Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Friday, March 30, 2007
Top Ten Ways to Plan Your Next Anti-War Protest
Agreed, we are weak, pointless and getting nowhere...except the next stage of the governments’ suicidal agenda. Without the media we are invisible, with organised demos we are not remotely worrying and without global participation, we appear a tiny fringe group.
So what? How do we do it? How do we get the governments to listen; to do as ‘we the people’ want and stop the lunacy before more die and more lives are ruined?
I grow weary of writing, marching, protesting, phoning - but know of no other method. I frequently express that I am nearly at the ‘naked up a tower’ stage, but...what would that achieve?
It strikes me that nothing will be effective unless it is somehow co-ordinated...otherwise we are just a lot of ‘ones’. I hate to keep on about the purpose of the campaign I run ‘Arms Against War’...but its purpose is to embolden all of us. We deliberately have no agenda other than agreement with the statement “I want an end to the war in Iraq”....signified by the wearing of a home-made white fabric armband.
Simple and seemingly ineffective - but then so is a single pesky bee, until it appears as a swarm. We need to recognise our intent as being a clear majority. We will feel far braver in numbers and we need to bring in all those who want an end to the war in Iraq, but don’t necessarily want to be a part of any movement, group, political party etc.
I had no idea where to start when I wanted to get ‘active’...I didn’t want to join a group with other items on their agenda - time off from work would be difficult - the cost of travel and time off, prohibitive and nor did I want to by a mug or t-shirt that affiliated me with anything other than a desire for one thing - an end to the war in Iraq.
Yes Mickey the efforts of the anti-war/peace movement are so far ineffective, but thank goodness they exist, thank goodness people are trying - now we just need many more.
Anarchy and revolution scare people - even though they can appear the only way....so between what we have now and anarchy/revolution...what? I don’t know, but I will keep looking and keep doing all I can - which is what we all need to do.
Namaste,
Tina Louise
http://www.armsagainstwar.infoPosted by Tina Louise on from England 03/30 at 04:06 AMFrom yesterday, hi skol. I would have like to see your comments (the ones you lost). I appreciate the comments you make here.
Of course, you’re right, we’re all against the war. But I don’t understand the vehement objection to Mickey Z’s article over at FS.
Simply stated, there’s a huge inconsistency between saying one is against the war and yet defending the culture of war in which soldiers participating in the violence are glorified.
As individuals, the soldiers may have many strengths worthy of our admiration and praise. But insofar as their role as cogs in the machine of war goes, I personally believe the standard applied at Nuremberg is the correct one: there is, in fact, a moral choice to be made.
I kept reading this defense of Tillman, saying he was against the war. Obviously, not that against it.
How can I work for Raytheon and still say I’m opposed to the arms industry? It goes beyond the paradox into the realm of hypocrisy.
Likewise, anyone who says “I’m against this war” but who carries a rifle and participates in it is either a liar or a hypocrite, or both.
That may seem harsh, but sometimes the truth isn’t comfortable or sugar-coated. What I see at FS are responses that appeal to emotion rather than reason. This appeal to emotion is the very thing Mickey Z set out to criticize in his article.
As I just posted there again, that’s the central point of the article that people just don’t get.
MZ may correct me if I’m wrong, but as I said over there, I percieved that the article wasn’t an attack upon Tillman, but rather an attack upon the glorification of criminal aggression.
Posted by Jeremy R. Hammond on from Taipei, Taiwan 03/30 at 06:47 AMRegarding anti-war protests, I have no criticisms. I’m happy people are protesting and would encourage more people to join. Marching in the streets, though, isn’t enough. Public displays of opposition are just one front in the war against the war. There are others, and what we need is a coordinated effort to ensure that all fronts are covered. Other fronts are public education (writers are part of this front), appeals to representatives (writing our reps and letting them know that if they don’t do as we wish we’ll ensure their careers come to a timely end), refusal to participate or contribute (from refusing service in the armed forces to riding a bike instead of driving a car), etc., etc.
Posted by Jeremy R. Hammond on from Taipei, Taiwan 03/30 at 06:53 AMMorning Jeremy...good points.
Tina Louise,
I have to say there is a part of me that agrees with much of what you say and you obviously are very dedicated towards ending these illegal wars.
