Reply #11: Boycott the beast::

[Zorra]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=2600099&mesg_id=2600099

If your enemy drinks from only one source, poison the well.

Electronic voting machine fraud will insure a permanent republican majority in the House and Senate. We will have a republican Resident in the WH for as long as electronic voting machines are used to cast and count votes.

There is only one reason to use electronic voting devices which cannot be recounted, and this reason is to fix elections.

Democracy is over in America. Other means of achieving life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for the people of the US will be the most effective.

I believe filibustering is still a good idea because it will take time and energy away from legislative plans to completely implement fascist totalitarianism. That will buy us more time to weaken the economic stranglehold that republican corporations and their legislative servants have on our nation. If it were not for electronic voting devices, I would agree with Walt and his premise that when you are too weak to fight it is better not to get totally decimated. Unfortunately, republicans are in a position now to make nationwide unrecountable electronic voting mandatory, and they will.

And no one can do anything about it.

Therefore, if you are concerned about your liberty, organize and engage in a general strike and boycott ASAP. Yes, this requires sacrifice and will be extremely uncomfortable. Is this temporary discomfort worth you and your family and friends not having to live a lifetime in a fascist police state?

Would you have participated in the War for Independence in 1776 at the expense of your comfort?

If you really value your freedom and democracy, shutting the country down through non-cooperation, strike and boycott may be the only way to save the nation from becoming a full blown fascist police state bent on militarily subjugating the world.

Gandhi:

Gandhi's struggle was so overwhelming and significant, because he challenged the institutional violence of the modern state. He not only recommended refusing military service but also refusing to pay taxes to a militarized state. In addition to citizens' non-cooperating with an evil government, a neutral country also has the obligation to refuse to support or assist a military state or aggressor. Gandhi suggested a nonviolent army that could engage in constructive activities, lessen tensions, and sacrifice their lives to calm mobs and end riots. The qualifications for such a peace brigade would be complete faith in and adherence to nonviolence, equal respect for all religions, personal service and good human relations with the community, integrity and impartiality, and anticipation of brooding conflicts. The cost of training and equipping such a peace brigade would be practically nothing compared to the expenses of the modern military establishment. Gandhi envisioned a nonviolent state which would protect itself by not cooperating with any aggressor. Gandhi was concerned that the democracies would adopt the forceful methods of the fascists; but true democracy must ultimately be nonviolent, for violence is an obvious restriction of liberty. In 1946 Gandhi asserted, "Democracy to be true should cease to rely upon the army for anything whatsoever. It will be a poor democracy that depends for its existence on military assistance. Military force interferes with the free growth of the mind. It smothers the soul of man." He criticized America for its treatment of the Negro. Gandhi observed that armaments are used for greedy exploitation and that the competition and desire for material possessions and the Great Power's imperialistic designs are the biggest blocks to world peace. Also they must shed their fear of destruction; then by disarmament peace can be attained. Gandhi warned, "If the mad race for armaments continues, it is bound to result in a slaughter such as has never occurred in history. If there is a victor left, the very victory will be a living death for the nation that emerges victorious. There is no escape from the impending doom save through a bold and unconditional acceptance of the nonviolent method with all its glorious implications." Gandhi urged us to go beyond family and country to consider the good of the world, and he recommended a world governing body which would recognize the equal independence of each nation. He once said, "The golden way is to be friends with the world and to regard the whole human family as one."

http://www.san.beck.org/WP19-Gandhi.html

Gandhi:

After the war, he became involved with the Indian National Congress and the movement for independence. He gained worldwide publicity through his policy of civil disobedience and the use of fasting as a form of protest, and was repeatedly imprisoned by the British authorities (for example on March 18, 1922 he was sentenced to six years in prison for civil disobedience but served only 2 years).

Gandhi's other successful strategies for the independence movement included swadeshi policy – the boycott of foreign-made goods, especially British goods. Linked to this was his advocacy that all Indians should wear khadi – homespun cloth, instead of relying on British-made textiles. Gandhi advocated that Indian women, rich or poor, should spend time each day spinning khadi in support of the independence movement. This was a strategy to include women in the independence movement at a time when many thought that such activities were not 'respectable' for women to engage in.

His pro-independence stance hardened after the Amritsar Massacre in 1920.

One of his most striking actions was the salt march known as the Dandi March, that started on March 12, 1930 and ended on April 5, when he led thousands of people to the sea to collect their own salt rather than pay the salt tax.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Gandhi