Millions of people hit the streets seven years ago, across the world, to protest the coming invasion of Iraq by U.S. forces. Tea parties (and now coffee parties) seem to be popping up everywhere, and this weekend will see a large-scale march for immigration reform. Just Thursday, Lt. Dan Choi and others marched on the White House for a repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell.
Public protest isn't dead, but those are only a few people in a huge population that suffers all sorts of indignities regularly. Our military budget is outlandish and our freedoms are regularly taken away. What have we traded these for, and why don't more people join the protests? We ask John Kampfner, author of Freedom for Sale, and Vince Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights.
Why aren’t people in the streets?
- Where there is no vision… the people perish (no leadership)
- Battered wife syndrome… 8 years of Bush followed by gross incompetence (Senate), outrage and economic fears
- Americans aren’t informed (consolidated, corporate media)
- Those who blindly followed Bush over the cliff are still trying to get their bearings. Those who didn’t follow him are burned out. Everyone else isn’t paying attention.
Suggestion… Establish a community that creates, airs entertaining, informational ads …ads that help people identify the good, the bad and the ugly in our society. …Because people don’t know who to trust.
By Cornhusker on March 19th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Some thoughts
To some degree, I agree with the Kampfner thought that people don’t feel attacked enough. It’s not completely true, but so often it takes immediate outrage or fear to get people out. There are few marches against police brutality, UNTIL someone is killed. The immigrants rights movement skyrocketed in size and strength because of the two fronts of the civilian fascist Minuteman Project and the horrific legislation that had been passed in the House at the time. But both instances are examples that contradict Kampfner’s claim that people don’t hit the streets for fear. Certainly it has its impacts, as I recall plenty of Arab/South Asian/Muslim demonstrations against the war or deportations that were called off after government intimidation.
Warren makes a great point- the freedom of speech and freedom of dissent distinction. He didn’t much get to flesh it out, but I gather his meaning.
There are also some very good contradictions and failed opportunities mentioned that I hope organizers will pay attention and I know some of them analyze that the guests mention.
By criticiseafterdinner on March 22nd, 2010 at 5:27 pm
[...] http://www.grittv.org/2010/03/19/trading-freedom-for-security/ There are few marches against police brutality, UNTIL someone is killed. FrameType: Death-CauseKilled Sentence: There are few marches against police brutality, UNTIL someone is killed. Trigger : CiceroFrameTrigger: “killed” — mod:[] trailing: null isNominal: false (DECEASED) : UNTIL someone – (someone) [...]
By Deaths (Evention) « Extractiv on March 30th, 2010 at 10:49 pm