There's this post, then there's the American Bar Association whimpering about the "rule of law" (which of course is essential to support when you are fighting a fascist regime) but offering no actual tactic to stand up to the bully, who still owns the Supreme Court, as far as we know. I believe in the non-violent tactics of direct action listed in this post. I feel outnumbered. I don't know how to talk to my liberal coffeehouse friend whose form of desperate action is to organize to pour money into the campaign coffers of the Dems. It's a strategy. Who has more power? We'll have to live through this to see.
The American Bar Association probably rakes in money from the same folks as the duopolists (Ds & Rs), so they're only going to say what their billionaire/oligarch masters tell them to say. Not a big help to those of us struggling against crimes of the duopoly. ( If you're not too sure what I mean, read last week's post "They Did It Again (And Again...): https://therevolutioncontinues.substack.com/p/they-did-it-again-and-again )
I would tell your coffeehouse friend that pouring money into either faction of the duopoly is a total waste of money that could be used to help the poor, feed folks (including yourselves) and assisting worthy causes such as sending aid to Gaza. The duopolists don't really need your money--AIPAC, the MIC, and Big Oil are taking good care of them. Use your energy and talents coming up with Politically Defiant acts that draw attention to the fascist regime and how none of its leaders are on our side. We need more informed revolutionaries who aren't falling for the constant propaganda spewing out of mainstream media. Speak up, act out, protest--join with others who do the same. Boycotts and strikes will probably make the biggest impact economically on the regime, so plan to observe the February 28 Economic Boycott. We the people have the power--not the paid off Dems.
You're welcome, Kathleen. I understand your frustrations (comment below) about not finding others to protest with against the genocide in Gaza. It's hard being an organization of one, but at least with the help of the internet we know we're not really alone. Have you reached out to any alternative parties in your area that are pro-Palestinian, i.e., your state Green Party or perhaps the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL)? Even members of the DSA (Democratic Socialist of America) are out there protesting. I'm sure any of these groups can connect you to others in your area who feel the same. It's worth a shot.
This is a very true statement you made:
"If Congress, both parties, will actively support a genocide, there’s nothing they won’t do."
That's it exactly. We don't have to imagine how horrible our current regime is (and has been) because they've revealed their true selves to us. Calling/emailing your Congress member or the president is a time waster for the most part since they're already decided to support their true masters--the billionaires/oligarchs. So, now that we know what they're truly capable of, we need no longer wait and watch--we need to take action. There's no need to consider their "feelings" or follow their immoral and unjust laws when our very lives are at stake. Political defiance shows them we're the boss.
Thank you very much for this. Your words are inspiring, important, and much needed. Keep up the great work. I've a proposal for you. Suppose we created a new social media specifically designed for all of the ways to do the Peaceful Revolution. Suppose it helped us communicate better, organize more, and it created a new Revolutionary Party. If I help you spread word about how to do the Peaceful Revolution would you help me to do the same? Regardless, I'll help to spread your words. But, if you're curious about what a new social media specifically designed for Peaceful Revolution would look like, please go here: www.humbledeeds.com
I so appreciate your thoughtful words. Knowing I’m not living on an alternate planet helps. Almost all of my friends are living comfortably and don’t even want to hear about anything that might threaten that. I’ve found it necessary to avoid them as placing a gag order on myself is simply not possible. I can’t bring myself to smile and talk about the latest yoga class. I honestly don’t know how they can close their eyes to the suffering around them here or the mass murder abroad. I’ve known most of them my entire life and I know they’re not intentionally evil, but acts of omission cause as much harm. Human rights, the rule of law, and a deep love of people and animals are simply as much a part of me as my legs or my heart, inseparable from who I am. I’m deeply grateful to know I’m not alone and with commitment anything is possible.
I looked at your videos digging up the trashy remains of tires and posts from an otherwise pristine location. (Thanks for clearing those out of there. So many just ignore stuff like that.) I'm not too sure I understand how your Humble Deeds social media will work, so please post more details at your site. Good luck!
