Since the Fall of 1999 there have been four major political demonstrations in the United States. The cities of Seattle, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles each hosted either a major political party convention or global economic institution meetings where thousands of activists protested, engaged in non-violent civil disobedience, and in rare, often provoked cases, caused superficial damaged to public and private property.

Corporate media has labeled the protesters as unorganized groups of radical environmentalists, single issues extremists, and directionless anarchists bent on disrupting social order. The extensive involvement of unions and labor in Seattle has generally been explained as an one time aberration and the global trade issues focusing on NAFTA and the WTO have been mostly forgotten.

The corporate media has been particularly strong in its denigration of the recent demonstrations at the Democrat and Republican conventions. Presenting the image of the demonstrators acting out radical fantasies in a deteriorating attempt to sustain the momentum of Seattle.

While on first glance it may seem that Mumia rallies, anti-water fluoridation teach-ins, marches against Occidental Oil's threats to the U'wa tribe, police brutality demonstrations, and black-clad anarchists, have little in common and no centralized leadership. A deeper analysis will determine that each of the protesting individuals and social action groups share a common disdain for institutionalized power structures that service the corporate elites of the world at the expense of working people and the environment.

The demonstrators represent millions of us who innately recognize that the New World Order is one that does not allow for grassroots democratic processes, but rather pontificates the inevitabilities of globalization, corporate growth, and individual belt tightening, while proceeding with building institutions for top-down public-private partnerships to control and regulate the behaviors of the global masses.

Fifty-five million non-voters in the U.S. already recognize that it takes money to buy power and access to our two party system and have opted out of the charade. They recognize that our collective ability to participate has been structured out of the political decision making process.

The activists in Philadelphia and Los Angeles speak for the millions of us who had to stay at work doing the overtime to make ends meet in our bifurcating economy. We silently cheer the demonstrators and daily resist bureaucratic rules and top down management in our own ways. Overt resistance to national and global power structures is a manifestation of the deep mistrust working people feel towards governments and their mega-corporation partners.

The activists are the New Progressive Movement, a vanguard of political actors emerging from the grassroots of hometown USA. They have successfully used the internet, and satellite links to stream e-mail, radio and TV images throughout the world, and continue to work towards building real news systems independent of corporate media.

The anarchists, supposedly encourage by Eugene Oregon author John Zerzan, are clear on their objectives of building sustainable democratic grassroots communities that respect the environment and minimized domination in any form. Certainly many Americans could fine common ground for such a humanistic goal.

To simply dismiss the recent activism as disgruntled groups of aging hippies and misguided youth is a grave error. By not addressing the specific issues corporate media is dismissing democracy itself. We must examine the specifics of protest, the inequalities of our society and globe, and improve the ways of building democratic participation for the betterment of humankind.

-----------------------

Peter Phillips is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Sonoma State University and Director of Project Censored a media research group.

Yes, yes, yes, but how do you folks get your message from academia and IMC internet junkies to the masses?

You may have a point, but your tactics suck; you managed to conduct yourselves in a manner that makes our Police Commissioner Timoney and the LAPD look like heroes to the rest of us.

You need the mainstream media, just as Martin Luther King Jr. needed the mass media; but the difference between MLKJr and you knuckleheads is that he conducted himself with grace and dignity, and you guys act like spoiled white brats.

Change your tactics - or remain vulgar, violent and arrogant and watch your movement fade away.

Cordially,

RC of Philadelphia, one of the rest of us.

Yes, yes, yes, but how do you folks get your message from academia and IMC internet junkies to the masses?

You may have a point, but your tactics suck; you managed to conduct yourselves in a manner that makes our Police Commissioner Timoney and the LAPD look like heroes to the rest of us.

You need the mainstream media, just as Martin Luther King Jr. needed the mass media; but the difference between MLKJr and you knuckleheads is that he conducted himself with grace and dignity, and you guys act like spoiled white brats.

Change your tactics - or remain vulgar, violent and arrogant and watch your movement fade away.

Cordially,

RC of Philadelphia, one of the rest of us.

RC in Phili: you see the LAPD as "heroes" BECAUSE of the mass media. In fact, the violence that occured at the DNC in LA (and most likely the other events mentioned here) was, obviously to anyone present, insighted by the officers themselves. The mass media shows just what the large, over-rated corporations that own them want you to see: a disorganized movement of wild kids with a misplaced agenda. We do need the mass media, true. But not this one. We need a mass media that will show events and issues as they are, not just to get ratings, but to inform and educate.

As of yet, they have failed miserably. Your response to this article makes that completely obvious.

From the trenches in LA,

a protestor

And yet, Mr. Protestor in the trenches, your mission should be using the mass media to convince the rest of us that you have a legitimate cause worthy of our support.

