idol are more important.

Answer 5

People protest all the time.  It doesn't end up on the news.

There's a guy who wants 2 hours time with John McCain to discuss the possibility of another investigation into 9/11 should McCain win the presidency.  McCain won't meet with the guy so the guy is on a hunger strike.  He hasn't eaten in days, and McCain still says he's "too busy" to meet with the guy.

In 2000, Rage Against the Machine had a free protest concert outside the Democratic National Convention.  Thousands of people showed up to protest our "fake democracy".  (We don't choose our leaders, the parties do.)  There was some violence creating altercations between the police and the protesters.  It made it on the news, but only as a blurb, and the protesters were labelled as "anti-family" and "pro-terrorist".

Every year on 9/11, thousands of people show up to protest, requesting another independent investigation into what happened that day.  You might see something about it on the 4th page of the newspaper if you're lucky.

Groups have written petitions and had thousands of signatures for redress of their grievances... all have been virtually ignored.  

http://www.givemeliberty.org/

If you do make the media, they will label you as a "nutcase" or someone on the "fringe".

The media is owned by multinational corporations... just like our policians.

What it all boils down to is this...

We are ruled by the corporation and the wealthy elite that own these corporations.

It's not "Of the people, by the people, for the people..." any more.

It's "Of the corporation, by the corporation, for the corportation."

FASCISM.

Some critics equate too much corporate power and influence with fascism. Often they cite a quote claimed to be from Mussolini: "Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power."

Mussolini was not the only one to recognize this. Franklin D. Roosevelt in an April 29, 1938 message to Congress warned that the growth of private power could lead to fascism:

"The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power."

We are in a fascist state. The quicker people get around to realizing this... the quicker we can fix it. But they don't even realize it's happening because our "news" media is owned by the same corporate powers.

George Orwell would love to see this sh*t.

Answer 6

You Dems just did!  You rejected Hillary Clinton,  4 more years of the same old establishment BS in Washington, for someone new who  stands for change!

Whether Obama  can accomplish it or not remains to be seen, but we can at least give him the chance and hope he succeeds..

Maybe by  voting for Obama you sent a message ot Washington--- we do not want any more :"Royal Families." The days of the Bushes, Kennedys and Clintons being in power every place you look is long over with.

  You can no longer run for office based on the accomplishments of your father, brother, husband, etc.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!

Answer 7

Monetary control by citizens a new currency made for each of The Trades People to represent their trade a currency available in all denominations Governments use exept to exchange between citizens. Laser printers and computer imaging tech to make the bills. Legal Citizen Tender counteracts counterfeiting as one people point out tech to make their own is there counterfeiters stop.

Answer 8

No

Answer 9

Do you toss the petitions that come in your mail:

No U.N. Tax

Survey on Clinton's Executive Order 13166

Defend Christian Rights in the U.S. Military

Should NAFTA Superhighway be built from Mexico right through the U.S. into Canada

Citizen's Demand to slash U.S. funding of the United Nations

Stop the Tax Hike

Citizen Petition to reverse Roe v. Wade

No North American Union

They all want money, but we can return them with our own stamps for free and hope they will count. do something not nothing.