The State of Dissent in America: Flex Your Rights

[marmar]

The State of Dissent in America: Flex Your Rights

Wednesday, 03 July 2013 10:33
By Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers , Truthout | News Analysis


When we occupied Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC, during the Autumn of 2011, we often marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to Capitol Hill to express our many grievances. We were always accompanied by a large contingent of police officers and other members of the national security state, some obvious and others not so much. Along the way, we would pass the Newseum, which has the First Amendment engraved in large letters on the front of the building. We made it a habit to pause at the Newseum and read aloud in unison the words of the First Amendment. The reason for doing so was to let everyone know, including the security state, that we have the right to protest peacefully and that we were exercising that right.

We live in a time when there is much to protest. The government is dysfunctional, ruled by plutocrats who pass laws for their corporate friends that cause real harm and suffering for the people and ecological collapse of the planet. Many activists with whom we work recognize that the traditional tools used to effect change within the system - petitions, lobbying, electing supportive legislators or running for office - largely fail in the current political environment.

Our most effective option is strategic and militant, nonviolent protest in all of its many forms, from boycotts to rallies to hunger strikes. And it is our First Amendment right to use these tools. But rather than respecting and supporting our right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for a redress of our grievances, the national security state and legislators are chipping away at our rights in more extreme ways than ever before.

Even our right to know what is being done in our name is disappearing. The White House and Congress are doing more in secret and are cracking down on those who reveal their actions. Whistleblowers are being charged under the Espionage Act and journalists are being spied upon. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/17354-the-state-of-dissent-in-america-flex-your-rights

[xtraxritical]

1. I occupied Washington D,C. 10/11/2011 Freedom Plaza.

I flew from LA to be there. I hope there is more of the same coming soon. Thanks marmar.

[PopeOxycontinI]

4. I occupied in my city

it needed to be 10 times bigger to get anywhere.
It seems like the usual neighborhood protester types
showed up and then leveled off . We had a group of maybe
10 in a city and surrounding area of like half a mil.
seemed like similar ratios in a lot of places.
If occupy had the involvement of, say, a whopping
thousandth of the population instead of less than
a ten-thousandth, it might have got somewhere.

[blkmusclmachine]

2. "The WH Congress are doing more in secret and are cracking down on those who reveal their actions.."

All elements of a burgeoning Police State!

[PopeOxycontinI]

3. What is left anymore to effect real change?

Mass protest simply doesn't happen anymore. Look at how big things had to get in
Egypt. look at how big things had to get in parts of Europe to get some of the people's
concerns half half half half half half half half half heard. I am afraid the US is going to be
one of the first third-world shitholes where there is never any pushback against the elites
whatsoever.

[PopeOxycontinI]

5. People need to...

use less electronic communication to organize. Why the hell
can't people communicate anymore without a fucking screen?
Jesus Christ.