Did DUers ever imagine all these multi-state protests

[malaise]

first from Occupy over the criminal bankers, then from Fast food and service workers and now from African-Americans, Hispanics and lots of White folks on police excesses.

I am so proud of these young and old folks.
All change comes from the people

Get Up Stand Up - Stephen Marley

[malokvale77]

1. I'm happy to see it.

I hope it grows ever stronger.

[Lifelong Protester]

2. Maybe not imagining it, but made happy by it.

We have to 'get up, stand up'. Bob was right.

[woo me with science]

3. Elated to see it, and especially elated that they are demanding specific POLICY CHANGES

including the demilitarization of our police forces:

http://online.wsj.com/articles/protests-break-out-nationwide-for-third-day-1417825427

Many protest groups have specific policy goals. The New York group This Stops Today lists five, including “full accountability” for Mr. Garner’s death; a Justice Department investigation of use-of-force policies by New York City police; and passage of a “Right to Know Act’’ that, among other things, would require police to explain the reason for any enforcement activity and explain the legal basis for any searches.

Young people in Florida have succeeded in turning protests around the 2012 shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin into a permanent organization. Dream Defenders now has 10 chapters across the state and a $300,000 annual budget. The group lobbies and demonstrates for criminal justice, education and other issues. “We are participating in democracy in absolutely every way possible,” said spokesman Steven Pargett.

The Ferguson Action website lists several goals, including “demilitarization” of law enforcement, a congressional hearing on alleged racial profiling by police and creation of a National Plan of Action for Racial Justice.

[malaise]

21. Very important

You're on the ball as usual

[F4lconF16]

39. This is huge, if it can be done.

and passage of a “Right to Know Act’’ that, among other things, would require police to explain the reason for any enforcement activity and explain the legal basis for any searches

That would make a lot of difference, if you pair it with body cameras. All of the recorded material and reports would also need to be easily publicly available.

[johnnyreb]

4. Tell everyone to supply the marchers!

If you're not marching, run supplies to them. Water bottles, pee-bottles, food, rain gear, "rain food", dry socks, batteries, hand warmers, et cetera. Throw stuff in your vehicle and coat pockets for just such occasion!

[NOLALady]

5. Instinctively I knew that it had to happen,

sooner or later. But, I did not expect it to happen in my lifetime.

Elated!

[malaise]

22. I too knew this day would come

but like you I was beginning to think it would never happen in my lifetime.

[whathehell]

6. not expecting it, but very happy to see it!

[Comrade Grumpy]

7. There is a lot of energy out there. Maybe Democrats could figure out a way to tap into it?

There seems to be a big disconnect between the action in the streets and the lassitude in the mid-terms.

Why is that?

[whathehell]

9. Excellent point..

I don't have an answer off the top of my head, but finding a way to

tap into, and organize it would be great.

[malaise]

13. Great question Comrade Grumpy

Thing is I say let the people force change - if it means the parties are forced out or are forced to return torepresentingthe wishes of the people, I'm with them.that's fine with me.

If not fugg all the so called liberal democratic parties across the globe. They have all compromised themselves by siding with vested interests and taking away our rights.

[XemaSab]

20. Because the Democratic Party

doesn't represent those people and never has.

[KG]

27. word.

[socialist_n_TN]

29. This is it ^^^^^^

"Because the Democratic Party doesn't represent those people and never has."

The people who are out in the streets now will only be attracted by a "Progressive Workers' Party". A political party like a PWP could, not only put together electoral campaigns and support every two years, but ideally, could become a daily clearinghouse for extra-electoral actions on social and political issues that assault the working class every day on all fronts.

[m-lekktor]

38. I never associate protests/activism with the DEM party.

and neither do most activists who are out in the streets. It was DEM elected officials in MO who were responsible for the fucked up outcome of the Brown incident.

DEMS are usually part of the problem these days.

[brer cat]

8. "Don't give up the fight"

Always love some Marley. Thanks, malaise. K&R

[sheshe2]

10. Actually, ya I did.

You could feel it in the air.

Get Up Stand Up~ Thanks malaise

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. The groups are organized, and are learning from Occupy, and Anonymous.

They have strategy and tactics to support specific goals, and have tremendous organization and discipline to create continuing marches and protests all across the country.
I am very impressed.

[malaise]

15. Let's thank the military for the

Internet - what a great tool for democracy and shout out the smart phone so we can take photographs.

Fundamental technological change always is good for the people - keep the net neutral.

I'm freaking livin' it.

[jtuck004]

12. People nearly always have fun marching, whether anything changes or not. Wish the people who could

change it were marching too.

[appalachiablue]

14. I am so proud, thrilled and moved to tears at the courage and unity of so many all over the US.

Watching on videostream last nite here, and a couple weeks ago. This country is so messed up, there has to be massive movement change, and support for leaders like Warren and Saunders. I remembered last nite how while in HS we used to hang out a the local college, that at 16 or 17 Abby Hoffman sat down beside me in the Student Union before he lectured. It was like yesterday and he was really lively, chatty. It was then that I became involved, saw anti-war protests and speakers at the college like Angela Davis, Bucky Fuller, Julian Bond, Wm. F. Buckley. I saw Bond lecture again 5 years ago in DC; he smiled when I mentioned I'd seen him in HS. This old liberal is fighting for millennials and this country every way I can. 35 years of neoliberal economics and Reaganism has to end. ~Love Marley & Jamaica! Saw J. twice, Negril Beach is unbelievably beautiful.

[malaise]

17. Lovely post

and who can forget thsoe great days of protests and lectures.

Negril Beach is unbelievably beautiful - it's my favorite beach, but climate change and messed up development plans are causing serious beach erosion.

When I remember that beach from the 70s I shake my head.