Your problem is that you spoiled knuckleheads are too arrogant to realize that you are turning the rest of us off.

The rest of us also have some problems with globalization and other issues. But instead of coming up with a clear, elegant, easily understood message, like MLK's "I have a dream", you idiots hand the mass media a more dramatic image of Blac Block anarchists and other white brats picking fights with cops. The media gives folks 10 seconds to 2 minutes state their case, because they have to maintain their ratings, and what do you white brats feed them, either a smelly honky wearing a mask screaming and yelling and destroying property, or a honky being arrested.

Like duh, what do you expect the rest of us going to think, when you allow such images to be broadcast on TV?

You knuckleheads need to hire marketing experts to show you how to present yourselves better; or if you don't want to use the "corporate advertisement system" then review the civil rights demonstrations led by Martin Luther King Jr. Notice how those black folks had dignity, grace and class, which persuaded America to start to change it's racial policies.

With kindest regards,

RC of Philadelphia

Actually we do try to use the mass media to spread our messages as much as possible, literally thousands of people have been working at this for months. But you are ignoring the fact that the media is not a disinterested neutral objective observer. They are the large corporations that we are attacking and as a result have a self interest in altering or distorting whatever message we put out. Currently this takes the form of saying that we are too disunited or lack a message or don't have any leaders or we are too violent. Well the more effective we are the worse our media will become because the wealthy investors who own the media certainly don't want to see their power compromised and they are not about to help us do it by announcing our goals and tactics in their media.

It's not us that is turning you off RC, it's that you are receiving your info about us through the very dark lenses of the corporate masters. And as anyone who can remember the days of MLK would probably attest to, i'm sure the media ate him alive too. Of course now he is hailed as a hero because he is dead and his dream is now presented in such a way as to imply that it has already been achieved, thus helping to substantiate the illusion that we have a democratic, healthy society.

Actually we do try to use the mass media to spread our messages as much as possible, literally thousands of people have been working at this for months. But you are ignoring the fact that the media is not a disinterested neutral objective observer. They are the large corporations that we are attacking and as a result have a self interest in altering or distorting whatever message we put out. Currently this takes the form of saying that we are too disunited or lack a message or don't have any leaders or we are too violent. Well the more effective we are the worse our media will become because the wealthy investors who own the media certainly don't want to see their power compromised and they are not about to help us do it by announcing our goals and tactics in their media.

It's not us that is turning you off RC, it's that you are receiving your info about us through the very dark lenses of the corporate masters. And as anyone who can remember the days of MLK would probably attest to, i'm sure the media ate him alive too. Of course now he is hailed as a hero because he is dead and his dream is now presented in such a way as to imply that it has already been achieved, thus helping to substantiate the illusion that we have a democratic, healthy society.

But it is you who are turning the rest of us off.

Either you must tailor your message that makes you look good on the mass media; or you must develop your own multi-billion dollar alternative media, capable of reaching millions instantaneously.

An IMC internet network simply can not reach the masses. Hell, the only reason I discovered that there was an IMC network was during R2K here in Philadelphia, when one of the mass media's web site provided a link to Philly IMC, during the Black Bloc ridiculous confrontation with our Philly Cops and Timoney.

Since you knuckleheads refuse to manage your image with the mass media, since you obviously don't have the millions of dollars necessary to create your own mass media network, and since the rest of us don't even know that an obscure IMC network even exists, and since the the rest of us will never empathize with any group that tolerates picking fights with cops and destroying property, it is inevitable that within a year, your movement will fade away.

All the Best,

RC of Philadelphia

Philly man, you make some good points. But how do you suggest we get the Mass(age) Media to cover our tale. With MLK there were at least a couple favorable items I can think of off the top of my head: a nearly universal (ethnic) group behind him, which had white supporters, and a Northern controlled media which was sympathetic to the Black Southern cause.

What list of 10 concrete steps do you propose?

I see you have analyzed a major weakness of the cause, now how 'bout some solutions as you see them? Gratzie.

Rc, man, you just don't get it do ya? If you aren't part of the solution you are part of the problem. Instead of wasting your time blaming the people who get off their asses to make a difference and using racial slurs why don't YOU get out and change the corporate media. But that would be impossible unless you were rich enough to buy them yourself. They are never going to tell the truth as long as they are pushing their own agenda. I was out in the streets of L.A. and what I saw out there was completely different than what the media actually showed. Just remember, globalization affects you too, don't rely on us to save you, if you disagree with our tactics go form your own group.

CA

The civil rights movement was a totally different situation. King had support from the north, which controlled the mass media. Today, it's a different deal.

