I'm writing this to elicit some feedback from you (the reader) as to why you think that is. I think it's extremely important to understand why we haven't seen a massive (sustained) resistance/protest movement in America.
What would make it easier for you? Here's one scenario. It's Saturday, and you live close to Washington, D.C. You get up, take a walk with your partner. Have some breakfast. Pay some bills online. Go do some shopping. Stop at a Starbucks and have a Cappuccino. Then you drive over to where there is a gathering of tens of thousands of people (an ongoing protest that has been in place for three months), and you hang out for a couple of hours (holding signs and chanting protest slogans).
Then you walk back to your car (hopefully the parking meter didn't expire), and drive home, and watch a movie from NetFlix. Would that work for you? Is it something else? Why do you think is the reason of the inertia to confront these criminals taking over the country?
I'm a pretty busy guy too, with projects, and deadlines, and responsibilities, but I guess I can take some time to delve into these issues. I see it as an intellectual exercise. Who knows, if people take on this type of research there may be a way for somebody to figure out what is it going to take for the average middle class American to awaken to the situation and react accordingly.
Please read the lyrics below (and listen to the song). They make the point I'm trying to make much more better.
But yes, it would be great to get your take on this question about the apathy to act. I'm trying to get together with other people and form some sort of think tank to address these questions.
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'Song of Choice' by Peggy Seeger
Early every year the seeds are growing
Unseen, unheard they lie beneath the ground
Would you know before their leaves are showing
That with weeds all your garden will abound?
If you close your eyes, stop your ears
Shut your mouth then how can you know ?
For seeds you cannot hear may not be there
Seeds you cannot see may never grow
In January you've still got the choice
You can cut the weeds before they start to bud
If you leave them to grow high they'll silence your voice
And in December you may pay with your blood
So close your eyes, stop your ears,
Shut your mouth and take it slow
Let others take the lead and you bring up the rear
And later you can say you didn't know
Every day another vulture takes flight
There's another danger born every morning
In the darkness of your blindness the beast will learn to bite
How can you fight if you can't recognise a warning?
Today you may earn a living wage
Tomorrow you may be on the dole
Though there's millions going hungry you needn't disengage
For it's them, not you, that's fallen in the hole
It's alright for you if you run with the pack
It's alright if you agree with all they do
If fascism is slowly climbing back
It's not here yet so what's it got to do with you?
The weeds are all around us and they're growing
It'll soon be too late for the knife
If you leave them on the wind that around the world is blowing
You may pay for your silence with your life
So close your eyes, stop your ears,
Shut your mouth and never dare
And if it happens here they'll never come for you
Because they'll know you really didn't care
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