Back to Basics

[WilliamPitt]

(Image: Lance Page / t r u t h o u t; Adapted: Pete Kraynak, Naila Jinnah)

Back to Basics
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed

Friday 10 December 2010

In the first few shaky, panicky days after the attacks of September 11, I found myself driving through downtown Keene, New Hampshire. There on the green of a large traffic circled stood two people, not speaking, not moving, just holding signs. One said "Peace," and the other said "No War." When I returned a couple of months later, more people were there. Not many, not enough to start a basketball team, really, but there they were holding signs and making their quiet, vital point.

As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan accelerated toward becoming the bloodbaths so many of us knew they would be, these kinds of small protests began popping up in big cities and small towns all over the country. I traveled some 800,000 miles in the first half of the George W. Bush administration, hitting just about every one of the continental 48 states while speaking out against the war, and everywhere I went, I was invited to participate in these kinds of protests. Not large, not enough to make the news, but people would stand in the same spot in some town or city every single day, visible only to a small sliver of the society but making their point nonetheless.

Every so often, of course, these small dots of protesting humanity would swell into an ocean of outrage that broke in waves over Washington DC and the other great cities of this nation. February 15th, 2003 was one example, without doubt the most tremendous day of mass protest in the history of the planet. In every major city on Earth, people by the tens of millions poured into the streets to protest the onrushing invasion of Iraq. It was so vast in breadth and scope that it could not be ignored, even by a "mainstream" media that had been cheerleading for combat ever since the first hint of invasion was put forth by the Bush administrations. "Navy SEALS rock," remember?

Did it stop the war? Of course not. It took another three years - along with eloquent individual protests by people like Cindy Sheehan - for the tide of frightened, media-deceived, post-9/11 opinion to turn against the war in Iraq. But it did turn, and it turned hard, and a lot of politicians who had stapled themselves to that war and the president who created it found themselves reaping the electoral whirlwind in 2006 and 2008.

In my mind, it all begins and ends with those two people in Keene a few days after 9/11. Those two became four, and then six, and streetcorners in so many American cities began growing their own colonies of protest, and sometimes they would march, but mostly they would stand their ground and hold their sings and say "No," with body and soul and presence, to what was happening to their country and their world.

It is a rare thing to see these kinds of protests anymore. They are happening, but not often...which is strange, because we are still at war in Iraq, and are more at war in Afghanistan than we have been since the initial invasion. We have a president who goes out of his way to defend and protect the war criminals who populated the previous administration. We have a president who goes back on his word and allows tax cuts for rich people to survive, despite the rank hypocrisy of the supporters for such tax breaks, supporters who refuse to fund health care for 9/11 responders and unemployment benefits for people who have been long out of work, all out of a concern for the deficit, supporters who then turn on a dime and explode that deficit with irresponsible giveaways to people who absolutely, positively do not need the money.

The Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal has fallen to dust. The DREAM Act has collapsed. The president is speaking perfect Republican with his talk of simplifying the tax code, freezing federal wages, and best of all, his feral attacks on his own supporters for having the gall to try and hold him to his word. Mr. Obama lavishes praise and apologies all over his opponents, even as they try to annihilate him, while attacking viciously the people who wore out shoe leather and gave money they couldn't afford to give in order to see him into the office he has thus far not graced at all. Perhaps worst of all, the same insanely right-bent Republican Party Mr. Obama has been playing footsie with will take control of the House of Representatives after the New Year. As bad as things are now, they are about to get a whole lot worse.

I'd like to start seeing people on the streetcorners again. It won't be many at first; it never is. Two will become four, which will become more, each holding a sign and making a point and saying "No." No more screaming at the television or venting your spleens on internet forums. Go out, stand firm, and make the point. Be visible. Begin again what was done so well before. Create that tide to wash over the country, inspire others who feel as you do to join you. Be heard. Be seen.

Big storms gather around small particles.

Go.

http://www.truth-out.org/back-basics65836

[fascisthunter]

1. Well written once again

it's going to happen Will.... street corners filled with people holding signs. Hell, I drove by a few today, asking for money. One way or the other, it is going to happen.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. What can I say?

Spot on, Will.....spot on.

:cry:

Recommended.

[bigtree]

3. The President has 'praised' republicans a handful of times as a formality

. . . but he's provided much, much more criticism of their policies and opposed many, many more of their policies than you intimate. The 'feral' attack you say he made against his 'supporters' was nothing more than a defense against a ridiculous premise by reporters that he should feel some sort of shame for his record of accomplishments because he hadn't accomplished everything on someone's wish list.

As irritating as it might be for proponents of something left out of the two-year accomplishments of the President, he's still entitled to defend his presidency; and he doesn't have anything to be overly apologetic about in that defense. At any rate, I saw the press conference and I got an entirely different take from it. I didn't see a 'feral' attack on supporters and I don't think that's even apparent to anyone who didn't put themselves in the way of those comments and related his comments to what he had accomplished and what challenges remain.

As much as you feel the President 'went back on his word' on taxes for the rich, he, nonetheless, kept his promise on making certain middle-class tax rates didn't fall. It makes perfect sense that he would act to maintain the rates he had, himself, advantaged through his record middle-income tax cut he provided in his stimulus bill. Why would he allow those to fall after Congress had failed to decouple them politically or otherwise and had taken us to the edge of their expiration with their own intransigence?

The federal wage increase freeze? That may well be some republican's idea, but I thought they had proposed something much more draconian for federal wages. At any rate, you won't fill more than a street corner of non-federal workers to protest a 2-year freeze on government worker's wages.

Moreover, you've conflated most of the failures of Congress in your litany of protest against the President. The President refuses to fund 911 responders' health care? Really? He's against DADT repeal legislation? He's against the DREAM Act? Really? Where does Congress' responsibility lie?

