SO PUBLIC OUTCRY CAN HELP BRING ABOUT CHANGE

A very exciting article in yesterday's DemocracyNow Column, Public Outcry Forces Lawmakers to Say They’ll Recoup Millions in AIG Bonuses.  Shows that in numbers, we have the power to make the necessary changes this country needs. All we need is for people to remain informed, concerned and act on their outrage through outcry......easy enough....and we DO have things to be outraged about. 

Yet, We should not only be outraged when unfairness hits us, but when misfortune affects others as well.  I try to speak up against ALL injustices I experience in my life, it's my warrior spirit inside.....I made a pact with myself I'd rather be embarrassed than live with the regret of not speaking up...and oh, how regret bites. Like when a grown up talks down to a child in my presence and I am in the room, I WILL address it with you.  If a person make homophobic, racist comments to my face, I let them know I am not amused and that it's offensive. I actually don't even participate in gossip. It can be destructive and can break up a sense of community and trust within weeks. 

Back to the article. The idea of coming together as a people to make changes reminds me of my favorite movie of all time, V for Vendetta where the people finally stand up against tyranny and fascism and make the government work FOR them again.  If you have not seen it, rent it today.  Such a deep, deep message here. 

 

If only we stood up as a country and took it back, for example, from the lobbyists who fight to continue our financial support of countries that kill innocents, took it back from the weapons corporations that keep us in war, the food companies that keep us unhealthy....Oh, the changes we would make.  In 2 weeks we'd be out of this ridiculous war....

In other countries, most, even the poor and disadvantaged, is deeply involved in politics.....in this country, you mention politics and people shy away and give you some line about how that's just "the nature of things" or just shake their head and claim disbelief and quickly change the subject. Also, in this country, everyone is out to fight their own war. for example, the gays might only fight their local injustices, but ignore poverty or racism, the the moms I meet fight the food industry, but know nothing about women in Gaza whose children are getting killed.  African American children are being taught about their own history in the US but are not being taught about how their struggles are similar to other peoples throughout history.  How are we to see the many, many ways in which we are the same if we only ever stay in our own microscopic tight little world? 

As the saying goes, "If you are not outraged, you're not paying attention!"

Here's a poem by Martin Niemoller, 

"In Germany, they first came for the communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist. 

Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

 Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. 

Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Catholic.

Then they came for me -- and by that time there was nobody left to speak up."