[Peace-discuss] [sf-core] The AWARE S.O.A.P. Box

[C. G. Estabrook]

Today's inauguration of the AWARE S.O.A.P. BOX led to several spirited  
discussions - one with a local Democratic party apparatchik.

Given the unavailability of a real soap box, Pam suggested a more  
obvious labeling of the surrogate soapbox, so that was done, the  
bulletin board being pressd into service...

AWAREists on the scene agreed that the crowd was particularly sparse  
during the declamations - but not apparently just because of them.

The heat? The Chicago demonstrations? For whatever reason there were  
fewer people than usual, but we are not dismayed:

we will declaim again next week, and declamators, discussants, and  
even Democrats are invited to participate.


This week's texts (some to be repeated next week) were

	[1] "Obama’s Drones Threaten World Civilization" - by BAR executive  
editor Glen Ford
	[2] "AWARE on the AIR: Introduction - US War in the Greater Middle  
East"
	[3] "Occupy the Future" - by Noam Chomsky
	[4] "Colonized by Corporations" - by Chris Hedges
	[5] "A Victory for All of Us" - by Chris Hedges
	[6] "Sentencing Statement" - by Tarek Mehanna
	[7] "Since bin Laden’s death: The War on Terror and its various civil  
liberties assaults have escalated, not been reversed or even slowed  
down" - by Glenn Greenwald
	[8] "NATO: Just why are people protesting?" - by Chris Geovanis,  
Chicago Indymedia

Suggestions for new texts are welcome.  --CGE


On May 17, 2012, at 4:39 PM, C. G. Estabrook wrote:

> THE SOCIETY TO OVERCOME THE AMERICAN PRECARIAT /&/
> THE SOCIETY TO OVERTHROW THE AMERICAN PLUTONOMY
> - two cadet branches of the ANTI-WAR ANTI-RACISM EFFORT -
> announce the institution of the ~ AWARE S.O.A.P. BOX ~ at the
> Urbana Farmers' Market on Saturday 19 March 2012.
>
> 					~~~
>
> Members and Friends of AWARE will declaim statements by Noam Chomsky,
> Glenn Grenwald, Chris Hedges, and others, that further the mission  
> of the
> Anti-War Anti-Racism Effort of Champaign-Urbana, from the AWARE  
> S.O.A.P. BOX,
> by the AWARE table at the Lincoln Square Farmers' Market.
>
> 					~~~
>
> Speakers Under Delegation from the Societies (S.O.A.P. SUDS) will be
> present and speaking while the market is open. Come by and say hello
> - and stay for conversation with passersby. --CGE
>
> 					~~~
>
> 'This could be a period of irreversible decline. For the 1% and even
> less -- the .1% -- it’s just fine. They are richer than ever, more
> powerful than ever, controlling the political system, disregarding the
> public...
>
> 'For decades, Citigroup has been one of the most corrupt of the major
> investment banking corporations, repeatedly bailed out by the
> taxpayer, starting in the early Reagan years and now once again ... In
> 2005, Citigroup came out with a brochure for investors called
> “Plutonomy: Buying Luxury, Explaining Global Imbalances.” It urged
> investors to put money into a “plutonomy index.” The brochure says,
> “The World is dividing into two blocs -- the Plutonomy and the rest.”
> 'Plutonomy refers to the rich, those who buy luxury goods and so on,
> and that’s where the action is. They claimed that their plutonomy
> index was way outperforming the stock market. As for the rest, we set
> them adrift. We don’t really care about them. We don’t really need
> them. They have to be around to provide a powerful state, which will
> protect us and bail us out when we get into trouble, but other than
> that they essentially have no function. These days they’re sometimes
> called the “precariat” -- people who live a precarious existence at
> the periphery of society. Only it’s not the periphery anymore. It’s
> becoming a very substantial part of society in the United States and
> indeed elsewhere. And this is considered a good thing...
>
> 'So the world is now indeed splitting into a plutonomy and a precariat
> -- in the imagery of the Occupy movement, the 1% and the 99%. Not  
> literal numbers, but the right picture. Now, the plutonomy is where
> the action is and it could continue like this.
>
> 'If it does, the historic reversal that began in the 1970s could
> become irreversible. That’s where we’re heading. And the Occupy
> movement is the first real, major, popular reaction that could avert
> this. But it’s going to be necessary to face the fact that it’s a
> long, hard struggle. You don’t win victories tomorrow. You have to
> form the structures that will be sustained, that will go on through
> hard times and can win major victories. And there are a lot of things
> that can be done.' [Noam Chomsky]
>

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