I am sad to say that, IMHO, the only thing that may prevent open rebellion and "blood in the

[Atticus]

streets" within the next couple of decades may be the rapid consolidation of all VISIBLE power by Corporate America and its owners. They are still willing to engage in the charade that we still have a democracy and that "we, the people", still have the ability to resist them.

In a few years, when hardships and inequities have compounded beyond anyone's imagination; when many more people are hungry and cold and sick and scared, it may serve their interest to drop that charade. Maybe then, when people can't help but acknowledge that "they" control the police and the utilities and the medical care and the jobs, that knowledge will so intimidate the populace that revolution will be averted. But, I don't think so.

I think we must soon change our system or accept whoever the moneyed elite select as our "Dear Leader". I cannot even contemplate "going peacefully". I have seen what this country was meant to be and I'll be damned if I will voluntarily see it ruled by the counterfeit patriots and genuine whores now dominating the national political discussion.

Their America is a nation where "might makes right" and "he who has the gold makes the rules." They would exalt superstition and ignorance over science and knowledge. They would offer bread and circuses as payment in full for our liberty and our dignity.

I have a lot of gray hair, but I hope I have the guts and the health to brave the badges and the batons and the tear gas again. And, if it takes more than that, well---who knows?

This isn't going to be nice. Count on it.

[RKP5637]

1. Well said! The corporatists want us to submit to their oligarchy and some

want a theocracy on top of that. This is not what this nation was founded on ... I hope Americans are waking up to what is occurring.

[handmade34]

2. I have already told my partner and children

that I plan to go down fighting... and I mean it!!

[DFab420]

3. Atticus I will tell you something

I have no gray hairs and I promise if it comes to this, And you find your health falters, or a baton hits you just right, I as well a countless individuals I know and love, will be there right beside you to hold you up.

I pray we can fix it all before then.

Not very religious person but my grandfather was a minister and this prayer is always the one I go to:

God, grant us the...
Serenity to accept things we cannot change,

Courage to change the things we can, and the

Wisdom to know the difference

Patience for the things that take time

Appreciation for all that we have, and

Tolerance for those with different struggles

Freedom to live beyond the limitations of our past ways, the

Ability to feel your love for us and our love for each other and the

Strength to get up and try again even when we feel it is hopeless.

[Frustratedlady]

4. But never forget another saying...There is strength in numbers.

I'm too old to fight, but I can darned well march.

[Fumesucker]

5. Frank Zappa outlined it thirty years ago..

Nov. 1979 - quoted in Relix Magazine

"The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way, and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theatre."

[HCE SuiGeneris]

10. +1

The veil of illusory democracy is increasingly rent.

[Doctor_J]

6. We're too weak and submissive to fight back

There won't be any bloodshed to speak of. The 2000 election was stolen - no blood. The 2002 election was bogus - no blood. It was revealed that Bush ignored warnings about 9/11 - no blood. The 2004 election was stolen - no blood. Citizens United - no blood. Alito appearing at Repuke fundraisers - no blood. Yoo, Bybee, Bush admitting to approving torture, Rove committing treason, Glenn Beck taking over America, Teabaggers terrorizing citizens and their representatives at meetings, ... Hate to break it to you, but we already "went peacefully".

[lunatica]

22. The reason there was no blood is because most people didn't have a clue

You may have been aware of what went on but most people are like the frog in the pot. And at the same time the illusion of a strong middle class was there. Everyone had a job and their mortgage and were living the American Dream. Infotainment is a strong hypnotising influence which gives the illusion of whatever the Corporations want it to be.

If you study the methodology of Dictatorships you'll understand that the message from the leaders and the reality are very different. Why do you think Saddam had 'elections' in which he won by almost 100%. It was to fool the people. He also kept power not only by torture and murder, but by also making his country a secular one where the people were the freest of all the Arabic countries as far a pursuing their education and professions.

Non violent coups are not simple affairs that are open things that the general public can easily see. It's more complicated than trying to make Americans out to be too stupid to get it. Americans are no different than every other human being on the planet. When you live in a gilded cage it isn't easy to see how bad it is.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

25. Hitler "sweetened the deal" for the German people, too

Building the Autobahns and rearming put people to work, children got free summer camps (where they were indoctrinated into Nazi ideology, but I'm sure a lot of parents thought in terms of, "Little Hans gets to spend two weeks hiking and swimming at no cost to us.")

If the Nazis had practiced only repression, they never would have been popular--and they were. Their repression was SELECTIVE. Jews were repressed and political dissidents were repressed, but for many people, especially the uninformed, the ones who didn't care to look beneath the surface, the "stability" that the Nazis provided was preferable to the social chaos and hyperinflation of the 1920s.

