We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Wave of Strikes Challenges Military

by Cam McGrath from IPS News. 

The current insurrections in the Middle East and North Africa are of critical importance to the Empire. If these popular insurrections result in true popular power, and thus the overthrow of friendly, autocratic allies of the US, then the Empire is in real trouble. And, of course, the leaders of the latter are acutely aware of this. What is unreported is all the behind the scenes activities that they are engaged in to "manage" these insurrections. In any case, in contrast to US liberals, who seem unable to comprehend real people power when it actually starts to happen, I will be following these developments as closely as I can.
The iron fist that has kept a tight grip on Egypt’s labour movements for nearly six decades relaxed this week, unleashing a wave of wildcat strikes that is testing the resolve of the country’s new military rulers.
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