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

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Self Defense for Radicals

Click here to access article by Mickey Z. from World News Trust.

I love this short video because it cuts through all the crap we activists in the US have been indoctrinated to believe: non-violence is the highest virtue that activists should strive for (of course, this doesn't apply to other Americans, most especially to ruling class enforcers),  voting for a candidate supplied by the ruling class can really change things, and such actions as holding a candle-light vigil are most appropriate when confronted with threats to our lives. 

It's obvious why we have been indoctrinated to believe these things: the ruling class fears violence, which they continually use against others, being used against them. This is definitely not to argue that violence is the first or best choice in all situations, but we must recognize that there are circumstances which make it a necessary response. We must be prepared to use it when circumstances justify its use. The right to use violence to defend oneself, or our family, friends, and neighbors, or any human being that is incapable of defending themselves from violence is an absolute human right.