apathy_is_treason daf and lia Our signs for the demonstration tonight: "Real Choice: 160 Years of 2 Party Rule?" "The New vote: NONCOMPLIANCE / Apathy Is Treason" "Less MBAs/CEOs IN OFFICE.. More Human Beings." "Corruption IS NOT LEADERSHIP" 120417 ... daf Ever been to a Union Rally? We went to one yesterday and had a great time. They were protesting the usual: cuts to their benefits, hours, ability to bargain collectively, etc. Basically, as usual, politicans were taking money from some poor segment of the populace that could hardly afford the cuts, but this time..it was their money, so it mattered enough to gather together after work and take a stand. The teachers understandably, wanted more money for education. The auto workers wanted full restoration of their right to collectively bargain. The firefighters wanted less cuts to city service budgets, etc, etc. As Lia and I wove our way in and out of the crowd, something else became apparent: some of these people knew why they were there, but many of them were just there to root for their team: the Unions, The Democratic Party, The Liberal Ideology. Now before I give an example of how this mindset can be harmful to the cause of change, let me first explain what's so great about this sort of person. First off, they are usually loyal to a fault, and reliable to a tee. You can count on them to have your back in a struggle, and every defensive line needs people who don't back down or out. These people are competitive in this manner, mostly I suppose because it is a matter of pride among such folks to be the last to hold to your team, stick to your guns..be the most loyal. Over time, these people form the backbone of any good organization, because they are solid..and they mean to have your back to the bitter end. They don't like being wrong, which aids them even more in sticking to their guns. This can be a good thing. No seriously, it can be. But when it comes time for change, it can be a double-edged sword. I remember when the Tea Party came on the scene. It wasn't long before someone uncovered that the whole thing was funded by the Koch Brothers, and next thing you know, everyone that wanted those Tea folks to fail pointed and jeered and ridiculed them afterward. And it was a sad day for change, to be sure. See, all of the "Rah! Rah! Team!" people had been looking so forward to rubbing "the Right's" face in it, that they failed to notice something significant. That's what happens when we get lost in juvenile name calling and poor-spirited competition..we miss things. See, it didn't occur to most folks to ask themselves WHY the Koch Brothers felt the need to do this, to start a fraudulent Conservative Revolutionary Movement. Well, it's simple. The conservative middle class smells a rat, and the conservative upper class NEEDS the conservative middle class to maintain the illusion of a "Social Dialogue" while they gut the rest of the country and its economy. If they didn't do something, either the disgruntled conservatives would split off into another party, diluting the conservative vote, OOOR they would hop the fence to the other side, becoming extremely, moderate, centrist liberals. By creating the Tea Party movement, the Koch Brothers pulled off a coup for the controlling elite. It was win-win for them. Either they pull it off and are then able to direct the momentum of middle class conservative ire... OR they provide liberals with a perfect opportunity to taunt conservatives who dare protest, widening the rift between the two ideological factions, and making those moderate conservatives think twice before they act on their outrage again. And right on cue, here came the Tailgater Democrats with their foam fingers and butt pads to rub it in when the ruse was found out..WIDENING the division between liberals and the only conservatives that might have joined forces with them. Those sleights won't soon be forgotten. Conservatives tend to hold onto things. That's why they're called conservatives. And they don't like being reminded of their mistakes. You can bet they won't be sticking their heads out in the public chopping block any time soon. The revolution might have to go on without them. That might doom this revolution. See? Double-edged sword. And that's too bad. This revolution needs them as badly as it needs the rest of us. They're Americans too. This is their future too. Regardless of our differences in opinion, we are countrymen. If we'd stop calling each other names and insulting each other's choices long enough to eradicate our Washington infection, we could get back to hating each others guts soon enough. Do it for the children. (That seems to be the magic phrase around there...) Love, --- 120418 ... dafremen I've said before that I believe the main difference between the Democratic and Republican parties is that the Democrats would like to clothe feed and house their slaves, while the Republicans want to work theirs into the ground, replacing them with new ones. Let's all collectively bargain for our right to be another man's peon! Let's all fight for our right to be culled and conditioned for factory, lab and office work in the public education system. Let's fight for our right to study our way toward crushing student loan debt. It's always seemed ironic to me that the Party of the People could never control its ego enough to be the mature one to step across the aisle and bring our people, both liberal and conservative together. 120419 ... dafremen "Ha! Mr. Man! now you will pay us $21/hr instead of $12!!" "Fine..fine..back to the factories then. You win." (Hey Fed, print us up some more money would you? The slaves want higher wages, so we'll just have to depress the value of the dollar again.) 120419 ... dafremen We keep accepting the bankers' money while complaining about how they control and destroy our lives with the power it gives them. Irony anyone? 120420 what's it to you? who go blather from