The World is Rioting While the USA does nothing

Originally posted by seagull
reply to post by BostonBill99

 

Just curious. What would you suggest be done? Riot? Burn down buildings? Loot business's? Kill all the politicians? What?

first...

YOU"VE GOT TO GET MAD!!!

I want you to walk to your closest window... Open it up and yell...

I"M AS MAD AS HELL AND I"M NOT GONNA TAKE THIS ANYMORE!!!

say something like:

I"M A HUMAN BEING GOD DAMMIT, MY LIFE HAS VALUE!!!

The thing about a civil protest is that it only takes a few fools to turn it into a violent protest.

Many of us had a form of protest in the form of our vote. Unfortunately, many of us used that vote to reelect the same fools that got us into this mess. Kinda makes one wonder how sincere we are about a better government for WE THE PEOPLE.

[edit on 5-2-2009 by jam321]

How about you focus on yourself, and quit worrying about changing the world.
I know personally, I don't let what is going on in the media, or these threads like this one trying to spread hate and fear affect what is going on in my experience. I focus on attracting a joyous life experience for myself, and by doing that I am happy. And when I am happy, the people around me like my family and friends are happy since it is contagious you see.
This country was around long before I was born, and has been through some pretty wild rides throughout history, and guess what?
It's still here, and I have more in my life than many before me could of ever dreamed of having. I have been curious at times as to why certain things have happened, and wondered about conspiracy this and conspiracy that, but there isn't much I can do about what has already happened in the past. Focus on YOU, in the now and visualize having the life you want to attract, and the things you intend to have, and the joy you expect to feel, and you wont be so miserable.

Just goes to show you how well programmed we are.

Most get their daily reinforcement via subliminals & superliminals being broadcast from their TV' 24/7.
And I think others get the same from the internet.
We here indulge in coversations that aid immunity.

Sorry thing is that those few fools turning peaceful protest into violent protest are frequently agents provocateur.

[edit on 5-2-2009 by OhZone]

Originally posted by BlackOps719


The reason nobody here in America is doing anything, in my estimation, is because the majority are still telling themselves that if they keep on going to work every day and keep on driving their kids to their soccer games and keep on paying their taxes and being a good consumer that things will somehow, miraculously go back to the way they were.


I believe it is called D-E-N-I-A-L and it is rampant. Closing your eyes, sticking your fingers in your ears and yelling LA LA LA LA LA as loud as possible will not save us from the fact that our nation is bankrupt and that very soon we are all going to have to make some very tough decisions.

I guess it is easier to irrationally hold out hope for something that isnt going to happen than it is to freely admit that we are in serious trouble.

That doesn't sound like denial to me, it sounds like people are actually trying to do their part in making things right. So the suggestion is, just quit the job, stop paying the bills and taxes, just take your wife and kids and go join the revolution! Are some of you people teenagers in high school or near forty and still living with mommy and daddy while never having to actually work to support yourself? Stopping your adult responsibilities like paying your bills and your rent will make our economy in far worse shape, it'll completely collapse. Riots from all citizens will only put the nail in our coffin. Riots are just like when a 6 year throws a tantrum, yes they scream, it's loud, they tear up the house, yes quite the mess they have made, but in the end, they will wear themselves out and will have to face the consequences later. If we start rioting, we won't be fighting the government, we'll end up fighting each other.

Neighborhoods will be in ruin, businesses looted, innocent dead, women raped, buildings and cars on fire chaos that will be unreal. Is this the scenario some of you people want? It's one thing if the government sends the army in to wipe us out, or start rounding us up, that's when you take up the guns and pick axes, but this isn't the case that is going on right now. People are making very tough decisions, you may not see it, but trust me, everybody knows what the hell is going on. People are worried that they are going to have to possibly live out in the streets, but instead will hang on to their job as long as they can support their family. Lot's of people refuse to work, lots of people refuse to pay their bills and loans, and lots of people would rather live on welfare and demand government handouts in a gift bag with tissue and a ribbon bow. Don't look down at those who are hard workers, maybe they are actually the ones doing the right thing.

reply to post by BlackOps719


It's not denial. It's called "Taking care of what you can change or impact today and not wasting time on things over which you have no control." Rioting doesn't put a roof over my kid' heads and food in their bellies today. There is possibly as grim as a 50/50 chance that someday I will be forced to take extreme measures to feed and house my family at some point in the future. Neither route this country could take is certain, it could get better or it could completely collapse, WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE. However, I do know for sure that if I lost my job, was thrown in prison, or was killed due to me rioting, my family would suffer greatly. That is a certainty.

