civil_disobedience dafremen A man stands alone in front of a column of tanks, stoically refusing to move..grocery bags in hand. The world is moved to tears by this single act of nonviolent disobedience. His fist is not raised. He carries no sign..no insulting slogans. He carries with him only his knowledge of right and wrong...his will to act..his choice to disregard the fear that would otherwise have had him running to save his own skin. He has chosen freedom over fear..and without a single word that anyone could hear except the driver of the tank..he is heard around the world. We empathize with the man. And although the tank's driver was only "doing his job"..we couldn't help but see the nature of the tyranny that had authored his job description. I see angry fists raised in protest these days. Signs carrying derogatory slogans..divisive words. I see gas masks and bandannas, rocks and shields. And I see no difference between the sides of the conflict. Only the inevitable escalation of violence. I see only two sides vying for power. One oppressed, the other just "doing its job." And so I fail to see courage on either side. There is only fear. On the one side, I see fear of reprisal..fear of the status quo's agenda. On the other side I see fear of losing control, fear of change. And then I look again to the past..to a young man facing a soldier into whose rifle barrel he has placed a single flower. It is then that I am hopeful again for the cause. I am given cause by this one image to recognize the fact that the careful, fearless acts of solitary disobedient individuals CAN change the world and resolve the way BOTH sides view the struggle. 081005 ... dafremen Ghandi had tea with his British oppressors..but refused to obey their directives. Martin Luther King Jr. insisted at workshops, that demonstrators "purify their intentions"; ridding themselves of angry impulses..strengthening their resolve to disobey. The Danes who so charitably housed and fed the displaced German children of World War I Germany, were met by these same children become young soldiers in World War II. The Danes refused to comply. The soldiers refused to fight. The German High Command could not refuse its troops this disobedient act of gratitude. The Youth Movements of the 60s spoke of love and unity, refusing to be swayed by aggression, but refusing to obey..and slowly the nation came around. Not all who are outnumbered are crushed when their cause is just and their methods are gentle. Not all who are crushed withstand the pain in vain. History holds within its vaults many seeds of hope for change. Time has given us many valuable examples of how the greatest hope for change lies in dismissing fear, division and anger. Again and again we are shown the power of refusing to comply. Noncompliance IS the only vote that counts. 081005 ... daf www.zeitgeistmovie.com A new version has been released. If you saw the old one...this one will STILL blow you away. I've never seen everything that I've been so desperately trying to express, so eloquently and completely covered. If you haven't seen this film yet..see it. It has the power to change your life...if only you believe in the power of YOU as a part of the power of US. If you really long for change..if you really wish to see a better world for all people, then here is my recommendation to you: See this film. Give it a shot...you won't be disappointed, and this I promise you: You will never see the world or the life that you are leading in the same way again. And that's a good thing. Love -- 081005 what's it to you? who go blather from