Nonviolent Revolution: Does it Have a Chance in the US

Originally posted by inverslyproportional

It is all the fault of the baby boomers, they let things get this way, they are now running the show, they refuse to change the rules or the game.

I am so disappointed, whatever happened to the hardcore do the right thing types from when they were kids?

Did they all finally give up or what?

Yeah, I gave up. After fighting all my life for what seemed like the right things, racial and gender equality, personal freedoms, privacy, and such things as that, the world is still a tough place, the rich and corporatist types keep loading the deck in their favor, buying congress and create more crime on the street with phoney social wars to cause more violence in the street for an excuse to take away more liberties and pass more inane laws - with enough passive idiots to think that is all a good thing to do, then with the young people wanting to blame me for their discontent and that their life has been kind of sucky too - when they should be taking the initiative now to make things better.

Enough, I am retired now. I packed off to another country where things can be somewhat random and chaotic and life a bit more gritty but there is sill a good amount of privacy, personal liberty, and not someone drawing lines in the sand to wait watching for half-inch foot-fouls in order to haul you into the blood-sucking system for not toeing their line. It is still not perfect but seems like paradise to me. Solve your own problems now. I did what I could.

I honestly think theres a chance but not in a typical revolution way.

You would have to educate citizens from the ground up, meaning teaching your kids to think for themselves and not be a blind consumer. So that they will grow up and enter politics and become strong enough to not be corrupt. Then from within the system the good people of the country can fix all the wrongs in today's society.

The second way i would imagine would be if we tip over the real truth to the people, I mean 70% of Americans would have to understand that they are not a product anymore and they will not continue to become debt or consumer slaves to america. Then the nonviolent revolution would work because the corrupt people in power wouldn't make any money or be able to do false flag operations or twist truth to get what they want anymore.

Instead of making laws to jail the poor there should be tons of laws to jail corrupt and constitution stealing government officials.

reply to post by Happy1


I think you're right on this, sir/m'am, whichever. I doubt many Americans would get behind a hunger strike, and even those that would claim to support it likely would not get involved. But, every American can behind holding onto some extra dollars. The only question here is whether or not a major portion would have the balls to stop paying their income taxes.

reply to post by NotAConsumer


I agree wholeheartedly; reeducating citizens of their basic rights and their responsibilities as citizens is paramount if we are to take this country back.

My best guess on how to do this would be through pop culture.

Staging a police beat down though constant taunting is just as bad as the cops picking a fight with peaceful protesters. It all depends on the central issues and how many people are suffering. If people starting pointing guns at the government it is time for everyone to take a step back and try to talk it out somehow.

Originally posted by Spiramirabilis
reply to post by beezzer

 

Just be prepared. Nonviolent doesn't mean WON'T be violent if it is called for.

Are you sure you understand the concept of non-violence?

Nonviolence...

...is the practice of being harmless to self and others under every condition. It comes from the belief that hurting people, animals or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and refers to a general philosophy of abstention from violence based on moral, religious or spiritual principles. [1]

It's just non-violence, not: non-violence - unless...

:-)

just sayin'

edit on 4/13/2013 by Spiramirabilis because: stuff

I was trying to differentiate between passive resistance and non-violent resistance.

I think there is a difference to the two.

Of course it does. Quit feeding the machine. Put yourself first. Put your money first into things like retirement, your own home and healthcare. Save money by cooking at home, borrowing entertainment from friends - swapping with them.

As it is people bend over backwards to give their money away, to the makers of smartphones, to carmakers, to fast food joints, you name it. Quit putting yourself last, put yourself first.

When the ceos of apple, Chevrolet Burger King, Papa johns experience a severely reduced cashflow and are all like, why you no give us monies, then you can tell them, the situation is such and such, if you need us to have more disposable income to trickle to the top, things must change.

But as it is now, people stampede over each other on time for black friday, instead of spending their money after themselves first.

reply to post by Merinda


I agree with you completely. The only peaceful protests I see working in America would be those that attack the cash flow of the most powerful corporations, but at the same time, I don't think we have a chance of organizing such things with the current mindset of the average American being what is. By which I mean that most Americans only want more distraction, and buying said distractions is what they call "investing in themselves," as you put it.

You see, when I started this topic, I started it with the public in mind, since all you really need for a successful protest is backing from a large enough portion of the public. So, I guess the real question is whether or not you believe Americans would get behind such a protest as the one you have described.