I've got a responsibillity to a wife and two little children way, way, way before any responsibillity I have towards this nation, this nation's Cosntitution, or even my own personal political and social beliefs. Number one with a bullet on top of my list of priorities are those three individuals and their safety, security, and comfort. Rioting and protesting aren't a family man's game. If this all goes to pot, I can always pack them up and move to another city, another state, or even another country. I have a degree and I have a professional license which affords me the luxury of being able to find work anywhere on this planet. However, if I screw up and get my head busted open I lose that luxury.

Do I believe that the United States is Mama Cass Elliot and this recession is a giant ham sandwich? Yeah, in my brain I do believe that, but my heart holds onto some hope. Do I KNOW that the wrong move by me today will have me choking on a ham sandwich of my own? I absolutely know that with both my head and my heart. That's not denial, it's realism. In some ways, I could say that the romanticism some people apply to the idea of rioting and even protesting and them believing it will result in change for the better is the real denial.

reply to post by burdman30ott6


Good post. Much better than the way I put it.

reply to post by whoshotJRI agree with you.   Chaos does not solve anything and harms many innocent people.     Not only directly, but indirectly as well.    I live in Seattle and was here during the WTO fiasco and that was a total joke.   The folks protesting in large did not have a coherent message, many were violent and when they got one of them on TV they were high as kites.   Now there may have been some merit to what some of the folks were there attempting to do, but it was lost in the din of chaos.  Think about it.  Does throwing a brick through the window of a Starbucks really do anything but potentially harm the folks who work there?  I'm guessing that Howard Schultz, when considering which professional sports team to buy next is not really impacted.

The gent from Africa is right and so are the posters who bemoan the attitudes of the Americans.  We have a system that CAN work.  It does not work right now.  It is broken. The real problem is the linkage between all of the parts of the system, government, corporates, NGOs, Unions, special interests, lobbiests, media, all of them are linked and have a vested interests in the other.  To fix the system, the linkages need to be destroyed.

There may be other ways to do this, but I think the easiest one is very simple.   Get as many folks to vote as possible and never vote for someone who has previously held the office for which they are running - period and no exceptions.   Whether or not you like the person or what they have done in office, one term and out.   As we remember from Gingrich's attempt at term limits, the vested interests will take this to the Supreme Court and it will be viewed as a violation of the first adendment, hence it needs to be a grass roots deal. 

If you knew that you only had 6 years in the Senate, do you think that you would spend $100M to get elected to the Senate, like Hilliary Clinton did?  Or $25M to get elected to a two term stint in the Congress?   You would'nt.   These folks spend that kind of dough because it is a good investment, both for them and their donors.  

Break the linkage between the politicians and forces outside of government. 
- Don't vote for anyone who has held the office before 
- Only vote for folks who commit to firing the entire staff of the previous office holder (the staffs are a huge problem) 
- Only vote for folks who refuse to take money from lobbiests or pacsIf this were to happen for 20 years, you would begin to see more regular folks in government and the "system" would be broken.

I'd love to join you in your protests, OP, but I don't have bail money. There are other ways to "protest" than by taking to the streets.

reply to post by burdman30ott6




I hear ya man.... and I understand what you are saying. It is a very frightening and confusing time for everyone as Im sure none of us have ever lived through an economic collapse of this variety before.

Do what is right for you and best for your family. I know a lot of people are afraid and a lot more are shell shocked at what they are seeing. I dont think reality has really started sinking in for many and they are still clinging to the hopes that things will just go back to the way they were.

Unfortunately I dont see that happening any time soon. Bad times are ahead. I hate to constantly be the dismal presenter of bad news here but we havent even started seeing the worst of what will come.

Something must be done if we are ever going to change the course, and to keep doing what we have been doing while expecting change to come is by definition insanity. Americans are so comfortable and so complacent that they will tolerate any level of injustice or violation of rights if it means they get to keep their toys and their creature comforts.

It seems as though a lot of us would rather stand there and get punched in the face over and over than to dare lift a finger against our aggressors. The only way most of Americans will get angry enough to fight back is when they too are broke and hungry and desperate.

Keep in mind... Im not judging anyone here. We all must cope however we are able in times like these, but blind and willfull ignorance will serve none of us one bit of good in the long run. And if someone doesnt stand up and act soon there will be nothing left to fight for.

Originally posted by seagull
reply to post by BostonBill99

 

Just curious. What would you suggest be done? Riot? Burn down buildings? Loot business's? Kill all the politicians? What?

By protesting and dare I say it, rioting, people get to show their governments that

A) they are fallible and
b) they messed up so we're pissed.. now sort it out or we'll sort you out.

I don't agree with the destruction of private property but nothing like torching a government office to get their attention.. even if .01 cent of your tax money will be used to refurbish it... I think its worth it.

The gist I gather from you guys is that if you lot did protest/riot in massive numbers against the government, the National guard/martial law would be brought in.. or else the people who are trying to organise it would be arrested before it got off the ground.

