[Peace-discuss] [sf-core] Re: Fwd: Take the Pledge ofResistance to War on Iran

Wed Mar 21 22:45:32 UTC 2012

Comment from an onlooker:

"Workers of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains"…An old friend of mind substituted the word "change" for chains.)

Life gets meaning with hope.

--mkb

On Mar 21, 2012, at 4:16 PM, Laurie Solomon wrote:

> 
> >Discussion of a general strike:
> >http://www.occupymay1st.org/
>  
> Checked out the link; but have to wonder why is the discussion about only a single day of General Strike and why about asking the world to engage in it.  Why not a General strike until the demands are met, the policies reversed, and the proponents removed from office?  Namely, the setting of no time limits for the strike.  Who is being asked to strike against  whom.  Is the call for those in other countries to strike against purchasing American goods and services, against American companies operating in and out of their home country and/or against the non-domestic operations of American companies,  against their respective countries and or their own domestic companies doing business with the American Government and US corporations, or some combination of these?  What is being asked of the American public in terms of a General Strike here in the US against US corporations, governmental agencies and operations, and business as usual – i.e., what actions are being proposed and are expected to be undertaken?  Will the US public be asked to close down transportation and communications facilities, businesses, financial operations and processes and for how long and under what conditions or in face of what opposition?
>  
> >The 1% work hard in our sham democracy to make Goldman's words a fact, but human systems are rarely complete.
> The notion of the 1% being responsible is a convenient excuse when it comes to American Society.  It tends to be the 1 % plus a very large percentage of the 99% who only look to their specific self-interests; who value beliefs in capitalism, free enterprise, competition, the American Way, ritualism of all kinds including economic and political;  who do not want to get involved or be bothered with getting involved and participating (namely who view life in society as a spectator sport to be observed and entertained by); and those who are to lazy, ignorant, or fearful to do any independent questioning  about and research into what they are told, hear, or see both in and out of the media.
>  
> >Sometimes the unexpected can open a seam even in our voting system (the Ron Paul campaign), try as the government & media might to seal it.
>  
> Yes maybe; but in the US it is rare enough to be a fantasy that serves as grounds for false hope among the optimists.  Those cracks you seem to see and rely on are neither very wide nor very deep; they typically are superficial and not very long lasting.  One only has to ask how long did the cracks in the seams created by the Great Depression or the 1960s civil rights and anti-war movements last and who much did they actually change anything?  What accomplishments and progressive  changes that took place were for the most part either reversed or abandoned at a later date by future players with the active and passive support of a majority of the public.   As the French say, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”   You – like many – seem to be caught up in a Candide-like optimism that keeps you motivated despite historic experience.  Maybe if progressives were more fatalistic, they would be more aggressive and more adventuresome in their  actions and attacks on the establishment because then they would have nothing to fear regarding losing perceived superficial gains or valued elements of their contemporary situations and everything to possibly gain by taking risks.  Being optimistic and holding on to hope about possible future change appears to result in their being unwilling to risk what they have now and to their being very cautious and moderate in what they seek and what they do in the present because they may place a obstacles in the way of the one in a million chance in the far future.
>  
> From: C. G. Estabrook
> Sent: March 21, 2012 2:14 PM
> To: Laurie Solomon
> Cc: peace-discuss ; sf-core
> Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] [sf-core] Re: Fwd: Take the Pledge ofResistance to War on Iran
>  
> "Two, three, many Vietnams...," as someone once said.
>  
> The 1% work hard in our sham democracy to make Goldman's words a fact, but human systems are rarely complete. 
>  
> Sometimes the unexpected can open a seam even in our voting system (the Ron Paul campaign), try as the government & media might to seal it. 
>  
> But you're undoubtedly right that the reversal of Obama's military and economic policies will come only from extra-parliamentary opposition (cf. Johnson & Nixon).
>  
> Discussion of a general strike:
>  
> <http://www.occupymay1st.org/>.
>  
> --CGE
>  
> On Mar 21, 2012, at 1:10 PM, Laurie Solomon wrote:
> 
>>  
>>  
>> Of course, if you took Emma Goldman’s remarks, quoted by you, seriously, then by implication, one has to logically wonder why you are so concerned and/or involved in the electoral process and who is running for what, what their positions are, and who people should vote for?  I fail to see how taking a pledge is anything more than another symbolic way of protesting similar to demonstrations, slogan spouting, sign waving, article writing, or the like; I also fail to see how you think that it will be any more effective. 
>>  
