AlterNet: The Whole World Is Rioting as the Economic Crisis Worsens -- Why Aren't We?

[marmar]

The Whole World Is Rioting as the Economic Crisis Worsens -- Why Aren't We?

By Joshua Holland, AlterNet. Posted February 3, 2009.

Americans are rightfully angry about the economic decline, but with a few small exceptions, quietly so. Why? It depends on whom you ask.



Explosive anger is spilling out onto the streets of Europe. The meltdown of the global economy is igniting massive social unrest in a region that has long been a symbol of political stability and social cohesion.

It's not a new trend: A wave of upheaval is spreading from the poorer countries on the periphery of the global economy to the prosperous core.

Over the past few years, a series of riots spread across what is patronizingly known as the Third World. Furious mobs have raged against skyrocketing food and energy prices, stagnating wages and unemployment in India, Senegal, Yemen, Indonesia, Morocco, Cameroon, Brazil, Panama, the Philippines, Egypt, Mexico and elsewhere.

For the most part, those living in wealthier countries took little notice. But now, with the global economy crashing down around us, people in even the wealthiest nations are mad as hell and reacting violently to what they view as an inadequate response to their tumbling economies. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/workplace/124836/the_whole_world_is_rioting_as_the_economic_crisis_worsens_--_why_aren%27t_we/

[harun]

1. Because we just elected Hope.

[screembloodymurder]

5. Was Obama put in office?

Was he "put in" to control those most likely to riot? It's a suspicion I've harbored for some time.

[harun]

34. I think if he was from "the elite", I would harbor the same suspicion.

But he isn't.

[a la izquierda]

2. Because, um, like American Idol's on.

Duh, you silly! :)


On a serious note, I think the economic crisis is hitting the US unevenly, so perhaps that's part of the explanation for the quiet. In Oklahoma, for instance, it's still sort of everyone else's problem. The housing bubble hasn't burst here. There are still jobs to be had...my husband *gasp* just got a raise.
I don't know. I'm curious. I'm in and out of Mexico: they protest the violence, but I didn't pay much attention to other protests the last time I was there. I leave Wednesday, so I'll have to make a journal of what I see.

[bunnies]

3. What good would it do?

Seriously. I'm all set with wrecking other peoples shit. Everyones having a hard enough time as it is.

[harun]

13. We may have gotten accustomed to the Gov't never listening to us.

[bunnies]

24. You may have a point there harun.

We know they dont care what we think.

[harun]

27. They talk about what we want, then they do what the lobbyists want.

[NOW tense]

4. We still believe someone else will take care of our problems.

We are to busy to care.

[screembloodymurder]

6. The rest of the world still has a free press.

We've got a Fox and a Hen.

[elizfeelinggreat]

19. Not much coverage

that I can tell. Fox and Hen, ha!

I agree, our media has let us down.

[spinbaby]

7. No place to riot

Most of the country has lost its city centers. Where are we going to riot? At a strip mall?

[CitizenPatriot]

23. LOL- maybe we can carpool

to the Riot Pod?

Post WWII: Work Pod, Home Pod, Shopping Pod,

Post Bush: Riot Pod

[Belial]

8. Short attention spans.. too much energy needed to get together

[mmonk]

9. Americans are clueless to the peril not to mention the causes.

[fasttense]

10. It just isn't bad enough here in th good old US of A.

I live in a very rural area and it is very bad. People by the hundreds gathered at the electric company to protest the $200+ electric bills that suddenly increased by 25% in January. But it was short lived and people quieted down. The unemployment system was so overwhelmed, it crashed a couple of weeks in a row.

These are Oxycotin Rush worshipers who pretend, most of the time, that the economy is just great. No kidding. I have some very conservative friends who are selling their houses. They think they will get over $400,000 for it. That's what it was worth a couple of years ago. When I tell them that housing prices have dropped, they tell me I've been watching too much of the liberal media's spin. And yet after 6 months, one house has gotten a visit of one possible buyer and the other house has received no interested buyers.