First off, we are antagonistic to the corporate media. Second, we don't have a charismatic leader to fixate on, so image management is going to be impossible -- the news likes faces. Third, the crass media is all about spectacles -- when six thousand teachers opted to march *around* the protest areas, the news gave them zero coverage. It's useless to hold completely uneventful gatherings, because they'll only report on things that look interesting, violent, or weird.

Really, what can we do? The mass media is like this impenetrable steel ball. Even well funded, established organizations like Net Day, Jubilee 2000, Greenpeace, etc. have a hard time getting inside that ball. What is this relatively low-budget mass movement going to do?

I think a reasonable strategy is to avoid a frontal confrontation with the mass media. Rather, feed them with spectacles, and keep working at the grassroots. The IMC is all about appropriating the *form* of the media, and delivering a different kind of content. We have to keep working on building an alternative social and technical structure that enables people to avoid the mass media.

Listen, knuckleheads, consider Governer Jesse Ventura.

The mass media ignored him, just as they are now ignoring Ralph Nader. "No way," said the mass media, "that Jesse can prevail over a Democrat or a Republican."

But Jesse was not a spoiled, arrogant white brat like you folks are. He went to the grass roots with a clear, easily understandable message that resonated with many of the rest of us.

Jesse was not a knucklehead like you folks are. Instead of making puppets and figuring out how to pick fights with cops and get arrested; he WORKED WITHIN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM, walked the streets everyday among the grassroots, listening to people, finding out what they really want, and shaping his campaign accordingly. He had a message that rocked, and when the polls showed that the rest of us in Minnesota were listening, the mass media could no longer ignore him.

You young white brats are knuckleheads because you think everything that you think up is brilliant. Well, "SaveTheEarthFreeMumiaGlobalizationBlahBlahBlah" doesn't rock with the rest of us. Bad Firestone Tires or Health Care for All are corporate abuse stuff that rocks with the rest of us.

Again, unless you have billions of dollars to go toe to toe with the mass media and corporate beast, you must either work the system as Jesse did, leveraging good ideas; or you must destroy the system, and since the rest of us are not interested in seeing the system destroyed, we will support the government focussing its entire power (FBI,CIA, military, etc) on infiltrating and destroying you.

But you spoiled white brats who grew up in the suburbs are to lazy and arrogant to do the real work that it takes to reach the rest of us in This is why your movement, your IMC, and the rest of your crap with fade away within the next 12 months.

I remain your most humble servant,

RC of Philadelphia.

It's quite obvious through these comments, RC, that you have no interest in supporting the causes the rest of us have devoted a large portion of our lives to. If you don't agree with us, step off. Just because you can't understand the work we're doing doesn't mean that you need to work harder against us. We will continue the fight, with or without you. You can believe that we will be gone in twelve months if you like, but where will you be when the revolution happens? Who will protect you? What will your response be when this corporate society you've become so accustomed to disintegrates into a crumbly mess? The system you ask us to work with does not work. It may make life very comfortable for the ignorant or the select rich, but the rest of us know what's going on and will not stand for it any more.

You don't have to agree. You don't even have to listen to our plight. But you will not stop us. Nothing can.

The revolution has begun.

Fight on.

Twinkle, you young suburban white knuckleheads don’t have the guts for revolution; you don’t even know what revolution is.

Revolution is George Washington and the founding fathers going to war to free the 13 colonies from English tyranny.

Revolution is Robert E. Lee and his Rebs fighting (and losing the) war with Abe Lincoln’s Union.

Revolution is Lenin overthrowing the Russian Czar; revolution is Mao and Ho Chi Minh freeing their people from Western domination - REVOLUTION IS THE WILLINGNESS TO DIE FOR YOUR CAUSE.

Twinkle, are you and your spoiled suburban young white knuckleheads willing to die for your cause?

I don’t think so; you freak out when our Philly cops and LAPD kick a few butts, pepper-spray you, and jail you for a few days. You would probably go crazy if you didn’t have your MTV-Napster-MP3 -cell phones and-Internet things.

Your only alternative is to grow up, and figure out tactics that enables you to use the mass media and political system to persuade the rest of us that you have a point.

Otherwise, you’re just a bunch of silly white kids playing with puppets.

Revolution is going to a protest knowing the LAPD may bash you head in for speaking your mind.

Revolution is not letting race or demographics decide your fate.

Revolution is standing up to corporations that have bought our souls from the governement for a profit big enough to feed millions of people.

Revolution is not letting people like you talk us out of fighting for what we believe in.

I am not a spoiled white kid. I did not grow up in suburbia. I do not watch mtv, have a cell phone or need to grow up.

You have so many ideas about what i, and millions of people like me, are doing wrong. What are you doing to change the world?