Mao's revolution was successful because it was the first time in Chinese history that any military force had respected the peasants (80% of the population) instead of abusing them and pillaging their farms. When their guerrillas needed food they would go to the nearby farms and BUY it instead of just taking it, as both the Japanese and Nationalists had done. The repression came later.

[MerryBlooms]

7. Won't happen in my lifetime and I'm 47

We'll continue to be kinda desperate ... kinda outraged ... but not enough to put ourselves at risk en masse. We unite in loathing the cause of the day - we're lucky if that outrage lasts 36 hrs. You can't win against The Power, with a citizenry who changes causes as often as their unders. :*(

[TBF]

8. The "cause of the day" becomes superfluous when basic daily needs

are not being met. You're talking about 2 very different groups of people - upscale liberals vs. workers.

[MerryBlooms]

11. I've got a house full a folks right now,

but I'm comin' back to your post in the morning. I see what you're sayin' and agree somewhat, but when I'm up in the mornin' and alone, I'll visit with you.

[TBF]

13. No worries, i'll try to remember to check back.

Have a good evening. :)

[TBF]

28. Hello? ok then ... nt

[socialist_n_TN]

30. With some folks, it becomes a matter of self defense...........

not just a "cause". It's not a class war unless we start to fight back.

[xchrom]

9. I don't care about repukes - I care about the democratic party

And how entrenched in neo-liberal legislative products
It's become invested in.

I.E. -- nafta/GATT , glass/steagal, HIR reform, etc.

We are becoming the party of reagan and thatcher.

[RKP5637]

12. The democratic party needs a major paradigm change! n/t

[xchrom]

14. We agree. Nt

[Joe Fields]

15. It's about time.

I saw this coming many many years ago, and when I would talk about it, people thought I was crazy. So many people, in fact, that I began to question my sanity.

Then I found DU nine years ago and thought I had fallen in with like minded people, but I was wrong.

Now I am seeing more and more people begin to understand the dynamics of this country.

I would like to remind you of one glaring omission in your post, sir. It will not just be badges and batons we will be fighting against in the streets, but our fellow countrymen, as well, who have been so completely brainwashed that they will regard us as the threat, the enemy.

It will become an all out civil war.

But I will see you and my brothers and sisters there in the streets. And my hands will not be empty.

[galileoreloaded]

26. Dude, that read like Steinbeck! n/t

[JanMichael]

16. I believe the Left is like 7-1-1 when it comes down to BIG balls to the walls shooting.

Wins:

1. 1917 Russia
2. USSR v. Nazis ugly both ways but an ass kicking in the end
3. China in the 40's
4. Vietnam v. France in the 50's
5. Cuba
6. USA v. Vietnam in the 60's 70's
7. Nicaragua in 80's
8. maybe more?

Draw:

1. Korea (ugly both ways again)

Loss:

1. Spanish Revolution (commonly called the Spanish Civil war by Capitalist texts)

So I guess one might be inclined to say "bring it on".

[Odin2005]

17. K&R Caesarism has come to America.

[inna]

18. Excellent post, K&R

[eridani]

19. Old age should rave and burn at close of day

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage, against the dying of the light.

[reggie the dog]

20. grow weed, sell it

buy guns and stock up on canned foods etc.

the usa is going to degenerate into a cesspool of a ghetto except for the gated communities.... think south africa under apartheid.....

[kctim]

21. Don't be sad

there are plenty of little groups who have been 'predicting' the rise of the New World Order for decades now and I am sure they understand you're concerns.

[Poboy]

23. k&r

[bvar22]

24. There IS a successful model for Bloodless Revolution*.

It is currently sweeping across Central/South America.
They have shown us HOW.

As long as the ruling elite (TPTB) can keep the National Dialog inside the very narrow frame of Democrat vs Republican, the power sharing Status Quo will continue.

When the Working Class & The Poor realize that WE have more in common with each other than we have in common with the Elite Leadership of either Political Party, "CHANGE" will happen.
WE outnumber THEM by 100,000 to one.


VIVA Democracy!
I pray we get some here soon!

*"Bloodless" if you don't count the thousands of Labor Organizers and Human Rights Workers killed by the US supported Police States.

