In diary after diary I read people asking "What can we do?"
Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote an essay on Civil Disobedience that outlines why Civil Disobedience is the only just way to participate in an unjust system. In his time Emerson was an abolitionist as well as a leading voice of his day. If you have yet to read his work it would be wise to do so now when it seems more pertinent than ever before.
This inspired Gandhi to fight British Oppression.
It inspired Martin Luther King Jr to fight the institutional racism that America was founded upon.
Who in turn inspired many of us here today.
Now the real work begins.
Therefore, I propose to the DKos community that we organize a protest at Wall St in the honor of our belief in the inalienable First Amendment rights to freedom of expression and assembly. This should be done following the tenets of Civil Disobedience in a lawful manner. We should do this during the work week and during business hours so as to direct attention to our issues. The MSM will not fight for your rights nor will elected officials who will always put their interests above ours. The job is ours, and ours alone.
Our founding fathers knew that theirs was not the only fight for freedom our country would ever face. Today I say to you that we face that very same threat right now. Our individual rights are under attack, our ability to earn a decent wage and lifestyle for ourselves and our children is disappearing and those who would deny us these basic human rights are not interested in our opinions. The election is over. They do not need us anymore. The politicians and businessmen seem to forget that they need us more than we need them.
Need I remind you,
1. Two wars. Neither can now be considered just or legal despite how they began.
2. Attrition of our Civil Rights, and the dismissive manner in which our cries for justice and prosecution for those who deny us those rights are all falling on increasingly deaf and distracted ears.
3. The wholesale handing over of government agencies to private interests that are intended to protect the public from private interests.
4. Class warfare. Yes, that is what it is. The majority of America saw a decline in their standard of living in the last 8yrs, and those who have prospered are doing so blatantly at the expense of citizens/workers/consumers. Now that their house of cards has fallen down we all must share in the suffering, albeit they will do so from high rise penthouses while we fret over room and board.
5. Our planet. We can not sustain the level of destruction our way of life does to this planet. Business are held unaccountable by the MSM and our political leaders who often assist them in their destruction, or are more than pleased to profit along with them and assist in the cover-up. Where is the TVA coverage? Or the Kentucky Freeze? In 1000 yrs this planet will be dramatically different, in 100 yrs it will be too late. There are many other reason to disobey and to protest. Feel free to add what motivates you to fight for your rights in your comments below.
We have not won. Not yet. Not by a long shot.
This is how we will hold their feet to the fire. Anything less is just a sternly worded letter. We have voted and actively campaigned for more and better Democrats. We have worked for them, now they shall work for us. Those we oppose already oppose us. We should let them and those we support know that their opposition to our interest comes at a price.
The underlying sentiment ,IMHO, now that the election is over and we have won (in case you couldn't tell) is that there is nothing we can do, or that there is nothing more to do than stay informed and prepare for the next election.
We have not won. Not yet. Not by a long shot.
I believe this will not work. We are allotted one day every two years in the ballot box to participate in our Democracy in an official capacity. This is all the official power we have, the rest is a liberty we only can give ourselves.
So, I say that we take back that liberty. Let us take back the freedoms our fathers won so that we and others who seek freedom may enjoy. Let us use the freedoms we still have to defend our rights. We have done so already at the ballot box. Let us now do the same in the streets where we live, as well as in other locations where citizens want to defend their rights to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In doing so we shall give the greatest honor possible to Emerson, Gandhi and MLK, as well as all the other nameless souls who fought and died for the freedoms that we are losing today.
Please add ideas in your comments such as where and when we should organize a peaceful protest rally. I am new to this community. If you know others who will defend their rights through organized civil disobediance, please, spread the word. The more the merrier. All comments are appreciated.
Update:
Thank you, I appreciate all Rec's and Tips. I know many people here have a voice and want it heard. I believe it should not stop at the ballot box. I will continue this diary on a daily basis to help organize this peaceful and constitutional act of civil disobedience. I think if we choose a date and coordinate we can make a real difference in the discussion of what is happening in our world. All our issues are the same, health care, wall st white collar crime, the economy, retirement, the environment, all these issues should be pushed as one human rights issue. I will learn about permits and more in NYC, if you want to organize in your city I strongly urge you to do so. Help us organize and choose a date. I feel that during the business week is the most appropriate so we can send the message that business as usual will not be tolerated. Please add to the conversation. Your voice deserves to be heard.