My husband lost his job back in July and has had zero offers. When I talked to a supposed friend about it, he implied that my husband just doesn't want to work.

I think if this were a more progressive or liberal area, people would be protesting but the media is dampening down their concerns with talk that the economy is just fine. It's the fault of those lazy slackers who wont get a job. It's the fault of those greedy consumers who want to live beyond their means. It's the liberal's fault. It dampens down their outrage and makes them think they are the only ones who are suffering - and they are convinced by the media that it's their own fault.

But it will get worse and move into the cities. My brothers, who live in fairly large cities, are doing just fine. So it has a ways to spread before it starts affecting people who wont let corporate media rule their thoughts. But it always starts in the outlaying areas and slowly creeps into the consciousness of the middle class and rich in the more wealthy areas.

"It's not a new trend: A wave of upheaval is spreading from the poorer countries on the periphery of the global economy to the prosperous core."

So, it will be coming to a city near you and then watch out. I say give it until May or June.

[JohnnyBoots]

32. I bet the rioting hits the old rust belt first. Ohio and Western PA.

[Why Syzygy]

11. Is anyone at DU calling the striking workers in the UK xenophobes? nt

[jmg257]

12. Because we are bunch of real wussies. It's amazing how much people with power

get away with here, how much they steal, how many "mistakes" or "errors" they make with NO consequence, how many people they really just fuck over.

Oh, they might ruffle a feather or two, cause us to grind our teeth in anger and frustration. But other then that? Nothing.




"Smile and wave, Boys. Smile and wave".

[burythehatchet]

14. No need to riot when you already have scapegoats.

Its all the immigrants' fault

Its all the Indian outsourcing fault

The fact of the matter is that the Corporatocracy needs to be destroyed, but the people who still have jobs work for that same corporatocracy.

[jmg257]

21. EXACTLY! ALWAYS someone else to blame! "The other side of the aisle",

"the other side of the street", "the other side of the fence", "the other side of the ocean".

And we fall for it over and over and over! They get away with anything, because there is always an "enemy du jor" who is made out to be worse.

We are fools. We close our eyes because "hey, at least they are on our side", while they fuck us over and in the end reward and protect their own.

[KG]

15. america is a nation of knaves that knows who their betters are.

they know to bow down before the ones they serve.

[RJ Connors]

16. This has been coming for over a couple of decades now.

For those who have been paying attention the writing has been on the wall for a long, long time. You can only abuse, cheat, steal, and murder people (in poorer underdeveloped countries) for so long until they get to a point where they have nothing left to loose.

The only thing that surprised me about Sept 11th is that people were surprised. The writing had been on the wall since the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979. And if that wasn't good enough to open ones eyes, when they tried the people who bombed the towers in 93 the defendants flat out stated in court that the goal was to take the tower down. When an organization has a goal that is that ambitious, you just don't walk away from it and go, "Oh well".

[KharmaTrain]

17. Too Many Conflicts Of Interest...

When was the last time there was a real substansive strike in this country? One that could slow down business or even dominate headlines? Sadly, the union movement in this country has been so weakened and divided that it's lost its effectiveness as a change agent other than as a fundraiser.

A big part of the problem is the conflicts between many unions...a lack of solidarity. Last year when the TV writers went out on strike, few other unions honored the pickets...their unions members fearing retribution for supporting or just not able to afford being able to join in. Management has pitted unions against one another if they can't bust them out totally, thus creating lots of bad blood across the board...not just towards managements but other unions as well.

Our society has learned to suffer silently. We've been told that when you lose a job or money, it's your fault..."gut it up". Let's see how much more people can "gut". We're seeing civil unrest, but it's not directed at the government, but a big rise in crime...people preying on each other as times get worse.