I was at the 2/15/06 protest in NYC when we protested before the war began:
http://wdthu.blogspot.com/2004/11/remembering-2152003-in-new-york-city.html
As we push through year five in Iraq, however, the impotence of these types of protests is clear. They don’t work, and when something doesn’t work you have to try something different. Following the rules set by the group committing the crimes is not logical. Worrying about how people will react does nothing but make us ineffective. The majority of the people will always follow the government’s lead. A revolution towards anarchy (make sure to fully understand what that word means) is the only way my conscience allows me to see. I am not completely sure what that type of revolution will look like. I am not talking about blindly attacking corporate and government symbols or police or armies...but something has to be done, and I believe there are plenty of people out there thinking the same things.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 03/30 at 09:26 AMHello Expendables...from a sunny, warm Astoria.
Jeremy: Thanks for your comments and your post at FS. As you stated, it seems everyone is pretending that rebuttal is not there.
TinaLouise: I agree with JOS that there are some (many?) trying to conjure up new methods for provoking change. However, in the much vaunted land of the free, to even hint about anything more drastic than a weekend parade, I mean, march is to invite swift, severe punishment.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 03/30 at 10:18 AMOh yeah. And sign a petition and write your Congressperson… they listen… they really do.
Posted by Robert B. Livingston on from San Francisco, California 03/30 at 10:20 AMgood morning everyone
I love what these guys have to say
Vive La Revolution!!Posted by frances on from bc 03/30 at 10:22 AMAll you need is love...and small, well-trained army
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/2703Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 03/30 at 10:30 AMAnd then let the cops beat you for following their rules, like they did here in Colorado Springs at the St. Patrick’s Day parade this year.
Posted by Thomas McCullock on from Colorado Springs 03/30 at 10:44 AMI just downloaded and am listening to 8217;s program at Electric Politics.
John Stauber of the Center for Media and Democracy (http://www.prwatch.org/) is talking about the effectiveness of protests, MoveOn. the net-roots etc.
Strongly reccommended and relevant.
http://tinyurl.com/2pwd8k(Accuse me of having rose-colored glasses-- small, well-trained army ? I’ll stick with love is all you need.)
Best wishes!
Posted by Robert B. Livingston on from San Francisco, California 03/30 at 10:58 AMOn another topic, here’s Travolta’s idea on Global Warming:
“It [global warming] is a very valid issue,” Travolta declared. “I’m wondering if we need to think about other planets and dome cities.”
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 03/30 at 11:27 AMWhere’s Mr. Kotter when you need him?
Posted by James on from work 03/30 at 11:34 AMMZ, I like the list. It appeals to my concerned-yet-inactive way of life, slathered with enlightened catalogs and pathological fear of offending anyone. Yet, it could be shortened to the single entry of “conduct event in a foreign country” since that’s about how much impact the 3/17 thing had on American politics.
For the record, I’m claiming that to force the issue, at least 3 million people must descend on D.C. on the first day of a new Congressional session, for an undetermined stay linked to immediate withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan. Kudos to those who’ve been occupying local Congressional offices. It’s a step in the right direction, but needs national coordination and larger numbers.
MA Rep Jim McGovern (D-Spineless) has decided to back the candidacy of HRC, claiming his daughter’s influence as a factor. Great! Apparently sending the Bush twins into the front line has more validity than at first blush. But there’s no assurance they actually talk to their old man, so we’d better stick to the original plan of sending vast amounts of human beings and money into the great beyond.
Telling Time: Yesterday was the anniversary of the convictions of both the Rosenbergs (1951) and Lt. William Calley (1971). Quiz: who got the chair & who got 3 years of house arrest?
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 03/30 at 11:48 AMi agree with your point here. i have more or less stopped going on all the marches.
it is self-defeating after a whilw
Posted by michael on from scotland 03/30 at 11:56 AMIt’s possible, many anti-war people might not know what to do, when the war is over, if there isn’t some government, man-made law telling them what to do, what to think...the war is here, always has been, it’s the planning ground for war elsewhere...it’s always been here...we have simply normalized, acclimatized this brutal, inhumane condition...changing the minds of 300 million people won’t happen, starting you own self-sustaining community can happen...put energy there...put more energy there than into the negative destructive thoughts...according to shortwave radio this morning, not the internet version, the bbc, which is the british version of broadcast bullshit, gives the impression the war against Iran has pretty much started. So...let’s think of ways to start a community, start a state, start a country...the last 2 means everything got too big...and that’s the problem...no one is any longer grounded to the earth...but to a very large system of nothingness, toys, gadgets and insanity...what do you want to do?