Twinkle, you young suburban white knuckleheads don’t have the guts for revolution; you don’t even know what revolution is.

Revolution is George Washington and the founding fathers going to war to free the 13 colonies from English tyranny.

Revolution is Robert E. Lee and his Rebs fighting (and losing the) war with Abe Lincoln’s Union.

Revolution is Lenin overthrowing the Russian Czar; revolution is Mao and Ho Chi Minh freeing their people from Western domination - REVOLUTION IS THE WILLINGNESS TO DIE FOR YOUR CAUSE.

Twinkle, are you and your spoiled suburban young white knuckleheads willing to die for your cause?

I don’t think so; you freak out when our Philly cops and LAPD kick a few butts, pepper-spray you, and jail you for a few days. You would probably go crazy if you didn’t have your MTV-Napster-MP3 -cell phones and-Internet things.

Your only alternative is to grow up, and figure out tactics that enables you to use the mass media and political system to persuade the rest of us that you have a point.

Otherwise, you’re just a bunch of silly white kids playing with puppets.

Random observations:

1) Some people, the "Uncle Toms" (black or white) of today, will always side with the power structure no matter how vicious, law-breaking or insane. This could be out of fear (perecvied self-preservation tactic) or yearning to be PART of the power structure in any small or large way they can. It's a way to share crumbs of glory from one's own oppressors. This explains regular, human people becoming police, for one thing.

2) The corporate media learned what NOT to do through the days of Martin Luther King, Jr., Integration and the Viet Nam situation. Never Again will this institution make the mistake of informing the public of what's going on if there is the remotest chance that it will have negative effect on Bizness Uber Alles.

Firestone tires? Yeah...wonderful. One might actually believe there is an independent Regulatory System working for the public out there. Hint: when some things get out of the bag despite the best efforts of corporate media...the tactic is to Roll With It and to pretend to be in opposition to whatever corporate misdeed happened. This works well to absolutely minimize negative effects on the bizness world. Note how few times, if any, the "concerned" media touched the notion that Firestone etc tires were faulty products because of a)downsizing, b) cheaper materials, c) a legitimately disgruntled work-force and d) a grotesquely paid-off, intentionally-incompetant gov't regulatory system. Ah...but we will soon be merrilly rolling along on more highways, using more oil, more cars, more "growth" and so forth with New Improved Safer tires. Swell.

Similarly, the media "attacks" on "Big Tobacco" SEEM like they are on Our Side...until one realizes that the topic of industrial toxins, carcinogens, fire-starting chemicals and many hundreds of untested non-tobacco ingredients are exempt from scrutiny...as is the inconvenient fact that our top health insurance firms are huge investors in the cigarette manufacturers and cig ingredients suppliers and tobacco pesticide makers (Big Oil and Big Pharmaceuticals)...and that the "anti-smoking" officials are virtually all greatly funded by none other than these cig investment/insurance and ingredients operations. A PUBLIC media would have worked to protect us from far more than "sinful" tobacco plants.

All in all...the protests worked fine and dandy. The Police State all over the place is frantic to know what to do next. If it cracks down the way US funded, armed and supported foreign authoritarian states do it...the propaganda about the US being a "democracy" will be cracked wide open leading, perhaps, to the REAL revolution against this system. Bad for Business. If the Police State is too gentle and law-abiding...well, the protester's messages will spread wider and wider. What a dilemma.

One solution that IS on the table is to "crack down" on the Internet...which is what Gore,Lieberman and Bush are about with this "violence in media" garbage and the stuff abut "protecting the kids" from dirty pictures etc. This has Government Control of the Internet pasted all over its face. Other tactics for control of the population abound. Seat belt laws? For "safety" of course...but conveniently this is route towards cop stops of just about anyone they want w/out a belt. Kids' Smoking? Who could complain about that...until you note that it allows cops to check in on anyone who "they believe" looks under-age...maybe up to age 27 or so...if seen with a cig. Gun control? Right. As if the US gov't, the biggest weapons producer and USER in the world cares about shootings. It knows people don't like shootings though, especially those seen nightly on corporate TV, and this works. One suspects that the conincidence that gun control programs also disarm potential revolutionaries is not far off their minds...if not the priority. No thoughts, of course, about eliminating CAUSES of revolutionary thinking. That's bad for business too.

Corporate media know full well that uninformed folks LIKE to be associated with "safety" and "wholesomeness" and they go for it. Who can be against safety and protection?...(with zip being done to protect anyone from Corporate/gov't crime). Works every time. Pure patronizing fascism.

RC,

By your logic, since i'm not white or suburban, I have the guts to fight and die for revolution.

Newsflash asshole: I'm already fighting. I'm already dying. Everyday I go to prison. Everyday i'm beat down by your lovable cops and soldiers. Everyday I work for nothing.

I'm everywhere.

I'm strong.

I'm tired of asking.

I'm tired of living off the shit of your empire.

I've been fighting you my whole life. My people died fighting you. And we're still here. Your glorius system couldn't rub us out with the best weapons your science had to offer. We've fought you with nothing - and we'll outlive you with nothing. On a comedic side note, its all your culture will leave us.

You're a participant in the system. You are guilty. You get off on antagonizing the meek. You're a coward.

So hear this. The revolution is raging on every street I walk down. Stay the fuck outta my way.

Listen Knuckleheads... I have been trying to persuade you to think through in detail how you intend to effectively counter the corporation/mass media/Democrat-Republican complex.

So far this is the plan that has been proposed in this dialogue between I, who represent the rest of us, and you knuckleheads:

Watchdog: Callthose who oppose the revolution Uncle Toms craving safety and wholesomeness.

Twinkle: Put on a puppet or mask and provoke a cop who is armed with pepperspray, teargas, nightsticks, rubber bullets, get arrested, and practice jail solidarity .

Watchdog: Overwhelm the complex with a million words telling the complex that deep down inside, the complex must be shaking in fear.

Revenge: Tell complex how pissed off he is.

I find it amazing that you young suburban spoiled white brats are so arrogant that you can't imagine that the complex is thinking that you are like insects - you leave a big mess on the windshield of the car, but not-to-worry, a quick car wash will remove your remains.

So I ask again: if you are not going to work within the political process and figure out how to get the mass media to broadcast your message, how are you going to stop the corporate complex and not end up as roadkill in the process?

With kindest regards,

RC of Philadelphia

RC,

I find it difficult to believe that you are actually interested in anything any of us have to say. I'm quite confused at why you would bother to continue your dialog with us knowing you have already decided what and who we are.

Nevertheless, I have an answer for your last question.

Our plan, simply put, is to educate and inform the unenlightened public. To give people an understanding of what is really going on in the world and what and who the "leaders" of this country are. Protests, like the DNC, are a good way to do this because the media (corporate and otherwise) are already there and prepared. The fact that they give the general population misguided information about the protests is unfortunate. However, there are people intelligent enough to see that we care enough about the many issues we are fighting for to put ourselves in the line of fire. Those people will look into what happened here. Those people will join our struggle. Our struggle will change the world.

You are obviously not one of those people.

But just in case I'm wrong, here are just a few links to help you inform yourself:

http://www.iacenter.org/

http://www.lalabor.org/

http://www.directactionnetwork.org/

www.thepartyisover.org

www.corporatewatch.org

http://iisd1.iisd.ca/pcdf/

http://www.grassrootsla.org/

http://www.zmag.org/CrisesCurEvts/Globalism/GlobalEcon.htm

http://www.ufenet.org/

http://www.proactivist.com/

Open your mind.

The revolution has already begun.

Come on, Twinkle, give us details.

Perhaps my calling you and your friends knuckleheads is enraging you out of clear and deep thinking; so I will dispense with the insults, fine young friend.

Of course, I am provoking continuation of this dialog, because I am very interested in figuring how you intend to change things.

The fact is: in every community everywhere in America, people elect politicians to run political matters. If you choose to reject the political system (instead of figuring out how to work within the political system, as Jesse Ventura did), what method of governing are you proposing that convinces the rest of us to do things your way instead of voting for mayors, city councilmen, governors, senators and president.

You fine, but naïve, young people, talk about the masses; yet it is the masses that keep politicians in power by their voting (or lack of voting). No politician can hold power, unless he or she is voted into office. Corporations may fund political campaigns, but the masses are the ones in the booths voting.

You say you want a real democracy, where the masses have real power. So explain to me what political system are you proposing that replaces the present system that the rest of us are apparently trapped in.

Lets not get lazy here, Twinkle, by asking me to search the WEB for your political thought. You are the advocate of your opinions, it is your job to think through your ideas, and to explain it in a way that persuades the rest of us to take you seriously.

Details, Twinkle, details - please no more nonsense about your puppets and your confrontation with cops on the street.

All the best, my fine young friend,

RC of Philadelphia

My planned actions, personally, are to first find out as much information as I can about the dozens, if not hundreds of issues facing my society. Second, to inform everyone around me about those issues. Third, petition locally and nationally for those issues, become actively involved in neighborhood forums, investigate/campaign/vote for strong leaders in county, city, state, and national offices that understand the struggle and concerns of MY society and have plans on how to change those situations. Fourth, make sure that all of my opponents, be they corporations, government officials or 'the rest' of society know my objections and are aware that I have every intention of making these issues known either peacefully in marches or otherwise.

This, of course, is simply an overview and quite vague description of what I plan to do (and am in the process of doing). The kind of detail you request is not mine to give you. I do not have concrete plans on who to replace current officials with (although I can say I will be voting for Ralph Nader for president and believe he is the first candidate who has good ideas on how to deal with issues facing most of the country). I don't have a proposal on what needs to be done in order to remove corporations from the controlling power of the world. I am not running for office. I just want to see things change. I'm tired of this plastic and somewhat invasive world in which we've been brainwashed into living. I will no longer accept that I am required to work 40 or more hours a week to help some corporation make millions while i can barely get by. I will not give in to corporate culture. My life is worth more to me than that. I want to do something more than simply live, and I deserve the freedom to do so.

Then there's the problem of dealing with the shit left over from years of corruption and evil that's been heaped upon my generation. Trying to pick up the pieces of environmental and economic disaster that has devastated millions of acres of land and entire races of peoples. I don't know if you were aware, but the middle class is basically non-existent today. Oppression is rampant. People have been putting up with this shit because that's what they've been told they have to do. I say, 'No more'. I will not be beat into submission.

I've been told too many times that this is how things are. Fuck that. Things are this way, but they don't have to be. I am not happy, and my government is supposed to work for me, not against me. The reason I say the system doesn't work is because it is no longer a system for the people, it's a system for profit.

You likened us to insects. One insect is a nuisance, yes, but one million insects will kill you.

And RC, I did not bring up puppets or confrontations with police, you did that on your own.

Power to the people.

I apologize, Twinkle, for calling you a knucklehead; you have obviously begun to think deeply on how you wish to live your life. Indeed, your declaration that you will not live a materialistic life foisted by corporations suggests that there is a spiritual nature residing within your heart.

So, your intention to vote for Ralph Nader, who is my contemporary (yes I am a 50-something person) means that you are willing to work the political system to your advantage - so lets talk politics.

Right now, the polls say less than 10% of Americans who intend to vote will vote for your man. But did you know that in 1996, barely 50% of voting age Americans voted? That means that Clinton was elected by only a little over 25% of voting age Americans.

Twinkle, you say you will remain engaged in advocating your views either peacefully or otherwise. Take my advice, don’t even think about doing “otherwise” ; because otherwise will result in the system literally killing you or jailing you, for forcing you to leave this country - just as in my generation, the Ohio National Guard killed students at Kent State in 1970, and police throughout America killed Black Panthers and other black militants.

If you want revolution, do it peacefully, by putting in the sweat and time to reach those nearly 50 percent of Americans who don’t vote. Your last comments were quite eloquent, politically - you may have the knack for political organizing. Imagine you young folks going out among the masses persuading these non-voters (that the corporation/mass media/Democrat-Republican complex are ignoring) to vote for Nader and the other causes that you young folks care about. Now that’s REAL revolution, not puppet making.

Stay true, young friend,

RC of Philadelphia

RC --

I read through this entire dialogue, and I'm glad to see toward the end here that you've dropped the "knucklehead" lingo and that you and Twinkle are starting to find some common ground.

I am working on the Nader campaign. I am working very hard, I am constantly exhausted, and I love what I am doing, wouldn't trade it for the world because I know Nader is the best candidate we've had in my lifetime. I guarantee you I will be working through the system to promote positive change. And to be specific, by "positive change" I mean change that makes society more equitable, more fair, and more sustainable for the long haul. The risks of doing nothing are too great: the profit motive, if left to its own devices, will turn this planet into a dried husk and make wage slaves of everyone it can enshackle. Resistance is necessary, and where it can be found within the system, it should be sought out.

Unfortunately there are a lot of blockades that have been erected to creating change systematically. Our government has been on a trend of cozying up to companies, protecting them with legislation from both regulation and taxation. And meanwhile, our corporations have become more distant by becoming multinational (and thereby escaping the purview of any one country -- and international law is a joke), and creating their own regulatory bodies, like the WTO and the WEC, which are designed only to insure these companies' profitability.

I ask you this, RC: if our political system no longer has the cohones to stand up to these corporations, then who does? Shall we petition them with prayer? What do YOU have in mind?

I will fight for the rights of common citizens, not just in this country but in all of our globalized world, with an eye toward positive results. If this can be done within the system, I am all for it; I hope it is, and that is why I am actively participating in electoral politics. If not, then we must seek redress in other ways. I am a pacifist, and so I will always seek nonviolent solutions. But if I am directly threatened, I will strike to save myself.

I don't think that electoral solutions, and those that can be strongarmed through a physical presence in the streets, are mutually exclusive. One thing, however, is certain, in either case: you must be (not sound, but BE) more reasonable than your opponent, or the masses will not agree with you. On this point, we agree.

You are mistaken to tar all the people in the street with the same brush, and I believe you do so only because you're swallowing what the media fed you. The Black Bloc is what they say it is; it is also less than one percent of the people who are taking to the streets. Before you judge what's going on at these demonstrations, go have a look for yourself. You clearly have an interest, so be brave and check out the next demonstration in your area.

Lastly, I ask you to remember what civil disobedience has done before to effect change: you've mentioned MLK glowingly, but he has some great company, like the Anti-War movement that ran concurrently to the Civil Rights movement, the resistance of H.D. Thoreau, Rosa Parks, Julia Butterfly (a treesitter), and perhaps the most impressive example ever of civil resistance, Gandhi's satyagraha movement in India, which kicked Britain out without firing a shot.

This movement isn't disciplined enough yet to resist in a manner so eloquent; nor is it yet inspired enough by the enormity of its enemy, or experienced enough to understand how this enemy can be brought to its knees. But the movement can learn; and when it does, when it learns to focus, when it learns to speak reasonably and let the powers that be display their unreasonableness in their response to us -- then shall we overcome.

Yours in the Struggle,

-- D

The political system, D, is the masses voting for politicians.

If the masses are informed, they will vote for the right people; but if the masses are not well informed, or are frightened, they will vote for the wrong person.

It is your duty to advocate your views so that the rest of us are persuaded to your point of view. If the rest of us do not get it right, then you must persist in trying to persuade us, even if it takes 10 to 20 years. As long as the political system allows everyone to vote, you have no other alternative, not even "strongarmed physical presence on the streets."

The main reason why I persisted in calling some of you knuckleheads is because you have no sense of history. You're young, you're idealistic, you're fervent in your views - yet you become confused, you assume that the logic and rightness of your viewpoint should be sufficient.

Not true.



I was a young person in 1968 in the midst of the Vietnam War. MLKjr and Bobby Kennedy were assasinated, and how did the masses vote in 1968?

They voted for Richard Nixon, Nixon became our president, because the masses were upset more over the race riots and the pot-smoking anti-war extremists who picked fights with cops, and detonated bombs on college campuses - then they were upset over the Vietnam War and racism.

In 1970, college students were shot dead by police and the national guard (Kent State). Nixon was re-elected in 1972 and the masses supported the cops; just as this summer, our Police Commissioner Timoney became heroes to most Philadelphians. The Vietnam war ended during the 5th year of Nixon's presidency, after he had dropped bombs on Cambodia. Our direct action did not end the Vietnam war or get rid of Nixon - the Communist military victory and Watergate did it.

Again, I say, your only option is using strategy and tactics to work within political system, educating the rest of us to vote differently. Being impatient with the political system will simply cause the rest of us to turn against you; just as the masses in the late 1960s and 70s turned against us and toward Nixon.

Be patient, work hard, and persuade us.

RC of Philadelphia

RC --

Firstly, it is my responsibility to advocate my views, which I have done for you. But it is OUR responsibility (yeah, YOU too!) to leave this world a better place than the way it was when we entered into it. And 10 to 20 years is nothing to me ... I'm in it for the long haul, and while I can't predict the future, I have no plans to "sell out." You know what I mean.

Secondly, I've already learned your history lesson, and I don't appreciate your presumption that I am ignorant to history, especially American history. I think I learned something from that particular period that maybe you haven't, which is that, contrary to your thesis, street protests did have an effect on American foreign policy. Nixon tried to keep Cambodia operations hush-hush in no small part because he feared the reaction it would provoke in the streets. When news of our expanded operations leaked, they were the prime inspiration for the Kent State protests and subsequent massacre. In his memoirs, Nixon referred to this day as "the darkest day of my Presidency." No effect, eh?

Tell the people of India that civil resistance is ineffective. Or: explain to me how I am "confused" about the effectiveness of civil resistance in that particular scenario. Or wait: is it YOU that has some reading to do?

Thirdly, I am more than happy to educate the masses about how they are being double-screwed by our corporatized plutocracy. You buy the airtime, I'll deliver the message. Or better yet: remind the American public that they OWN the airwaves, via the FCC, who grants licenses (rentals) to the corporate media networks which bombard us with advertisements; and that they should petition our Government to return the property of its citizens to the purview of its citizens. Or at least charge rent, or at least demand that our Media serve the public good, as more far-sighted leaders

did some eighty years ago.

RC, if you want to go toe to toe on American history with me, be my guest.

But since you will probably reply with the same line you've used over and over, that I must work within existing channels of political communication, then let me ask you this, to pre-empt your predictable response: isn't that what Ralph Nader is doing now? I submit that his arguments are more reasonable, more cogent than Gore's or Bush's; that they hold more sway with the general populace; that he is more convincing, more persuasive, than either of his opponents. So why is he polling at less than five percent? Why can't the best man win?

