One theme I'm always focusing on in my writing and activism is that unless there is a concerted effort to bring together disparate progressive-minded groups and people into a nationwide coalition capable of developing the type of strategic mindset necessary to act in concert against the Corporate State, the abuses we are now witnessing are only going to get worst at an accelerated rate.
That constitutional rights will continue to be eroded with increased speed; that the for-profit corporate-controlled total-information-awareness police state is going to continue to be imposed and entrenched; that trade agreements will continue to be negotiated in secret, and one passed we're going to find out that our rights and economic security has been eroded further.
I also argue that the entire political system is corrupt to the core, and that includes both major political parties (although I have no problem admitting that the Republican party is much worst, exponentially). And because both parties are (ultimately) beholden to the same corporatist paymasters, at this point voting and participating in partisan politics is not going to be enough to reclaim our democracy.
Some people take that to mean that I'm advocating for people to not participate in the political process. That's hardly the case. In fact, in the more than 25 years I've been voting, I've never missed one single election (including mid-term and special elections).
That's not what I mean... What I mean is that since the entire political system is corrupt, our votes are not going to be enough to help bring about any meaningful change, or course correction.
We need to vote AND unite into a powerful and cohesive movement capable of organizing and acting against the Corporate State.
Sometimes I feel that this prescription is so obvious and so self-evident that any progressive would understand it without much trouble. But I often find that when I suggest it, some people are offended by it, or can't even understand what I'm talking about, of why there would be a need for such social justice movement.
And so, in one more attempt to communicate how urgently important it is for the formation of what is essentially a peaceful (but resolute and united) resistance movement against the American Corporate Oligarchy, I'd like to propose that people think about North Carolina's Moral Mondays as a template for what needs to happen nationwide.
The action against the American Corporate Oligarchy has to be highly organized, consistent, non-stop, strategic, and cohesive.
Please take a few minutes to watch the following two videos. Although I'm not a religious person, I found the words of Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, stirring, an inspiring. I connect with his message especially when he mentions that when people have united against injustice, they've never been defeated.
In the second video Chris Hedges talks about the nature of the American Corporate State, and about ways people can organize to protect themselves against it.
I'm fully aware that there may be some reading these words who still don't know what I'm talking about, and I'm sadden by that. One suggestion I would offer to them is to start by turning off the TV--and tuning into the movement.
What needs to happen? Moral Monday-like rallies in multiple cities nationwide, on an ongoing basis, indefinitely, relentless, week after week, month after month. General strikes, rolling strikes, slow-downs, work stoppages, counter-propaganda campaigns (outreach) to educate the population about not only what's happening, but about ways of joining the peaceful resistance movement.
Bottom line: what the American Corporate State Oligarchy is doing is extreme and nothing short of a massive (peaceful) uprising is going to deter it.