How do you accomplish anything meaningful and effective with such a scattershot of complaints; all placed at the Presidents feet; giving welcome cover to the legislators actually responsible for the management of those issues who stand in the way or let slip the opportunities for remedies and solutions?

Sending folks out to rant and rave at the President may be just the thing prevaricating, dithering legislators have been waiting for.

[berni_mccoy]

5. Well said bigtree. Unfortunately, hyperbole carries more fervor than facts.

I do appreciate you putting forth the facts though.

[placton]

7. God Bigtree!

give it a rest - Obama does the indefensible - it sounds foolish to try to be his spokester

[bigtree]

10. I'm not any politician's 'spokster'

. . . but I am intelligent enough to hold a point of view and discuss it with depth and passion. Who's 'spokster' are you?

[Horse with no Name]

4. MOST excellent.

K&R.

[WilliamPitt]

6. Kick

[WilliamPitt]

8. Derp Derp

[David Zephyr]

9. "speaking perfect Republican..."

K&R.

[sad sally]

11. Add not a word about Republicans defeating the $14B that would

have given 50 million seniors and disabled veterans a small check for $250.

Folks are confused when they're told there's no inflation: their health insurance costs went up; if they're lucky enough to own a home (or mobile) their property taxes and property insurance went up; the cost to eat quite frugally went up; the cost of keep their home at 65degrees went up; the cost to drive or ride the bus if they're lucky enough to live near a stop they can walk to went up. Republicans couldn't see their way to give seniors $250?

Veterans left behind not only limbs in the on-going wars and previous wars, but many are suffering from nightmares and brain damage. Republicans couldn't see their way to give disabled veterans $250?

Sadly, I didn't hear the President address this defeat...so, yes, you're right, the time has come. Though I fear even the most peaceful demonstrations against the rising tide of injustice may result in police brutality, may we have the strength to fight for what's right.

Thank you for reminding this old person that inaction begets inaction, tyranny begets rebellion.

[bigtree]

12. 'not a word'

. . . the President has been out for fighting for that $250 for years.

Not a word, I guess about progressive fav Feingold voting against it.

[Hardrada]

13. Rec

[Dystopian]

14. Thank you, Will...

I stood out with this group...I hope to find out who those two people are.
I suspect they're still there...

peace~

[WilliamPitt]

15. Kick

[KoKo]

16. Will, DU's History sadly reminds us why that doesn't work, anymore.

Remember the marches to stop the Iraq Invasion? Sponsored by A.N.S.W.E.R and United for Peace and Justice marches got mobilized quickly all over the US to try to stop the war. Here in NC..(can you believe) over 500 people protested in our State Capitol and marched to "stop the war." After the invasions "candle light" vigils and weekend protests with signs took place in major cities across North Carolina. I participated in them for almost a year at least once a month.

Remember the pictures DU'ers posted about their own activities? This place was a hive for activism against the War...and when Cyndie Sheehan was the first to challenge George Bush in that "ditch" in Texas you and other DU'ers were there giving commentary about her and others efforts to go against the "Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld War Machine.

Cyndie Sheehan and other prominent protesters came to NC over a year later and there again probably 500 people who showed up for that rally in the Capitol. I remember the black SUV's parked across the street with two men taking photos of us who attended. We figured they were there to do more than observe...it certainly wasn't to protest with us.

Then Cynthia McKinney and Cyndia Sheehan became more strident. They started to call into question our Democratic Party's support for the war. Here on DU the interest in protests and peace vigils started to wain. Posts about the War got fewer and fewer replies. And the replies that were given were starting to be negative about their speech and their activities. DU'ers and other groups at KOS started to complain about A.N.S.W.E.R and United for Peace and Justice. The two groups started getting heat from former Democratic Supporters and they squabbled amongst themselves and then eventually split. Our loss of those two groups who could organize, get permits and mobilize hundreds of thousand was a major blow to any Anti-War Movement. People said they felt the groups were too strident with calls for "Free Mumia and Pelletier" and Socialist or Communists rantings and ravings. Democrats didn't want to be associated with them any more.

Protests continued for years...but interest wained. Leaders like Sheehan, McKinney and Ellsberg plus former Military Personnel who were against the war were beginning to be demonized as "Grand Standers," anti-Democratic Party crazies. I remember that positive posts about Cyndie Sheehan and Cynthia McKinney were banned on DU as too controversial and against the policies of Democratic Underground to question the Democratic Party. Daily Kos site turned on them, also.

This is the history of activism against the war. Other groups started lobbying on the Hill. David Swanson and his group were arrested trying to get change. David Swanson posted on DU with his own Diary..but since the Election of '08 his posts got little interest beyond those of us who felt it was important to still keep efforts going.

Our best chance to change things was in the first six years of Bush Administration, before the "push back" became so heavy, and the Dem Primary got going.

People have given up. Why bother? Look at the DC Rallies this year? Glen Beck's had the most enthusiasm. The Comedy Central one was just a "vent" for people to feel they were doing something. No "Free Mumia" or "END OPPRESSION AND KILLING BY AMERICAN EMPIRE" rants there or at any of the other rallies. It was all good and well-behaved.

Most of us don't think standing on street corners with signs or holding candles are worth the "Finger Up/FUCK YOU! COMMUNISTS! epithets...the cursing...disdain. And, we don't want to threaten our jobs (if we have one) or our families by becoming anarchists.

We used Elections to protest.. Look what it got us. But, everything else we did really wasn't effect, either.

I will always be grateful to Cyndie Sheehan, though. History will remember her well, because of how she confronted the Empire. That the Empire turned on HER shows the power.

There must be another way....but, until someone shows up to a new way...I fear we are stuck no tools left in our bag to deal with what we are living through.