RC, you need to realize that there is no such thing as objective media. This, what you're reading right now, is slanted by my own biases, my own preferences. When you reply, your reply will be colored by your own experiences. And what you see on CNN, what you read in the New York Times, what you read anywhere or hear from anyone, carries with it its own baggage. We approach objectivity, but we never reach it. That either belongs to God, or it doesn't exist at all, depending on what you believe. I personally opt for the former.

Here's a challenge for you: flip through the channels on your TV set. Watch carefully. Hopefully you have cable, this will magnify the effect. What do you see? I want you to really look at what you're seeing, with fresh eyes, like a man out of time, seeing this display for the first time. I've already marred the results of this experiemnt with my own rhetoric, but just humor me. Watch carefully, and please let me know what you've observed.

-- D

D, here's why Nader is only at 5%:

Either his views either do not resonate with Americans yet; or the masses, having heard Nader, rejects his views. In either case, remains your duty to do the door to door campaigning, using tactics that are pleasing to the masses, so that the masses can begin to realize that they are suckled to a corporate/mass media/Democrat-Republican "Matrix".

Jesse Ventura of Minnesota did that, and was able to force the Matrix to deal with him on his terms, and you must do the same. Jesse was not making puppets, and picking fights with cops, and, confusing people with a thousand wants and desires, and smashing windows if they don't get their way - that's what children do.

Actually, I have taken the Pepsi test, that's why I'm fascinated by this IMC network; I agree with you that most of the stuff we see on TV is inane. But you must agree with me that the tactics that most people on IMC are advocating are not working.

Seattle has taught the corporate/mass media/Democrat-Republican Matrix how to better neutralize your cause. In Seattle, you had 60,000 people on the streets. At R2K here in Philadelphia no demonstration exceeded 4,000 people, and I hear that the numbers of protesters were of the similar magnitude at D2K.

The Sydney IMC reports that only 100 people showed up protesting the Olympics. The Prague IMC reports that Czech customs people are turning away foreign protesters at their borders (no doubt our Philly cops and other law enforcement agencies are emailing blacklists throughout the world).

Here in Philly, the movement is now bogged down in "jail solidarity" and "court solidarity" - they are spending these next 2 critical months dealing with criminal charges, trying to clog up the court system, instead of spending these next 2 monthes on the streets of Philly convincing us to vote for Nader.

You have to agree with me that you need a change in tactics, if you want to persuade the rest of us.

With kindest regards,

RC of Philadelpha

RC --

It is frustrating trying to have a dialogue with you, and if you refuse to address my questions head on, returning instead to your same 'ol same 'ol, then I will withdraw from this dialogue, which I'd hoped would start to blossom, instead of shrivel up.

I am getting really tired of your telling me what my duty is, what I have to do, what I must do. RC, I am already doing this, and I told you that. Yesterday I bought a portable table and chair, and today I'm going down to the grocery store to register voters. What are YOU going to do? I insist on an answer to this question, or this conversation is over.

You also dodged completely what I said about American history and about satyagraha in India. Reply specifically to these questions also, or this conversation is over.

You're right when you say that "Jesse was not making puppets, and picking fights with cops, and, confusing people with a thousand wants and desires, and smashing windows if they don't get their way." Guess what, RC? I'M NOT DOING THAT EITHER. The only people who WERE doing that comprised LESS THAN ONE PERCENT of the protesters. Your repetitive responses are making me repetitive. That is useless for both of us. Please CONSIDER what I'm saying and then respond ... or as far as I'm concerned, you're as childish as a teenage anarchist.

My time is valuable, RC. I am trying to converse with you, but if you want to be a broken record, then I ain't playing.

And RC, I don't HAVE to agree with you. Has it occured to you that maybe YOU haven't persuaded ME? Has it also occured to you that maybe you DON'T speak for the masses? (It's okay. No one really does. Please refer to previous indications about the failures of "objectivity.")

Nonetheless, I will defend to the death your right to disagree with me. That's a little bastardized Voltaire, for you. Now please, no more dogmatic replies, or ... buh-bye. I'm off, now, to participate in democracy.

See you at the polls,

-- D

D, I think we are in agreement that working the political system is the only way to make changes in America. Our only disagreement is on political philosopy, you back Nader, I back Gore. Thus I think our conversation has come to and end. So you try to convince the masses to vote for Nader, while I work for Gore, and may the better man win. And heaven help us if Bush wins.

Enjoy,

RC of Philadelphia

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR DNC PHOTOS

http://www.fortunecity.com/classification/topsites/English/fcpopup.html?tlx