I chuckle over people who look with disdain at anything that will rock the boat.

[howard112211]

There seems to be that pattern, and it even appears here on DU sometimes, that there seems to be an unwritten agreement that you can complain all you want, but once you actually start actively doing something, there will be a number of people who claim to agree with your point of view in principle but who think you are "taking it too far", even though nothing is being done other than actually trying to implement the things the other person claims to agree with.

Examples of this are Richard Dawkins, PETA, Code Pink, Hugo Chavez, Acorn and countless others.

I tend to view things from the opposite direction: Action speaks louder than a thousand words.

I don't agree with atheism from a number of philosophical angles. I think agnosticism is much more plausible. However I recognize the important work that Richard Dawkins is doing and applaud him for his courage. I also find his point of view to be infinitely more reasonable that that of the usual believer, and yes, he is correct to rub it in their faces.

I am not a vegitarian. I lack the personal determination to become one. However I admire people who are, and I think their choice is better than mine in this regard. I don't mind people aggressively promoting veganism. I don't mind being shown pictures of dead animals. They are correct to do so. All they are doing is showing the reality of what my meat eating amounts to. It is valid to present me with the consequences of my choices.

I am mostly clueless about what exactly is going on in Venezuela. However, I do see that Chavez is pissing off our local right wingers, and that he is taking a hard anti-corporate stance that wouldn't be possible here in the US. Is he doing everything right locally? Hell, I don't know. But he is pissing off the right people here and my understanding is that as a consequence of the things he and the movement behind him does, Venezuela is better off than Columbia. He certainly lives in danger of receiving a CIA sniper bullet, and that itsself makes him courageous.

And yes, Code Pink is correct to disrupt congressional sessions. People who think that etiquette is more important than protesting an illegal war can bite me.

And yes, it was deeply shameful that people on the so-called left denounced Acorn.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

1. Everyone is pissed off these days. While we may not be opposed to the same issues

action is taking on renewed respect. Most people are afraid of looking like fools and being discounted but most of those people given the
support of others would find taking action refreshing. We all need to be out there flexing our rights and inviting as diverse a group as possible
to join us. A few more months of the current problems escalating and there will be plenty of folks ready for action.

[OHdem10]

2. I agree. And, when we find ourselves ruled by a Far Right Government

we only have ourselves to thank.

We are permitting the Right to intimidate us.

[Tsiyu]

3. Book rec

It's a little on the mercenary side, but a great head-clearer is IGNORE EVERYBODY And 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh McLeod


My brother the liberal loaned it to me.

You have to realize that anyone who steps outside the box is subject to ridicule. Worse today than ever but also easier today to get a following.

The key to success is ignoring the flack and the hacks and just doing whatever it is you believe in. The artist has to paint the picture alone; the writer has to write alone. Etc ad nauseum

hang in there ! Gotta go to work BLAH