Thanks for checking it out, for your feedback, and for wishing me luck. It's a complicated idea and will work many different ways. First and foremost, it will change the narrative, but that only happens when x amount of people are actually talking about it. Coincidentally, when x amount of people are talking about it then overall communications improve, less red/blue bickering happens, and more unity happens. We are currently in the which came first, chicken/egg paradox, and it's going to take some leaps of faith, which is difficult for most people, to get the ball rolling. Trust everywhere is extremely eroded, if not completely destroyed, especially in regards to 'social' media. Some of the ways it will also work (when built) is by bringing communities together. There will be an explosion of volunteer opportunities for people to participate in. Such as: litter cleanups, community garden projects, community home repair projects, repair cafes, assistance for people who need help with lawncare, grocery buying, food preparation, ridesharing, mechanic work, free work, free education (from actual teachers mostly), and it will be a crypto-social currency. People will upload pictures and videos for proof of work/volunteering/actions, and they'll earn points (to be exchanged for rewards, services, discounts, cash) for eating less meat and dairy, for shopping at farmer's markets, for volunteering, for voting, for........ I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Did you watch the video on my homepage called 'my terrible presentation'? I kinda explain most of what I just said, in that first video, but perhaps not well enough. I'll keep working on the messaging and I'll consider making some more videos to explain the intricacies. If you've any other questions or concerns, please ask/let me know.
Thanks for the further explanation. I'm a computer illiterate and a social media dinosaur, so it does take a lot explaining for old-timers like me to understand anything with crypto stuff. I like the mutual aid orientation and the use of social media to get the word out better to others. A great idea!
Most cryptocurrency is a complete scam. It's very sad that so many grifters are taking advantage of people and stealing their money. The HD crypto-social currency will not be available for purchase, will not be mined by solving energy consuming math computations, and will only be earned. It will be unlike any cryptocurrency that currently 'exists.'
I know nothing about how to organize and live in an isolated place. I would greatly appreciate one source for finding demonstrations, like minded groups, help with organizing, and other resources. Now, I check what resources I can find in my area but it’s hit or miss. I think your idea would be a boon to those of us who want to resist but are somewhat lost at sea.
I’ve supported Palestinian rights for over 25 years and watching a genocide these last 15 months has broken my heart. The pain has been compounded by the frustration of being helpless to effect change. Calls and emails to my senators and representative have been completely useless, as were calls and emails to Biden. Not having a group to MAYBE apply pressure, I think individuals are completely ignored unless they have thousands of dollars for campaign donations (I don’t).
IMHO this started long before Trump, he being the culmination of both democratic and republican administrations that have quietly made constituents redundant, only being responsive to corporate sponsors. Almost without exception Congress has one goal - remaining in office. They don’t care about the rule of law, the constitution, and certainly don’t care about their constituents. They’ve been chipping away at education or privatizing, to ensure voters aren’t well informed. A number of years ago I caught the tail end of an NPR report saying that civics and government would no longer be part of the core curriculum. I’m not certain if it was nationwide or only in my state. I was shocked but then realized it was the next logical step after abandoning logical reasoning and teaching to tests. My first thought was that we should be teaching civics and government every year in HS and probably starting before that, not eliminating those courses. I don’t fault teachers, they work hard with few resources.
I’m 72 and have never considered myself a conspiracy theorist but it’s difficult to believe that the failure to support public education and the benefits government reaps from an uniformed electorate are simply a coincidence. A conspiracy theory isn’t a theory if it’s true. With the availability of so much information now, a stark contrast to what was available when I was growing up, the depth and breadth of our government’s chicanery is stunning. If Congress, both parties, will actively support a genocide, there’s nothing they won’t do. The grift is so widespread and so longstanding it’s difficult to have hope. I’m so impressed with the young people who put their education and their futures on the line to oppose genocide while our elected “leaders” actively supported the carnage for the sole purpose of staying in office. I hope I live long enough to see these young people in leadership positions. I sometimes feel they are our only hope.
I would like to feel that I’m at least trying to do something positive for the people of this country and all people who are being oppressed. I firmly believe that the destruction of the rule of law, here and internationally, will be the death knell for civilization, marking a return to “might makes right”, with the weak having no protection from the strong. We’re already there in many ways, given the haphazard application of the law. I’m desperately hoping the ICC will issue an arrest warrant for Trump for obstruction of justice due to his sweeping sanctions on the Court. The Congress won’t attempt to stop him and they may not have the power anyway.