>> I would think a general strike which shuts down the country and prevents doing business as usual would be much more effective than signing a petition or taking a pledge; but we all know that that will not happen in the US because - despite all the claims to the contrary -  a majority of the population supports the establishment and its policies and positions as long as it does not directly impact on them and their lives and livelihood.   There are even some who think it is a good thing to jeopardize the lives, health, and physical well-being of their children and spouses as well as themselves in the name and service of patriotism, god and country, moral values, etc. (the better dead than red culture).  Those who do not actively support the establishment and its policies and practices are unwilling to actively take actions in opposition which could put themselves in jeopardy.  There will be no American Spring in the form which has taken hold in the rest of the world where people are willing to risk everything to bring about change; there will only be more talk and discussion, more media events, and more symbolic protests where the majority of protesters seek to be responsible and respectable and acceptable to the establishment  and perfectly willing to cast aside, point out, and condemn those among them who take any sort of effective actions.  Unfortunately, some of those who do engage in more effective actions tend to do it either as agent provocateurs for the establishment or as persons on ego trips concerned with their own self interests  rather than from a real concern for achieving the collective goals or the purposes of the movement they claim to represent.
>>  
>> From: C. G. Estabrook
>> Sent: March 21, 2012 7:23 AM
>> To: peace ; Peace-discuss List
>> Cc: sf-core
>> Subject: [Peace-discuss] Fwd: Take the Pledge of Resistance to War on Iran
>>  
>> The Obama administration and the mayor of New York made clear the other night how they intend to put down any opposition to their military and economic policies this year. They're using police-state tactics to insure that 'politics' be confined to the farcical presidential election. "If voting could change things it would be illegal," said Emma Goldman during the WWI crackdown. This administration is brutalizing people to be sure that extra-parliamentary methods won't work either. Here's a way to resist.
>>  
>>> WarIsACrime.org
>>> 
>>> Take the Pledge of Resistance to War on Iran
>>> 
>>> On the anniversary of Shock and Awe in Iraq, it's time to stop the next war now: Take the Iran Pledge of Resistance
>>> 
>>> The Iran Pledge of Resistance (IPOR) is a coordinated grassroots campaign to build an emergency response network capable of preempting any escalated U.S. intervention in Iran or the Middle East.
>>> 
>>> Over the past few months there has been escalating talk about the possibility of a U.S. war with Iran. Israel, the U.S.'s closest ally in the region, is threatening attacks which could pull us into war. President Obama and the Republican presidential candidates are saying that "all options are on the table" to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. This is despite the fact that top U.S. intelligence officials have made consistent statements that Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program nor is there proof they intend to establish one.
>>> 
>>> Let's stop this war before it starts.  
>>> 
>>> On Feb 15, 2003 millions of people marched against war in Iraq.  What if millions of us again join together to say no to war, but this time organize a mass horizontal direct action network?
>>> 
>>> Take the Pledge
>>> 
>>> "If the United States applies increased sanctions, invades, bombs, sends combat troops or drones, or otherwise significantly escalates its intervention in Iran or the region directly or through support of its allies, I pledge to join with others to engage in acts of legal protest and/or nonviolent civil disobedience to prevent or halt the death and destruction which U.S. military actions would cause to the people of Iran, the Middle East, our communities at home, and the planet itself."
>>> 
>>> By signing the pledge you will be connecting with 100,000s of others who are receiving this email; but signing up is just the first step. This will only be effective if we organize at the grassroots level. While the Pledge itself is online and there will be effective actions to do from your computer, it will be important to connect with others in your community to start building out this network. We will be able to connect you with others in your area who sign the pledge to coordinate local actions and engage in emergency response.  The structure of the Iran Pledge of Resistance is a simple on e: local affinity groups formed by those signing up will lead to local spokes councils and coordinating bodies. Those spokes councils will be part of the national conversation to figure out next steps, plan days of actions and much more. Now is your chance to take the first step. Go to iranpledge.org to take the pledge now.
>>> 
>>> Working together, we can be a powerful force that can change the course of history. Sign the Pledge of Resistance and start organizing now!
>>> 
>>> P.S. Find us on facebook and twitter to help spread the word!
>>> 
>>> 
>>>  
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>>> 
>>> http://warisacrime.org/content/upcoming-events
>>> 
>>>  
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>>> 
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>>> 
>>>       
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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>> 
>>  
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