[HughBeaumont]

18. Because Americans are docile mice people.

And like it was mentioned before . . . I think a third to half of the country needs to be out of work with absolutely no hope of getting more and serious food and energy shortages for unrest to happen.

And where would unrest happen? In all likelihood, probably in Washington and not on a CEO's pristine lawn.

Our union forefathers would be kicking us dead in the ass at our complacency.

[lunatica]

20. Because we're not nearly as poor or as bad off as the countries mentioned, yet

From the article the countries that are rioting the worst are the following:

"India, Senegal, Yemen, Indonesia, Morocco, Cameroon, Brazil, Panama, the Philippines, Egypt, Mexico and elsewhere."

The United States has never come close to experiencing the kind of poverty and oppression these countries have. But when we get there we'll be rioting too.

Oh! And we haven't been forced into the worst kind of soul-killing poverty imaginable for centuries either. Comparing ourselves to the plight of the world's poor is the height of conceit. Go live and make a living in the city dumps for a generation or two before you consider yourself in the same position. When and if that happens then there will be plenty of rioting.

[IsItJustMe]

22. Because we have been exposed to years of msm brain washing and we are the best sheep in the world.

[SoCalDem]

25. Because the banks have not cut off the credit cards yet..

They have started to reduce credit lines, and may have cut it off completely for some people, but the majority of "card-people" still have access, so they still FEEL like they "could shop" if they wanted to..

Cut off all credit, and suddenly things change..

I'd venture a guess that MOST "middlers" have pretty much ALL of their take-home pay committed to continuing expenses like rent/housepayments, car payments, groceries, bills for stuff they already charged, gas, electric, water, phone, gasoline, insurance, etc.

[SIMPLYB1980]

26. Because rioting is pointless and counter productive to our cause.

Rioting doesn't do shit but make things worse. Peacefully standing your ground is a better move emo.

[Soylent Brice]

28. because amurikans are still asleep. they have not woken up fully to the times yet.

some have, but not nearly enough.

[QC]

29. Because our TVs are still working and there's still beer in the fridge.

If that changes, then people might stir a bit.

[arcadian]

30. Because Americans have been lulled into complacency

by flat screen TVs, football, American Idol and a general attitude of self gratification.

[hunter]

31. High Fructose Corn Syrup and Television.

It makes people think they are going to rise to the top of the heap someday even as they are sinking further to the bottom.

Eventually they are listening to rush limbaugh, watching eight or more hours of mindless television every day, eating and drinking cheap food-like substances, buying lottery tickets, and blaming immigrants, liberals, and socialists for all their problems.

Then they die.

[lib2DaBone]

33. In America.. We Fear Our Government.....

Ninja-suited SWAT teams, DUI Checkpoints, life in prison for mere possession of a marijuana cigarette....

I think it's the "Stockholm" syndrome of prisoners. After 8 years of being herded into barbed wire free speech zones, and listening to Faux News.... the will of the people has been broken.

They say the difference between a Recession and a Depression is hunger.. we could be in for a surprise this summer. When farmers do not have the money to buy seeds and fertilizer and crops are not grown....when the Republicans have stonewalled the Senate and stolen every last penny, when hunger sets in, it will bring the people out into the streets.

[Freddie Stubbs]

35. The Whole World? As long as you don't count Canada and most of Europe

[Blue_Tires]

36. who do we lash out against?

corporate america? the government? the rich? the media enablers? they are all so intertwined that it is impossible to separate one from the rest...

[anonymous171]

37. TWO WORDS: CORPORATE MEDIA. nt

[DemReadingDU]

38. Exactly. TV rarely shows any protests

There are always protests for or against something. But the media doesn't show them on the evening news when the people find out what's going on in the world.

There needs to be a big protest, millions of people, to get on the news. There were millions who come out for Obama's inauguration. Obviously, people do get moved emotionally.

Maybe when the majority of people lose their jobs, have no food and no warm place to sleep, then the millions will protest.

:shrug: