This morning I was having a little breakfast with my wife at home. Some coffee, some fruit (strawberries, oranges, water melon), toast, and orange juice. Nothing fancy. As I do every morning, I was listening to the news roundup on NPR. One of the things they were talking about was the debt crisis in Greece, and the street protests. During the report, one of the news hosts even made a comment wondering why, if the Greek have it so good (regarding retirement benefits, etc), they are protesting in the streets.
Then it hit me, big time! Right then and there I realized the incredibly powerful influence of the media. It can actually make you believe something that's contrary to reality. Amazing!
At this point, I think it would be helpful to have a "reality check" before I continue with my thesis...
I happen to be at my home office in front of my computer. There is a beautiful tree right outside my window... It's a little windy. I hear wind chimes. About you?
Anyways, here I go... As I write this with little effort I can actually "see" these things happening. An image (and sound) that comes to mind is that of the very advanced and sophisticated machinery coming together and "clicking" into place at a faster and faster pace... Boom, click, click, boom. And add some whirling sounds as well.
To wit... A Neo-Fascist corporatist oligarchy has already taken control of the government. They accomplished this after a decades-long process that accelerated during the 2000's. Using 9/11 as a pretext, they rushed to set up the neo-fascist infrastructure that included the weakening of constitutional protections, the imposition of a highly sophisticated surveillance system, the dismantling of the regulatory infrastructure, and the complete control of the mainstream media, in order to use it to control and manipulate people.
Now they are moving into the next stage which is the "stealth" deployment of the Neo-Fascist new order. At this stage is happening at almost blinding speed.
The media and the economic framework (including credit reports, background checks for employment, etc.) is being used to manipulate and control the populace.
There is a rapid movement towards privatizing government functions nationwide. The conditions for this came about after the looting of trillions of dollars by Wall Street, which then plunged the entire country (including municipalities, school districts, cities, towns, police departments, etc.) into a state of economic emergency. It's working as planned.
Aside from the privatization, they are also moving rapidly to neutralize and render ineffective any potential challenge to the takeover, by destroying unions, and many other labor friendly organizations. They rapidly passing legislation across the country to achieve voter suppression (for example, voter ID requirements).
They are privatizing many parts of the criminal justice system, including the building of privately-owned prisons. As this happens, there will be a profit incentive to fill these prisons, so expect the criminalization of more activities and the corruption of judges (this is already happening also).
As the grip of this Neo-Fascist ruling class gets stronger, you will see the jailing (in these private jails across the country) of activists that try to rise against the oppression. They will turn Patriot Act provision against the populace, and by expanding the definition of "enemy combatant", "terrorist", or "giving aid and comfort to terrorists", they will cast a wide net which will ensnare a larger and larger group of people, activists. They will infiltrate protest groups. They will monitor social networks, your email accounts, your phone conversations.
Since they will have an almost universal knowledge of both, your private and public life (once you are targeted), they will be able to discredit people by exposing aspects of their private lifes.
So now, after that reality check, let me go back to why you are not doing anything (substantive about it)...
First, is the inertia that comes from having a tenuous hold as a member of the middle class. Especially, if you are doing relatively well, and have a good job, and paying your bills on time, kids going to a good school, and/or college.
If that's your particular case, then at this point you have no incentive to do anything about this reality I report above. You should get involved, but at this point I understand why don't....
Second, the manipulative effect of the corporate-owned (and consolidated) mainstream media is beyond comparison in the history of the world. It almost gets to the level of a fantasy world that "they" are able to "implant" in your brain. It's tantamount to brainwashing.
This mind control the media exerts on you explains your apathy, fear, and sense of impotence. It explains why, even if you thought that there is something terribly wrong, in the "back of your mind" something tells you that this is too big; that you are too "small", that there is nothing you can do about; that there are other people who are handling the situation. Maybe the millionaires Nancy Pelosi or Barack Obama will do something about it, it's your hope. But not you. You can't.
Momentous Times
The Buses Are A-Coming... The uprising, the revolution, is coming. But the question is, how and when.