Posted by Joe of Maine on from 03/30 at 12:57 PMSure, more has to be done. It has to be more militant and more coordinated, and happen more often. So what? So do you get to this more advanced stage by waiting for the perfect action, and sitting it out until then? Is it all beneath you until everyone else has caught up to you? No! You show up. You go to the marches. You go to the sit-ins. The actions that people take, even in failure, help to politicize them. There are nonpolitical people who will be radicalized by this war and the effort to stop it. Look at what has happened so far as preparation for more and better actions. Got a better idea for what should be done? Take it to people who are likely to organize around it. Then do it, in spite of the fact that the war will still go on, and see how it helps to create savvy and solidarity among the people who are involved. Resistance has to be built, by many people acting on many fronts. Give them your ideas, lend them a hand.
It was good to be at the march in DC on Jan. 27. There was even an anarchist contingent there (and probably a good few mixed in the crowd) that stormed up the Capitol steps with their red and black flags. There is a lot of spirit at the marches. Don’t underestimate it.
The only thing that is self-defeating is inaction (well, ok, that and splits where the reds and anarchists are shooting at each other).
Posted by louisemichel on from Maryland 03/30 at 01:04 PMHere’s another perspective...I know a well known activist who also practices, patriarchal, control freak behavior, learned from daddy, never understood or resolved. In other words, this activists elevator doesn’t go to the top floor. Revolutions don’t solve anything if old mentality is simply started over my new neckties! What can be started right now today...is you own movement, right in you neighborhood to start a new community...imagination balanced with outrage is helpful...check out the Vermont Secession movement...go to Vermont Commons...I admire wanting to beat the shit out of the block bully!
Posted by Joe of Maine on from 03/30 at 01:20 PMHi all....
My nomination for quote of the day, “...How can I work for Raytheon and still say I’m opposed to the arms industry? It goes beyond the paradox into the realm of hypocrisy...” Speaking about hypocrisy, the usa and GB are in a tizzy because a few of theirs are being held captive. How many thousands are being held by the usa??? The case of David Hicks and so many others has been under-reported for years.
About protests...I usually receive more criticism from the “protesters” about the content of my signs than I do from others. My signs are considered to be offensive. One actually says “Stop U.S. War Crimes”. A couple of years ago, at a protest in Montpelier, one person held a sign that said “#### the troops”. The anti-war, anti-violence, peace people objected to the sign and beat the man up.
One small suggestion that I have is that maybe it would help if we gave support when anyone is under attack because they speak out. In the early years of the war, Phil Donahue was left with too little support when he openly opposed the war. He lost his program because he spoke out. We all remember what happened to Ward Churchill. Now Rosie O’donnell is under attack. I am not a fan of hers but believe that she deserves support now that the right wing is calling her a terrorist and also calling for ABC to fire here because she does not support the killing.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 03/30 at 01:21 PMJoe of Maine...I enjoy your comments and admire your viewpoint. You impress me as the perfect neighbor but I think that you have bought in to the “Vermont Myth”. I have lived in a lot of places - many different parts of the country. I moved to Vermont from New Jersey. I have never seen a more corrupt political system than currently exists in Vermont. Uncle Nunzio in Newark would have a long way to go to reach the pinnacle of corruption that I see in Montpelier.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 03/30 at 01:33 PMI’m not applauding the political system of vermont...nor any othe politcal system anywhere. I’m speaking about a small group of people who want to separate from all politcal systems that are engaged in controlling other people...all politcal systems we have known. The vermont secession movement is not my religion...it’s the only movement that has any clarity about having nothing to do with washington or any traditional form of oppressive governments...I live in Maine...I have absolutley nothing worthwhile to say about Maine’s government...all these governments are micrcosm’s of the central disaster in DC. I lived most of my life just N.E. of Philadelphia...corruption, dysfunction...what can be said about a state, a country where someone like Frank Rizzo is ‘elected’??? twice for public office...? And you are absolutely correct...america is premised on corruption and the complete disregard for life starting with equating humans with machines...and how well we obey by acting as machines.
