General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumswhat's your breaking point to take action?
http://www.nationofchange.org/what-s-your-breaking-point-take-action-1371309251When Edward Snowden reached his breaking point, the world saw the truth about the vast extent of spying by the NSA on Americans and people around the world. In an act of conscience, Snowden released secret information, saying My sole motive is to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them.
Snowden sparked protest, lawsuits, criticism of the administration and US intelligence. His action shows the power that comes when someone inside the system break ranks and tells the truth. Successful movements depend on people breaking ranks: questioning, demurring, disobeying, defecting and withdrawing support. As Ken Butigan writes in Waging Nonviolence, the impact can start a metamorphosis for all of us:
the individual conscientious objector, the abstainer, and the resister the one who, as Gandhi said, pits ones whole soul against the will of a tyrant. Not only do the Edward Snowdens of the world help the rest of us see more clearly the realities we are up against in this case, the institutionalization of unfettered, massive data collection on and profiling of the population they can shock us into realizing that part of our job description as human beings is our obligation to withdraw our passive or active consent from such policies.
What is your breaking point? This is the question we must all ask ourselves, especially those who have not yet taken action. As whistleblower Sibel Edmonds wrote this week, the inaction and apathy of people is our greatest enemy: Apathy is a must ingredient for any police state, authoritarian regime, dictatorship, for abuses of power, for corruption, national atrocities, genocide. . . .
pscot
(21,030 posts)The millenials are inheriting a huge mess. The Boomers have wrecked the planet, gutted the economy and sold government to the highest bidder. They've militarized the country and put us on a permanent war footing. People like Snowden and Bradley Manning aren't buying it. I'd like to believe thay are habingers of a generational sea change
JW2020
(169 posts)Oh this is going to be interesting. I agree though, Boomers still live in that pie in the sky false American Dream world constructed by Madison Ave. I really think that a majority of this country's warmongering and deathcult foreign policy attitude is due to Boomer mentality. Think about it. Their fathers won the one "noble war", World War II then their sons go out and try to win one for good old dad in Vietnam and fail miserably. That failure has guided the public's attitude toward war for the last 40 years. Boomers not being able to live up to their fathers expectations. That whole generation still harps about Vietnam, they still try to turn it into some valiant fight, that they didn't lose, the country lost the war because we didn't get behind the valiant soldiers fighting the communist menace. That POW/MIA flag? Bullshit propaganda, there were no POW in Vietnam after the war. Hippies spitting on returning troops? Bullshit. How did hippies get onto air force bases to spit on returning troops.
http://www.cracked.com/article_20461_5-lies-about-vietnam-war-you-probably-believe.html
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)That was a sore point between H Ross Perot and the old Bush.
That myth is a militarist message system used to divide the electorate--and make sales for the aerospace companies.
napoleon_in_rags
(3,992 posts)All the communist socialist narratives about the right (when the cold war has been over for decades) all the "damn hippy" type stuff which is this weird emulation of a father figure's behavior in a social conflict that really no longer exists. (Its now 40 years since the advent of punk rock, hippes are older still) And yes, the Pie in the sky American Dream which the numbers say has no relevance to the new low income reality. This all is there. So when you say that this past fixation could be driving policy, I believe it.
JW2020
(169 posts)I still hear many of them refer to the Vietnamese people in derogatory terms.
loli phabay
(5,580 posts)Then you are going to hold a grudge, on both sides. There are still people who wont buy japanese cars etc.
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)$250 donation: Paul for President
This NOC article is fu--d from the first sentence
xchrom
(108,903 posts)Kolesar
(31,182 posts)has nothing to do with my post
nashville_brook
(20,958 posts)MNBrewer
(8,462 posts)and a "narcissist personality disorder" guy, and a bad neighbor.
William769
(55,783 posts)loli phabay
(5,580 posts)If its taking to the woods and fighting or mounting a suicide bombing then i would hope the point is a far reach.
CakeGrrl
(10,611 posts)Have some people have done other than lob "True Believer" bombs on DU?
Sirveri
(4,517 posts)All of us, not the 'millenials', not the 'gen x'ers', not the 'boomers' or any of those other BS terms.
Want change, threaten peoples ability to survive, and they will fight for change. They'll fight to the death, because that's what will happen if they lose.
struggle4progress
(119,487 posts)Don't wait
ileus
(15,396 posts)I'll keep voting to assure only people from our side are in power, that will assure their side can't abuse my information.