Because thus far the population has remained relatively dormant in the face of one of the most incredibly criminal periods in history, that included the looting of the entire national treasury by a small group of Wall Street criminals, the starting of illegal wars for private gain (war profiteering), and brutal plunging of millions and millions of Americans into economic despair, the Neo-Fascist ruling class is going to get even more embolden, and their oppression is going to increase at a faster pace.
This is part of human nature, in a way. And it is particularly so when you are talking about sociopaths. This Neo-Fascist nascent Oligarchy is made up of such characters.
So eventually "el pueblo" will snap, and will revolt. Again, the question is when, and how.
If the revolt happens without much organizing, then it is doomed to fail. It will be crushed, and the populace will be plunged into serfdom.
The dichotomy here is that if you wait until you are personally affected, that means that much of your power would have been sapped. Your energy, your initiative, your ability to think clearly.
What to do? I know this is very hard, and it requires leadership, but if this scenario were to happen, it would represent the best chance at stopping the rise of this evil regime.
First, let me start with some sort of inspiring revolutionary fervor: People of the United States, let's join together and show the criminal oppressor the FIST of a United Front!
Any uprising that encompasses something like this would be the worst nightmare for the Neo-Fascist Oligarchs:
First, come to a full realization that there is a criminal cabal that has taken over the country. Also accept and realize that the mainstream media is a very harmful propaganda machine used to manipulate you. These are the most important aspects of starting a smart resistance/protest movement.
Second, build a POWERFUL Resistance/Protest movement that's peaceful, lawful, and within the bounds of the constitution. Do not engage in threats of violence, or talk of violent revolution. The sniveling sociopaths are counting that once people start to rise up, that they will follow that path of violence, and the oppressive infrastructure is already in place to squash such uprising. You would be playing into their hands.
Third, the movement needs to include an intellectual component, including think tanks, economists, lawyers, journalists, police, firefighters, nurses, government employees, private sector employees. It should include public relations campaigns, freedom of information act requests campaigns, multiple lawsuits across the country, pushing DAs and politicians to investigate crimes and abuses, and corruption.
It needs to be well-organized, disciplined, and with long-term staying power.
Very important... Protests should not be looked at the culmination of things. They should be considered only one part of the movement.
So the movement needs to be multi-pronged. Researches, lawyers, economists and journalists working on the public relations (and public education front). Professional "agitators" and activists in the front lines, mixing things up, "pushing buttons", creating "news." There should be rolling (and constant) protests across the country, general strikes. But all these things have to happen in a very disciplined way, and for the long term.
Demands:
Break up all the monopolies and conglomerates in banking, and media. Rescind corporate "personhood." Public financing of elections. Prosecute the crimes committed in the 2000s, including war crimes, and the looting of trillions of dollars by Wall Street.
Separation between Church and State. Push for 100% unionization of people (I'm going to stop calling it "labor") in the workplace. Eternal guarantees regarding social security, medicare, education (free education from K to college).
Eternal protection of privacy rights (including women's rights to choose). Revoking the Patriot Act, and all other legislation that undermines constitutional protections.
Finally, and if this helps in getting you thinking about how you can take the first step, you don't have to disrupt your life in any way in order to partake in a movement like this. You could do everything you do every day; work, take care of the kids, go the the PTA meeting, go to the movies, meet friends, go to a concert, and get involved in the resistance movement.
I'm not sure what's going to be the tipping point, but the revolt will happen. It may take one year, or five years, or ten, but it will happen. The thing is that the longer it takes, from today (June 29th, 2011), the hardest is going to be to turn things around.
My wish is to see some national-level leaders rise up now and take this mantle. I'm ready to follow such leaders.
Ooops, the wind is at it again. I hear the wind chimes... Now, let me get back to work.
You see, I can have my OJ in the morning, listen to NPR, and also join a well-organized, and disciplined protest movement. You also can. Don't wait too long.
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The criminal bankers have bilked and looted the entire world economy, and now they want the people to pay. FUCK THEM!
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