How to Really Stop Wars
See the full sized pic by clicking here.
I’m no political genius but this seems to speak the truth. But what form of direct action?
Some choice selections from the Reddit thread, where I found this picture:
They say jump, you say how high.
WTF is wrong with you people? all I see when I browse your websites is how pissed off you are at your government, yet you do nothing about it. As somebody from very far away who has seen enough of civil unrest and disobedience, I have to say, your apathy and cinisism is sad and discouraging. Get out of your couch, turn off the computer.. and yes, go ahead and burn some cars, break some fucking windows, for humanity´s sake just do fucking something, anything, that expresses your unhappiness with the current state of affairs. If you don´t you are responsible for what your political class is doing to the world and to yourself. So stop whining, and trying to be clever and do fucking something. Anything.
And yes, I created an account just to write this. Excuse my english.
Edit: I just wanted to add, that around the world, we do know that the american people are better than their political class, raise up, don´t disapoint us, show your discontent.
Protests are a waste of time. Do you really think people in the street can force change on a modern state? It happened periodically throughout the Soviet system and they just mowed everyone down. Then, business as usual.
The Soviet system failed eventually because it went broke. If you REALLY want to affect change, quit your job. Live on a bare subsistence and file no taxes. Consume as little as possible, generating no sales tax or excise revenue. Store no savings with the banking system that finances war and corporatism. The system runs on MONEY, not hot air or “direct action.”
I can’t believe the negativity displayed in some of the comments here. If you want change, you are going to have to get out into the streets at some point. When there are enough of us, the politicians will get nervous and start pandering our way, for once.
Yes, it can be dangerous, but tear gas washes away. What never washes away is the knowledge that you actually did something rightous instead of just sitting on your ass and bitching with your friends.
Image is everything in America. Thus, a suit and tie would be a good thing to wear to a protest. Let the cop provocateurs wear the Doc Martens and black hoodies. Let the American public see a bunch of “business profesionals” tossing rocks at the pigs and their attitude will change overnight. Think back to an earlier point in Packistan’s recent troubles, for instance. Nobody was paying that much atention until the media was full of images of angry lawyers battling it out with the police.
As anyone who’s ever worn a suit and tie has noticed, the clothes “make the man”. People automatically assume you’re someone who knows what’s up when you wear the costume of authority. So get yourself a suit. And make sure your hair doesn’t give you away, ya damn hippies!
One other thing a suit is god for: when the riot breaks out, it’s easier to escape when dressed like the enemy.
(It’s going to be a long, hot summer.)
The key is for protests to be better organized that those who will disperse them (police). Not just old cars but distraction tactics. Split the cops up in as many ways over as large an area as possible just before a protest. Perhaps with several smaller but vocal protests in other logistically adjacent areas. Use the old cars to impeded police movement. Towtrucks can even form a temporary impediment to police movement.
Stage protests in as many places as far apart as possible while still being able to give the cops a reason to send forces in that direction. Remember, they’re not expecting protests to be that well organized, but rather think that protests will be large disorganized groups of people all in one place. Remember that protests need not gain ground to work and retreat can be used to draw a force in a desired direction.
Also, a lack of proximity can be overcome with sheer volume. Far enough away, such a tactic will draw police in even more spread out patterns. Done without permits, a small number of people can draw a disproportionate police force away from the convention area.
All of which needs to be done without violence. No need to give politicians more reason to assault the constitution even more.
