We've gotten really good at bitching. On the KOS, naturally, we specialze in pointing out the mutitude of hypocrisies that constitute the myths of the even playing field, the beneficial invisible hand of the market and the equality of opportunity in America. In doing so, we spread our own brand of hate and name-calling. It's a losing cause, friends. The other side is much better at it than we are because they've had more practice, are louder and have better hatchet men. For instance, when the President of the United States attended a ceremony honoring the late Nelson Mandela, one of the great heroes of human dignity, the Poison Brigade saw only Mr. Obama shake hands with the president of Cuba. If there's a negative in sight, they'll find it. No matter how many people we get, there's no way we'll be able to dig up creatures like the ones they've already got. So let's quit.
My reasoning follows:
Suppose - just suppose - that instead of playing the hate/poison game, we leave it to them. Label them what they are - The 'No' Party - and start doing things instead of griping. For instance, instead of bitterly criticising the greed merchants who were keeping their employees away from their families on the greatest American holiday of all, what if we all bought as much stuff as we could from the offending stores, opened each package enough to require re-packaging and then returned every one of them the day after the holiday? Is it possible that if enough people did this, the stores might reconsider their policy? In a world where the only language understood is money, why not speak their language? If allowing employees time, if not money, enough to enjoy the holiday, why not make it cheaper? Ethical or moral arguments have no effect in our version of free enterprise, so perhaps economics might work.
As we have repeatedly sen by the Mandelas, the Gandhis and the Kings of the world, non-violence works. What we missed was the knowledge that in every one of the events highlighting the democratic changes these people effected, it was an economic lever that started the ball rolling.. The Montgomery bus boycott, Gandhi's march for salt and the devastating sanctions Mandela's moral crusade brought down on South Africa were all brought about by non-violent means and, importantly, by people of the Left against the same evils mentioned by Pope Frances - unbridled greed and a system where profits trumped people. So why not try the same thing?
Against Goliaths, if you can't find a David, try a beehive. If slingshots can bring down giants, can the same kind of economic weapon bring down a Wal-Mart or a Best Buy? Greed is good only when it pays and we're the ones that determine whether it pays or not.
Beats bitching.