Fight
Fight without hatred in your heart but rather love, love for the cause that has brought out your fighting spirit, and most important the love of humanity.
Fight but with out violence or anger – I was around when the Weathermen took up violence and was denigrated when I didn’t want to follow them down the path to destruction. I watched a healthy vibrant protest movement destroyed by their actions. Today we see the OWS being brought down by a few anarchist insisting on throwing things and smashing windows. Remember the Hay Market. The one percent has enough brute force to quell any rebellion. What they cannot kill is truth. Remember Joe Hill?
So fight with ART as your weapon as did Diego Rivera, Picasso, George Gross, Allen Ginsburg, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Henry Millar, Philip Roth, Steinbeck, and many another.
Slaves think if they are polite to their Master, the Master will be polite in return. They are shocked to find they are flogged for impudent presumption. Tis better to fight and die with hot blood than to be forced into submission cowering frozen with fear.
Others think if you give the Fascist (and don’t kid yourself that the Republicans are not Fascist) enough rope they will hang themselves – not so, they will take that rope and tie you down. Are we going to roll over and let the fascist take our country and send us into the desert to die because we are afraid to dirty our pretty little white gloves?
Fight! What infuriates us about Obama? He walks softly but DOESN”T carry a big stick. We have watched him roll over to banks, Republicans, Assad. We have to let him know we want him to fight and we will stand with him. Solidarity. Lets stand up to big money and demand our fair share of life!
The best way to encourage and develop the fighting spirit is to spar among our own. Fight like brothers - for fighting is the best game in town; love is the second best. Don’t cry foul like a fifth rate pugilist. Don’t boast! Don’t squeal! If you get knocked down get up and hit him again. An honest fight makes the best of friends.
When Breitbart died I made the comment that , “If Rush Limbaugh were to join him in the Happy Propaganda Machine in the sky perhaps we could return to a civil society.” I didn’t take this as a particularly vicious statement when others called him a scumbagg or proposed spitting on his grave, but someone called me out, saying I should stay classy and the like. I was tired, maybe a little hurt that they found my witticism offensive, and said,” I am sorry but you are pathetic.” I shouldn’t have said that, he was a good person, I should have just engaged him in a little civil discussion, perhaps explain that to insist others adhere to your moral standards is arrogant. This is like the Christian Right trying to legislate morality. In death one expands and fulfills himself in all directions. Death should not be heavy and morbid but a time of celebration, like in New Orleans.
The first impediment in any argument progressing is insisting you are right. If you don’t have an open mind you will remain ignorant. That’s why I say fight for what you believe and if you lose get up, shake your opponents hand and thank him for enlightening you.
Far worse are those who close the door and shut out all contention. They sit in their sanctuaries and pride themselves on what fine fellows they are. They secretly hold animus and silently project ice against the offender. Often when I have confronted someone behaving in this manner, I am surprised to learn I stepped on their toes. I didn’t mean to I’m just a clumsy oaf; I apologize and we are friends again.
One final note on courtesy, I met a fellow Kossack at a OWS march. I took pictures that day of the event and wanted to post them. I Emailed this fellow to ask permission to use his photo out of politeness as we were now acquainted. Am I being petty to say he did not even have the courtesy to answer with a simple: “NO” ?
Fight with dignity – fight with honesty – fight with compassion - are we to follow beggars who cannot hide their poverty? Lift yourself up and fight for a better world.