Sorry to have aired so many of my frustrations and concerns. The bottom line is that I very much want to be involved in resistance and I think your idea would be a benefit to many of us. Thank you.
Kathleen, I love that you aired your frustrations and concerns. Thank you. Everything you've written resonates and reverberates through my bones. It is difficult to have any hope. Our 'leaders' are bribed and bought. They don't work for us. They don't care about us. Nor do they care about Peace or Equality, Democracy or Education, Earth or Sustainability, Progress or Transparency. They want us dumb, divided, confused, helpless, hopeless, and fighting amongst ourselves. The Genocide of Palestinians, aided and abetted by our 'leaders' and the gross misappropriation of our tax dollars, is maddening, insane, unacceptable, and breaks my heart as well. They should all be charged with War Crimes. We must revolt. We must refuse to play their bullshit red/blue game any longer. We must realize that they are our true enemies and we must hold them accountable. If you think humble deeds is an idea worth trying, then please share it with anyone you think might also think it's an idea worth trying. Even the simple act of talking about humble deeds can begin to shift the narrative, and when enough people are talking about it, we will crowdfund, we will build it, and the greatest sociopolitical movement in the history of humanity can commence. Please start calling yourself a Revolutionist, if you don't already. This is how the Revolution starts, one conversation at a time, one act of defiance at a time, one connection at a time. Thank you so very much for your words, each and every one.
Thank you for quoting Malcolm X, who IMO instilled more self-worth in American Blacks than did MLK.
“The collective white man has acted like a devil in virtually every contact he had with the world’s collective non-white man”—Malcolm X
We are seeing this now in Gaza, as opposed to those blond blue-eyed Ukrainians who are “so much like us”.
HOWEVER. When has peaceful revolution (an oxymoron) ever been successful? Yes the military has tanks and robot dogs but there are more guns than men, women and children in Amerikkka and as I’ve said 1000 times, there are far more of us than them. And anyone can make a Molotov cocktail.
On the other hand, if Amerikkkan soldiers are asked to fight yet another war in West Asia, they just might initiate a coup themselves.
I suggest you get a copy (I got one from an inter-library loan, but I know it's also available as an ebook at several places online) of Gene Sharp's "From Dictatorship to Democracy". It was written in the 90s during the uprising in Burma and then was quickly translated into dozens of languages and used by many others--most notably those who took non-violent actions during the "Arab Spring". It will give you some idea of the true power of "Political Defiance."
You say it yourself here: "There are more guns than men, women and children in America."
How many guns can one individual shoot at one time? (Probably just one at a time.) We the People are still outnumbered and outgunned by the professional military who work for the fascist regime in charge. There's just no way with our deer rifles (one each) we're going to be able to fight against any professional army with nuclear bombs and other conventional bombs such as the ones dropped upon Gaza. Have the Palestinians with their guns been able to take out the IDF/IOF who have dropped 2,000 bombs on them by sophisticated air force jets? If their guns and numbers alone could taken out the IDF/IOF, they would have done so by now, right?
That's why putting everyday folks into a no-win situation (where there is a good chance of them suffering a genocide) isn't a good position. It generates more helplessness and hopelessness as Sharp says. Revolutionaries need to remain hopeful and focused on what we can do without a huge loss of life--and the best way is through nonviolent and non-cooperative Political Defiance as outlined in Sharp's book.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could shut down the military industrial complex down for good? If each one if us did our small part, it would add up to peace on earth, goodwill to all. Give peace a chance!
Well said. True leadership inspires--it doesn't threaten violence against its subjects. We need more of us willing to use non-violent defiance methods simultaneously and consistently to really show them who's in power.
I can see any and all of the Zionist-influenced Western countries sending their deserters back... Or conscripting them into their own pro-Israeli military. More reasons to become a C.O. and make it stick. Starve the MIC!