Maybe the problem is fear just as much as laziness..?

I went to place insurance on my home today and it was very odd, on the list of what is covered is rioting and civilunrest. Now mind you I have let the insurance lapse, but last time I had it civilunrest and rioting was not even considered. There were a few other oddities like war, and I could not even get earthquake insurance, seems there is a moratorium on companies giving it out...

I totally agree, Bill, it's like we are invisible. I had to quit watching the news. My blood pressure was soaring. The people we have elected to the house and senate JUST DON'T GET IT....or they just don't care.

We have thrown money at the problem and now they want to throw a whole lot more. I get the feeling, call me paranoid, that the Republicans that are "protesting" simply want to keep their jobs. They let the stimulus program go through before and they are gonna do it again.

I see riots in our future...people are unemployed, hungry and without any health insurance. They just don't get it.

reply to post by Dermo

but nothing like torching a government office to get their attention.. even if .01 cent of your tax money will be used to refurbish it... I think its worth it.

Oh, yeah, that'll accomplish a lot. Get some people killed, or hurt...yep, nothing like burning down a gov't. building to accomplish a whole lot...that .01 percent of my taxes can be used for something a bit more constructive, such as repairs to infrastructure or a myriad of other much better things than replacing a building that a bunch of hopped up idiots decide to burn down...

The reason I posted about my policy is because perhaps it is preciecly the civilunrest mentality which they expect in the near future rather than peaceful demonstration, question what is it going to take to make people become so unhinged that even a simple policy would include such coverage?

reply to post by antar


A month or two ago economists and think tanks were all making comments about the likelihood of civil unrest.
There was even a leaked advisory report for the US Government advising of the same probability.

They were quickly sidetracked and went away.

The people who operate these businesses pay a lot of money to have research conducted and think tanks go over what scenarios are likely.
They've probably been told that civil unrest and rioting are increasingly likely as the financial system becomes more unstable.

Lets face it, desperate times call for desperate measures, and those who are desperate will increasingly be turning to crime.
The same with society, as more become unemployed, anger builds, services suffer, public become restless and angry, protests start.

Your insurer has added these after taking good advice from some very well paid and intelligent people.

When they add a statement about "Alien Invasion", then be really worried!

reply to post by BostonBill99


I did a search for this one day strike and found nothing. There is only one thing that can stop any homeland fascist government - WORK STRIKE - all else is counterproductive. The simple truth is that this government would be forced to submission by a national work/spending strike. The sheeple, don't care, feel helpless, can't miss their comforts. One can not start an organized stay home until the government conceds and complies all at once. It must be started gradually, that is if all the whiners actually wanted to do something to stop this fascism. One 50% participation strike for one day would put the fear of the people in these scumbags and would give the people sustinance to push futher. Until then... US will remain sheeple. Don't disparage our only hope - Support it or continue as you are - happily tolerating it. Just because you can't do everything, doesn't mean you should do nothing.

DrEd

Originally posted by BostonBill99
www.alternet.org...

The rest of the world has seemd to get the message of SHTF mode. What's it gonna take for the USA to realize that the walls are tumbling down, and the DO something about it?

Frustrated and disgusted at the Government's handling of this mess.

When the grocery stores are no longer stocked with food, and/or hyperinflation makes it impossible for Americans to feed themselves, we will be there.

We live inside an extremely fragile system that takes care of our survival needs, so no need for rioting and looting yet.

Once that system of food in the grocery store, good water to the home, fuel, etc breaks down, the # will hit the fan, and there's gonna be no more "I work for a living, so I don't have time to riot, maybe I will pay someone else to riot for me, wait a minute I am broke" kind of crap coming out of peoples mouths.

One thing no one here is taking into account is that American's have gone through a deep, long depression before, followed by a World War. People were really starving. We got through it by sitting tight, trying to work, doing whatever we could to get by, electing a new president who helped to fix things. And it worked.

We know how to get through these things.

*Instead of using all of that energy to protest, (protest has its place, by it's not right now), instead of protesting right now, wasting your energy, help your neighbor. Bring food to your neighbor who lost his/her job, ask everyone in the community to pitch in and raise some money (any amount) to give to your neighbors who have lost jobs, or homes.

When the stores stop stocking your food learn how to grow it in your backyard or inside your house. Yes, you can grow food inside your house. If you do a search on google you'll find info on how to grow food inside your house/apartment, and how to make a greenhouse to grow food outside in the winter.







[edit on 5-2-2009 by Electro38]

One thing is for sure, as unemployment rises to horrendous levels, governments will lose a lot of tax revenues, and will try to raise taxes, keep property taxes high despite falling house prices, bleed the public with fines.

One form of protest will be tax revolts, where people learn to use navigate the government system at the local levels and push back.