[appalachiablue]

42. The late 60s and 70s were a great activist era, pre-Reagan. Nice to hear about Jamaica and

Negril. I spent time when younger in Miami, the Keyes, Bahamas & Carib. Very disturbing to know about development, dangerous sea level rise & ocean acidic pollution in Jamaica, So. FL, other areas. First saw Jamaica in '85. Incredible, stayed in Mobay. Never saw beach like that & trees with round leaves maybe almond, forgot name. Not sea grapes.

There was a local strike but I found a young guy with a car who drove us to Negril. An older local guy joined him and not long after we were pulled and searched by rogue men in a truck, pseudo police l think. The shaken up young guy later said they wanted to take us in or blackmail us or him for money. Happened fast, I was clueless, got over it and continued our terrific journey. The second trip it was Green River Falls, horseback riding, stopped at Jake's, Negril again, Rick's place. Beautiful trip.

A wonderful artist does amazing underwater sculptures of people, JASON DECAIRES TAYLOR. He did the Underground Museum off Cancun I think. The pieces are made of porous concrete which attracts organisms and fish. The purpose of the artwork is conservation of endangered areas like diminishing coral reefs, and to help rebuild sea life. Catching up on posts today. Thanks for your reply & see you around.

[malaise]

43. Almond is correct

I'm betting you were at Doctors' Cave Beach - divine water for those of us who love swimming..
That was June 1985 - the first general strike since 1938. We had our fill of tea gas those three days

Clearly you had a ball

[appalachiablue]

44. Yes lovely almond trees we sat under, like in CA and the ones Van Gogh painted. I asked somebody

about them. It was Doctors' Cove, thanks, I looked it up. First time for cocoa bread from a little bakery in town and jerk chicken from a local stand. I read about that big strike later though. What a heaven visit, to be there now. Love tropics. Sunsets in Key West are awesome, one of its many charms.

[bobclark86]

16. It's sexier than voting, so no. Not a shock. n/t

[G_j]

30. You imply that demonstrators are non voters

Of course, there is zero evidence that this true. In fact, I would bet the odds are that the percentage of activists who vote is a lot higher than that of the regular population.

[lovemydog]

18. I've been hoping for it for a long time.

I'm glad it's happening.

Yes malaise, all change comes from the people.

Get up stand up. Stand up for your rights!

[spanone]

19. k&r....

people are pissed

[malaise]

23. And rightly so

[spanone]

33. amen....

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[daredtowork]

24. When I heard the Revolution Would Not Be Televised, I Never Imagined

it would be because there would be so many filters in the way: FOX-style media distortions, outdated/over-priced "channel package" distribution, the end of free antenna network television, the slow death of public television, channel blackouts from high stakes negotiations, expectations that I should subscribe to this or that or buy some "media stick". Oy.

The television is hardly a window through which to see the Revolution!

Luckily I live in an area where I can hear the protests happening out on the streets! (Usually followed by the shrieks of incoming surveillance/news helicopters). I know it's happening first hand. It makes me happy to know I can join in.

Apparently the Revolution is also being Tweeted.

Good luck shutting down the Internet, cops.

[malaise]

25. Great post

The revolution will be spread by social media and smart and not so smart phones

Here's the great Jamaican Gil Scott Heron

[Jack Rabbit]

26. I hope the protests we're seeing now are all of that rolled into one

Power to the people. Down with the oligarchs. Renewable energy now.
[center]

[/center][font size="1"]From Wikipedia Commons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eugène_Delacroix_-_La_liberté_guidant_le_peuple.jpg)
(Public Domain)
[/font]

[valerief]

28. +1000

[Omaha Steve]

31. Very proud

K&R!

[socialist_n_TN]

32. Yeah, I kind of expected it. Dialectically, it was inevitable.....

Oppression always engenders it's resistance and state oppression has racheted up for decades now. There finally came a breaking point in 2011 or so with the Wisconsin protests when the oppression became too much for many to abide and a mass of folks felt there was no other choice than to get out and react actively to that oppression.

From Wisconsin to Occupy to the current round of reaction against police violence the protests are getting larger and more militant. The resistance is also refining the message and beginning to connect the dots between the oppression and the system of capitalism that engenders that oppression. Each succeeding round will get more and more militant and pull together more and more elements of the organized working class into it and eventually a tipping point will be reached when a majority of the people have decided that they can no longer be ruled in the same way they have been ruled in the past. And then the USA will have reached a revolutionary situation. Where it goes from there will be interesting to say the least.

Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights! Because the owners won't give them to you, you have to TAKE them.

[malaise]

37. You know I was discussing Marx and stretching the notion of dialectics today

in relation to the internet, because the contradictions between the original intent of the internet and how important the net is to social change could never have been contemplated by the military.
Yes I did forget Wisconsin and that was very important - it set the stage. That is not over yet -Walker, Priebus and that little moron Paul Ryan will have a rude awakening.

[socialist_n_TN]

40. OOOOO! VERY good point malaise....

The internet, built for and by the MIC, playing a leading role in the resistance to the system AND the MIC.

And quite frankly, it's not over ANYWHERE. Oppression is EVERYWHERE, so the resistance will also be everywhere. Organized labor must get more deeply involved though. Unorganized labor is already there, but the labor aristocracy needs to be there too.

That's where a workers' political party could come into play. Not just to get out the vote every couple of years, but to provide a 24/7 clearinghouse for resistance to the oppression.

[PoliticAverse]

35. Daily Mail article on yesterday's protests...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2863166/Protesters-storm-Apple-store-Macy-s-day-anti-racist-demonstrations-New-York-prosecutors-vow-consider-charging-rookie-NYPD-cop-shot-black-father-Brooklyn-month.html

[malaise]

41. Thanks

[m-lekktor]

36. it's a thing of beauty! nt