There's this post, then there's the American Bar Association whimpering about the "rule of law" (which of course is essential to support when you are fighting a fascist regime) but offering no actual tactic to stand up to the bully, who still owns the Supreme Court, as far as we know. I believe in the non-violent tactics of direct action listed in this post. I feel outnumbered. I don't know how to talk to my liberal coffeehouse friend whose form of desperate action is to organize to pour money into the campaign coffers of the Dems. It's a strategy. Who has more power? We'll have to live through this to see.
The American Bar Association probably rakes in money from the same folks as the duopolists (Ds & Rs), so they're only going to say what their billionaire/oligarch masters tell them to say. Not a big help to those of us struggling against crimes of the duopoly. ( If you're not too sure what I mean, read last week's post "They Did It Again (And Again...): https://therevolutioncontinues.substack.com/p/they-did-it-again-and-again )
I would tell your coffeehouse friend that pouring money into either faction of the duopoly is a total waste of money that could be used to help the poor, feed folks (including yourselves) and assisting worthy causes such as sending aid to Gaza. The duopolists don't really need your money--AIPAC, the MIC, and Big Oil are taking good care of them. Use your energy and talents coming up with Politically Defiant acts that draw attention to the fascist regime and how none of its leaders are on our side. We need more informed revolutionaries who aren't falling for the constant propaganda spewing out of mainstream media. Speak up, act out, protest--join with others who do the same. Boycotts and strikes will probably make the biggest impact economically on the regime, so plan to observe the February 28 Economic Boycott. We the people have the power--not the paid off Dems.
I truly appreciate your efforts, seeking out historical references and providing links to source material. Thank you.
You're welcome, Kathleen. I understand your frustrations (comment below) about not finding others to protest with against the genocide in Gaza. It's hard being an organization of one, but at least with the help of the internet we know we're not really alone. Have you reached out to any alternative parties in your area that are pro-Palestinian, i.e., your state Green Party or perhaps the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL)? Even members of the DSA (Democratic Socialist of America) are out there protesting. I'm sure any of these groups can connect you to others in your area who feel the same. It's worth a shot.
This is a very true statement you made:
"If Congress, both parties, will actively support a genocide, there’s nothing they won’t do."
That's it exactly. We don't have to imagine how horrible our current regime is (and has been) because they've revealed their true selves to us. Calling/emailing your Congress member or the president is a time waster for the most part since they're already decided to support their true masters--the billionaires/oligarchs. So, now that we know what they're truly capable of, we need no longer wait and watch--we need to take action. There's no need to consider their "feelings" or follow their immoral and unjust laws when our very lives are at stake. Political defiance shows them we're the boss.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I will check out some of your suggestions.
Thank you very much for this. Your words are inspiring, important, and much needed. Keep up the great work. I've a proposal for you. Suppose we created a new social media specifically designed for all of the ways to do the Peaceful Revolution. Suppose it helped us communicate better, organize more, and it created a new Revolutionary Party. If I help you spread word about how to do the Peaceful Revolution would you help me to do the same? Regardless, I'll help to spread your words. But, if you're curious about what a new social media specifically designed for Peaceful Revolution would look like, please go here: www.humbledeeds.com
I so appreciate your thoughtful words. Knowing I’m not living on an alternate planet helps. Almost all of my friends are living comfortably and don’t even want to hear about anything that might threaten that. I’ve found it necessary to avoid them as placing a gag order on myself is simply not possible. I can’t bring myself to smile and talk about the latest yoga class. I honestly don’t know how they can close their eyes to the suffering around them here or the mass murder abroad. I’ve known most of them my entire life and I know they’re not intentionally evil, but acts of omission cause as much harm. Human rights, the rule of law, and a deep love of people and animals are simply as much a part of me as my legs or my heart, inseparable from who I am. I’m deeply grateful to know I’m not alone and with commitment anything is possible.
Again, thank you.
I looked at your videos digging up the trashy remains of tires and posts from an otherwise pristine location. (Thanks for clearing those out of there. So many just ignore stuff like that.) I'm not too sure I understand how your Humble Deeds social media will work, so please post more details at your site. Good luck!
