A political epiphany: My march on Washington

[Triple Nine]

I now go to Howard university and marched on Washington yesterday. I believe by and large it was a success due to the strong leftist message of the protesters, but there were problems. I didn't experience any police bothering me or anyone I saw or knew but I did see the speaker.

http://www.thenation.com/blog/175890/se ... z2d1uATTLI

The flaws were due to not enough pressure of the protesters on those who represent us and the people in our party. VOTING IS NOT ENOUGH. Every American needs to get up and start protesting to demand change. If there were 100,000 people in Washington who organized without any big help and said they wouldn't leave until we stopped corporate wars and foreign policy that would be a start some changes. If you are one f those people who are not in the 0.001% of super wealthy people you need to be organizing voter registration on some of your free time and protest. As long as we are complacent and people who are downtrodden rather listen to Souja Boy and Nicki Minaj instead of getting politically active nothing will change. This was an experience for me and I will try and be politically involved as much as possible while I'm in DC for college. That is what I learned from my first political rally.

[stromboli]

There is good news. The demographic favoring white conservatives is almost gone. The moral majority of yore is now a minority, and becoming more so. Activism among black Americans and Latinos can't help but make an impact, because the numbers are larger every day. Trayvon Martin happened in a state where white conservatism still rules, but it won't forever. If you are lucky, in your life time you may see major changes in this country.

[Colanth]

The flaws were due to not enough pressure of the protesters on those who represent us and the people in our party. VOTING IS NOT ENOUGH. Every American needs to get up and start protesting to demand change. If there were 100,000 people in Washington who organized without any big help and said they wouldn't leave until we stopped corporate wars and foreign policy that would be a start some changes.

If you've been following the happenings in North Carolina, you'd know what the probable outcome of that would be.  We've had "Moral Monday" in Raleigh (the state capitol) for a while now; people gathering on Monday to protest some of the screwing the government's been giving us.  They just arrest the protestors.

Look back to the 60s, and you'll see that the same thing happened.  Hoses, dogs, arrests (and worse).

Eventually something may happen as a result of protests.  It did in 1964 - after 9 years of protests and murder.  Don't expect a few protests on the Mall to bring about any quick changes, though.  If anything changes quickly, it'll be because it's been in the works for years.  Unfortunately, I see it going the other way.  The Republicans are drowning and, like any drowning victim, they'll do anything to stay alive.  I see more stolen elections.  I see 2000 and 2004 looking like a little naughtiness by comparison with what's coming.  I hope I'm totally wrong, but I fear I'm not.

[Triple Nine]

I know change will not come quickly. Im willing to fight for the rest of my life if necessary. We need to be persistent, even if it takes 30 years. Sitting at home just to lose hope isn't the way. We must fight, no matter how long.

[billhilly]

The redneck, jaysus republicans may be on the endangered species list but remember that the hippies protesting in the 60's are now pretty sure we need to bomb Syria for some reason or another, haven't closed Gitmo, are in charge of the NSA, and either work for are in bed with BOA and Goldman Sachs.  
   
I really wish it were as easy as getting rid of the evil party or speaking a little truth to power and stickin it to the man.  The rot is deep in all manner of government and the ties with corporations transcend party affiliation.

[aitm]

It is obvious that protesters, by and large, protest because they have a need to, or a want to. The hippies of old are now invested, watching what little stocks or savings they have, more concerned with their tomorrow than yours. They know it as well, that they are now their parents of 30 years ago. As you will be yours in time. The youth protest because they can, when the middle aged start, then the revolution will begin.

[Colanth]

It is obvious that protesters, by and large, protest because they have a need to, or a want to. The hippies of old are now invested, watching what little stocks or savings they have, more concerned with their tomorrow than yours. They know it as well, that they are now their parents of 30 years ago.

We're also too jaded, too achy and, in many cases, too "don't give a crap any more".  We fought "America, love it or leave it" when we had fight in us.  Now it's your turn to fight "America, love it and let us ruin it".

[Triple Nine]

There weren't as many hippies as one might believe, just as the modern nerd/lefty culture (which comes in different forms that is hard to describe quickly) is not the majority. The majority are people who watch reality TV. Fighting the good fight requires more people to be motivated, not necessarily a case of liberals becoming conservative when they get older.

[Smartmarzipan]

There weren't as many hippies as one might believe, just as the modern nerd/lefty culture (which comes in different forms that is hard to describe quickly) is not the majority. The majority are people who watch reality TV. Fighting the good fight requires more people to be motivated, not necessarily a case of liberals becoming conservative when they get older.

We're all too comfortable in our lives to do anything about the injustices that happen all around us. "Oh, well, it's not really affecting me" and all that jazz. People need to realize that that is not the problem. It's a slippery slope. Give an inch and they take a foot, but not enough people care as long as they can sit down on their couches, order a pizza, and watch Duck Dynasty. Motivating people to give that up is surprisingly hard to do.