What the people of Egypt are doing now is exactly what we should..

[Bonhomme Richard]

be doing to Wall Street and the money brokers. The fact is that they are literally robbing the treasury as we speak. They would shit their pants and be screaming "Let's talk about it" just as Gibbs is saying about Egypt. These people love their power just up to the point that they really don't have any. That is if the people;e get fed up.

[Zephie]

1. I'll admit it

I truly believe that Americans have forgotten about the impact of protests like this. I'm hoping that we'll start to remember what it is to stand up to injustice. We've been so vetted that we've forgotten what it's like to NOT do what we're told for once and decide for ourselves.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Problem is that people who protest get punished afterwards.

Look at the Kent State incident. They said that people who graduated from Kent State had trouble finding work for a while. This even applied to people who weren't part of the protest.

So, my point, make it a peaceful demonstration and use it to bring attention to the problem.

[Zephie]

7. I completely agree that peaceful demonstration is always, undoubtedly the best choice

and will always be the best choice. However there comes a point where when you've been ignored, marginalized, and made to endure asinine conditions (the food prices in Egypt were outrageous and they're getting pretty insane here too), that taking more brutal action may be appropriate. Now is not the time for America, and hopefully that time will not come for a good long while. I am still holding out for a democratic solution, however I won't be surprised if it happens here too if things don't change, and if it does, I'll be with them in the streets, because things will be too bad not to be. At that point employment is trivial.

[bif]

2. Americans would rather watch American Idol

and Dancing With The Stars than actually do anything. Look at how many people didn't vote in the last election. We've become pretty pathetic.

[Catherina]

4. Hey. I'm with you. If you're not ready to die for a cause, you don't deserve to live.

[cali]

8. ugh. that's a "live free or die" dictum-

I won't judge who deserves to live. that way lies madness and blood.

[TBF]

16. Thanks Patrick Henry. nt

[Shandris]

18. The object isn't to die for your cause.

It's to make the other poor bastard die for his.

Patton, I believe?

[Bonhomme Richard]

5. I think, unfortunately, that we are all so financially tied up in their greedy disasterous...

system that they would be screaming that we are cutting our own throats. Tied up through jobs, savings, investments, retirement, mortgages, etc... and a lot of people would buy that argument.

[JI7]

6. it's really not the same thing plus we have elections

and many people actually voted for people who want less regulation and think Obama is a communist.

[blindpig]

9. They have elections...

and theirs effect about as much real change as ours do.

[JI7]

11. their elections are really not as free as they are here

i know you will try to say otherwise but it really is not the same thing.

plus you CAN criticize how elections or other things are done in America without thinking it's the same in egypt .

[blindpig]

12. And what good does that criticism do?

It's all in the doing, not the saying.

When it gets to the point that the ruling class feels threatened by criticism be assured that these rights ain't worth spit.

How can I? By looking at net effect and paying no attention to the blather.

[JI7]

14. nobody is stopping you from campaigning and getting other people

to support changes in the election system.

[TBF]

15. I think people are getting sick of incremental non-change. Just a hunch. nt

nt

[blindpig]

17. The electoral system is a Potemkin Village

It is effectively controlled by the ruling class.

[jannyk]

13. Oooh, snap! First thing I thought too. nt

[riverwalker]

10. watch, learn and be humbled

We might wear a politically provocative T-shirt to a rally, or carry a protest sign for a few hours, then go home and watch "Jersey Shore" and order a pizza, then envision ourselves as "radicals". No one I know is moved or angry enough to be willing to demonstrate for 4 days, be bludgeoned and beaten, and then literally tear apart an armored vehicle with their bare hands (as they did this morning in Suez).
We are good at talking the talk. Other nations are now showing us the walk.

[shanti]

20. teevee and internet

if they ever get taken away, watch the reaction then! i'm dead serious.

[Bonhomme Richard]

19. This doesn't have anything to do with elections.

I'm convinced that they are already bought and sold. The money brokers need to feel the threat directly. Forgive the term but, at the end of the day they are pussies that have gotten away with bullying. Look at that corporate raider that wants his donation back from UCONN because he didn't have a say in the football coach selection. They really believe they make the rules and they will as long as we let them.