Thanks for checking it out, for your feedback, and for wishing me luck. It's a complicated idea and will work many different ways. First and foremost, it will change the narrative, but that only happens when x amount of people are actually talking about it. Coincidentally, when x amount of people are talking about it then overall communications improve, less red/blue bickering happens, and more unity happens. We are currently in the which came first, chicken/egg paradox, and it's going to take some leaps of faith, which is difficult for most people, to get the ball rolling. Trust everywhere is extremely eroded, if not completely destroyed, especially in regards to 'social' media. Some of the ways it will also work (when built) is by bringing communities together. There will be an explosion of volunteer opportunities for people to participate in. Such as: litter cleanups, community garden projects, community home repair projects, repair cafes, assistance for people who need help with lawncare, grocery buying, food preparation, ridesharing, mechanic work, free work, free education (from actual teachers mostly), and it will be a crypto-social currency. People will upload pictures and videos for proof of work/volunteering/actions, and they'll earn points (to be exchanged for rewards, services, discounts, cash) for eating less meat and dairy, for shopping at farmer's markets, for volunteering, for voting, for........ I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Did you watch the video on my homepage called 'my terrible presentation'? I kinda explain most of what I just said, in that first video, but perhaps not well enough. I'll keep working on the messaging and I'll consider making some more videos to explain the intricacies. If you've any other questions or concerns, please ask/let me know.
Thanks for the further explanation. I'm a computer illiterate and a social media dinosaur, so it does take a lot explaining for old-timers like me to understand anything with crypto stuff. I like the mutual aid orientation and the use of social media to get the word out better to others. A great idea!
Most cryptocurrency is a complete scam. It's very sad that so many grifters are taking advantage of people and stealing their money. The HD crypto-social currency will not be available for purchase, will not be mined by solving energy consuming math computations, and will only be earned. It will be unlike any cryptocurrency that currently 'exists.'
I know nothing about how to organize and live in an isolated place. I would greatly appreciate one source for finding demonstrations, like minded groups, help with organizing, and other resources. Now, I check what resources I can find in my area but it’s hit or miss. I think your idea would be a boon to those of us who want to resist but are somewhat lost at sea.
Kathleen, thank you very much for investigating my dream and for your thoughtful reply. I appreciate you.
I’ve supported Palestinian rights for over 25 years and watching a genocide these last 15 months has broken my heart. The pain has been compounded by the frustration of being helpless to effect change. Calls and emails to my senators and representative have been completely useless, as were calls and emails to Biden. Not having a group to MAYBE apply pressure, I think individuals are completely ignored unless they have thousands of dollars for campaign donations (I don’t).
IMHO this started long before Trump, he being the culmination of both democratic and republican administrations that have quietly made constituents redundant, only being responsive to corporate sponsors. Almost without exception Congress has one goal - remaining in office. They don’t care about the rule of law, the constitution, and certainly don’t care about their constituents. They’ve been chipping away at education or privatizing, to ensure voters aren’t well informed. A number of years ago I caught the tail end of an NPR report saying that civics and government would no longer be part of the core curriculum. I’m not certain if it was nationwide or only in my state. I was shocked but then realized it was the next logical step after abandoning logical reasoning and teaching to tests. My first thought was that we should be teaching civics and government every year in HS and probably starting before that, not eliminating those courses. I don’t fault teachers, they work hard with few resources.
I’m 72 and have never considered myself a conspiracy theorist but it’s difficult to believe that the failure to support public education and the benefits government reaps from an uniformed electorate are simply a coincidence. A conspiracy theory isn’t a theory if it’s true. With the availability of so much information now, a stark contrast to what was available when I was growing up, the depth and breadth of our government’s chicanery is stunning. If Congress, both parties, will actively support a genocide, there’s nothing they won’t do. The grift is so widespread and so longstanding it’s difficult to have hope. I’m so impressed with the young people who put their education and their futures on the line to oppose genocide while our elected “leaders” actively supported the carnage for the sole purpose of staying in office. I hope I live long enough to see these young people in leadership positions. I sometimes feel they are our only hope.
I would like to feel that I’m at least trying to do something positive for the people of this country and all people who are being oppressed. I firmly believe that the destruction of the rule of law, here and internationally, will be the death knell for civilization, marking a return to “might makes right”, with the weak having no protection from the strong. We’re already there in many ways, given the haphazard application of the law. I’m desperately hoping the ICC will issue an arrest warrant for Trump for obstruction of justice due to his sweeping sanctions on the Court. The Congress won’t attempt to stop him and they may not have the power anyway.