[galileoreloaded]

27. Not sure if serious?!?!?! n/t

[bvar22]

29. Yes!...I'm serious.

"Between 2000 – 2005 there were major popular uprisings overthrowing nearly a dozen neo-liberal presidents and several elections which apparently led to center-left political leaders. In Argentina 2001 – 2002, three presidents were ousted by mass movements, as banks closed, middle class savings were frozen, unemployment skyrocketed to nearly 30% and poverty levels exceeded 40%, unprecedented in this country renowned for its wheat and beef . In Ecuador popular uprisings in 2000 and 2005 replaced corrupt neo-liberal presidents and resulted in the election of President Correa, identified with the center-left Citizens Alliance.



In Bolivia worker-peasant-Indian revolts ousted two presidents closely allied with Washington (2003, 2005) leading to the election of center-left parliamentarian, coca farmer and Indian leader Evo Morales in 2005.



In Venezuela President Chavez was briefly overthrown by a US backed military-business junta and restored in 48 hours by a military-popular mass movement in April 2002.



In other contexts, purportedly center-left presidents were elected in Uruguay 2005 and 2010, Paraguay 2008, Chile 2005, Brazil 2002 and 2006.



Having lost its docile clients in the face of the deep crises and with its principle ideological prop (free market neo-liberalism) totally discredited and massively rejected, US dominance was severely eroded but not extinguished."

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=19280

Note: When the author uses "Neo-Liberal", he means Economic Right Leaning, Deregulating, "Free Trading", immensely RICH Feudal Aristocrats kept in power by Death Squads trained and funded by US sources who did the bidding of US Corporations and the IMF.

The Populist Reforms sweeping across Latin America gives me hope for the World.
These near bloodless revolutions are the BEST news NOT reported in any real depth in the USA.
The Working Class and Poor of these countries simply banded together and voted OUT the Crooks, and started requiring the Governments and Corporations to begin working FOR the good of "The People".

Oliver Stone has a new Documentary called "South of the Border" which will give us an inside look at the economic reforms in South America.


VIVA Democracy!!!!

[PufPuf23]

40. The Left and Democratic turn in Latin America has been interesting

and inspirational to observe as neo-liberal politicians are shown the door for general welfare of the people by a fairer distribution of benefits from the public commons.

[socialist_n_TN]

31. Atticus, I'm with you brother.........

And what's left of my hair is gray too. It's RAPIDLY becoming a matter of self defense.

[bobbolink]

32. How can you "not go peacefully" when you're the only one at the barricades?

:shrug:

[Atticus]

33. If I understand your question, I am surprised by it. Should we just slink away because we may be

outnumbered?

If I really do wind up being the "only one at the barricades", which I don't believe will be the case, I will be the loudest, most outrageous, in-their(your?)-face liberal on the evening news since Tom Hayden and Abbie Hoffman.

I am not promising not to break things. We are fast approaching the point where simply "thinking outside the box" will not be enough. We may need to take the box apart and reassemble it.

[bobbolink]

34. Why be surprised? Do you really not get that some of us are going NOW and alone?

Or does it really not matter to you?

Those of us who are going now are isolated and very alone. Making some grand gesture isn't going to do anything useful... just cause more suffering for US.

But, then, I *won't* be surprised if that doesn't matter.

Clue... a bit of compassion here would be a good thing.

[Atticus]

35. This is the second time you have come out of nowhere to criticize what you perceive to be a lack of

compassion on my part. And, each time you imply that you are doing so very much more than I am and "suffering" because of the failure of insensitive and uncaring slugs like me.

You have no idea who I am or what I do, yet you are apparently OK with making some pretty damning assumptions. If you truly believe that I am foolish enough to publicly state all that I have done and am doing, you are naive beyond belief. If you don't believe that, then you are apparently just into making unsupported assumptions so that you can cast yourself as some sort of wronged victim.

Hijack someone else's post with that irrelevant drama, OK?

[bobbolink]

37. Your post exemplifies exactly what I am talkingh about.

There are people dying NOw, and yet there you are, ready to criticize.

And when called on it, you get angry and defensive.

THAT is supposed to build some sort of movement?

Again a clue.... try compassion. Judgement doesn't help here.

[Atticus]

38. It is just as well that "judgement(sic) doesn't help here", as you obviously don't possess any.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

[bobbolink]

39. Cutting remarks are so cute. And derisively calling someone's death "drama" speaks

so highly of true humanity.

:puke:

[Atticus]

41. Seriously---are you OK? I have no idea why you are suddenly talking about "someone's death" since

nothing like that has even been mentioned.

This is my final response. Apparently I am just too slow to follow whatever it is that you are upset about.

[readmoreoften]

36. I'd rather have blood in the streets thank you very much.

I don't want the slow death of no health care, toxic food, and poverty that the corporate state enforces.