An Exchange on Civil Disobedience
Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 2:38PM Tom,
As I so often quote Howard Zinn - real change occurs through strikes, boycotts and civil disobedience; the latter of which we are seeing in spades the last 4 weeks. My frustration for the last 5 years has been with "progressive groups" not having the imagination to select a few crucial Corporations to boycott and/or strike as well as poignant scenes to bring to a halt via civil disobedience as is now occurring in Madison, WI.
I join all the letter writing, calls to senators and representatives crusades, yet little of the radical reforms we need are being produced by such letters and calls. How and when will those with imagination and knowledge and insight come up with a popular uprising.
Ceasar Chevez thought of the grape boycott and it worked!
Bill Nerin
Dear Bill,
Your point is excellent, although it’s not an either/or. Chavez was very involved in candidates and legislation.
The quandary for me is whether and how anyone can deliberately plan and execute a popular uprising, which almost by definition is spontaneous. Maybe like striking a match over and over hoping to light a fire. A few hundred will be arrested in DC on Mar 19, but will it lead to more? Not known.
What bothers me more is the lack of an institutional anti-war movement structure. They come and go, and are dominated always by sectarian infighting which puts off the undecided and turns off the spirited.
Just my thoughts.
Tom
Reader Comments (1)
dr dre monster beats
monster beats by dre white
monster beats dre