Sorry to have aired so many of my frustrations and concerns. The bottom line is that I very much want to be involved in resistance and I think your idea would be a benefit to many of us. Thank you.
Kathleen, I love that you aired your frustrations and concerns. Thank you. Everything you've written resonates and reverberates through my bones. It is difficult to have any hope. Our 'leaders' are bribed and bought. They don't work for us. They don't care about us. Nor do they care about Peace or Equality, Democracy or Education, Earth or Sustainability, Progress or Transparency. They want us dumb, divided, confused, helpless, hopeless, and fighting amongst ourselves. The Genocide of Palestinians, aided and abetted by our 'leaders' and the gross misappropriation of our tax dollars, is maddening, insane, unacceptable, and breaks my heart as well. They should all be charged with War Crimes. We must revolt. We must refuse to play their bullshit red/blue game any longer. We must realize that they are our true enemies and we must hold them accountable. If you think humble deeds is an idea worth trying, then please share it with anyone you think might also think it's an idea worth trying. Even the simple act of talking about humble deeds can begin to shift the narrative, and when enough people are talking about it, we will crowdfund, we will build it, and the greatest sociopolitical movement in the history of humanity can commence. Please start calling yourself a Revolutionist, if you don't already. This is how the Revolution starts, one conversation at a time, one act of defiance at a time, one connection at a time. Thank you so very much for your words, each and every one.
TRC
Thank you for quoting Malcolm X, who IMO instilled more self-worth in American Blacks than did MLK.
“The collective white man has acted like a devil in virtually every contact he had with the world’s collective non-white man”—Malcolm X
We are seeing this now in Gaza, as opposed to those blond blue-eyed Ukrainians who are “so much like us”.
HOWEVER. When has peaceful revolution (an oxymoron) ever been successful? Yes the military has tanks and robot dogs but there are more guns than men, women and children in Amerikkka and as I’ve said 1000 times, there are far more of us than them. And anyone can make a Molotov cocktail.
On the other hand, if Amerikkkan soldiers are asked to fight yet another war in West Asia, they just might initiate a coup themselves.
I suggest you get a copy (I got one from an inter-library loan, but I know it's also available as an ebook at several places online) of Gene Sharp's "From Dictatorship to Democracy". It was written in the 90s during the uprising in Burma and then was quickly translated into dozens of languages and used by many others--most notably those who took non-violent actions during the "Arab Spring". It will give you some idea of the true power of "Political Defiance."
You say it yourself here: "There are more guns than men, women and children in America."
How many guns can one individual shoot at one time? (Probably just one at a time.) We the People are still outnumbered and outgunned by the professional military who work for the fascist regime in charge. There's just no way with our deer rifles (one each) we're going to be able to fight against any professional army with nuclear bombs and other conventional bombs such as the ones dropped upon Gaza. Have the Palestinians with their guns been able to take out the IDF/IOF who have dropped 2,000 bombs on them by sophisticated air force jets? If their guns and numbers alone could taken out the IDF/IOF, they would have done so by now, right?
That's why putting everyday folks into a no-win situation (where there is a good chance of them suffering a genocide) isn't a good position. It generates more helplessness and hopelessness as Sharp says. Revolutionaries need to remain hopeful and focused on what we can do without a huge loss of life--and the best way is through nonviolent and non-cooperative Political Defiance as outlined in Sharp's book.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could shut down the military industrial complex down for good? If each one if us did our small part, it would add up to peace on earth, goodwill to all. Give peace a chance!
That's the idea--shut down the War Machine forever!
Great advise for those of us who are in defiance , for ourselves and to help others.
The state always has the monopoly on violence thats how they stay in power.
Well said. True leadership inspires--it doesn't threaten violence against its subjects. We need more of us willing to use non-violent defiance methods simultaneously and consistently to really show them who's in power.
Consider: Canada sent back no fewer than 6 deserters during the GWOT.
I can see any and all of the Zionist-influenced Western countries sending their deserters back... Or conscripting them into their own pro-Israeli military. More reasons to become a C.O. and make it stick. Starve the MIC!