Posted by Joe of Maine on from 03/30 at 01:56 PMgood news of sorts
i have got a couple of emails from an american schoolteacher who wants to use something i did to teach her children…
the thing she wants to use is this one..
Posted by michael on from scotland 03/30 at 01:57 PMJoe #20...I see your point. I have advocated for a long time that “the people” should take control of just one small part of community life, the legal system. (For those who don’t think that a legal system is important, just wait until a loved one is a crime victim.) My plan is a simple and easy one - just expand small claims court, keep lawyers out of the system, and have cases heard by ordinary citizens (plumbers, teachers, retail workers, factory workers, etc.) It won’t happen because those who have control will go to any extreme to protect their turf.
I like what you suggest, but what happens when someone needs health care, what happens to the homeless, what happens to those who cannot raise their own food.
I wish that you were my neighbor. If everyone thought like you, the world would be a better place. In my home town in Pennsylvania, the only homeless shelter for women is now closing. I don’t think that we have evolved enough yet to have compassion and empathy for those around us. In my current home town, dental care is considered a luxury. Here there are 2 classes of people, those with teeth and those without. It’s hard to participate in a revolution while you have a toothache.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 03/30 at 02:26 PMThanks RMJ...I had to beg and plead to a dentist to help me with a new dental prosthesis. Years ago, I bent a steering wheel with my face. Who would hire a generalist, 59 years old with front teeth missing. People must really understand they are in the same boat, dilemma together. We must really see, feel our experiences in each other, we are more alike than different. Support each other intellectually, emotionally, even financially...yes, picture of dead presidents should not come between people...’should’, there’s that word. It is not easy to develop a ‘group’, a community. The like-mindedness required for this time of extreme societal turmoil breaks down communication very easily and can hurt.
Posted by Joe Ciarrocca on from 03/30 at 02:45 PMJoe...I agree with what you say. We must support each other. With apologies to the atheists and Christopher Hitchens, Mother Teresa said exactly that. Her philosophy was that all of us should give until it hurts. She was condemned by many, including those who said that she did not do enough to change systems that create poverty.
Joe, I googled you and now have a better appreciation for what you say. I think that you and I are in agreement. We must help each other and also work to change the systems that victimize all of us.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 03/30 at 05:45 PMFYI...Ralph Nader coming to a theater near you in Amherst…
AMHERST, MA - March 30 & April 1 (Amherst Cinema Arts Center)
4/1: 4:15 - Henriette and Ralph will field questions after the film. Ralph will
introduce the 7:30 film and Henriette will field questions afterwards.For more information call 716-479-2351.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 03/30 at 05:54 PMHello again, friends. I hate when this happens. I’m so far behind on an excellent series of conversations that I can’t even begin to catch up. Lots to digest here...everything from Mother Teresa to John Travolta.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 03/30 at 06:22 PMReaders digest:
If we’re looking for positive signs among hopelessness try this. It must on the edge of collapse when papers like the Guardian (sophisticated propaganda) start rolling out stuff like this.
“The story of empire is not one of unalloyed shame.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2047166,00.html
PS I’m in mainland China and most times cannot access Tiny URL without proxies that themsleves are constantly being tracked and blocked.
Posted by Andy on from Shanghai 03/30 at 10:45 PMRe: #1—Make it a Sunday, just to be certain that nothing you do interferes in any way with the war machine.
As to what to do instead of marching in circles around empty central business districts, how about economic direct action?
For example:Posted by rentstrike on from the library 03/31 at 07:05 AMRMJ did a google search...holy horsefeathers, I’m being investigated...left my last name...not supposed to do that! Oh well, as Kenneth Walker stated...I’m only consciousness, conscious of, trying to become fully conscious...I might make it if I can clear my head of thousands of years of patriarchal, hierarchies that bring death to everything, which includes GE ceo’s.
Posted by Joe of Maine on from 03/31 at 10:39 AM
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