This is from last week, but its more relevant now than ever. On the one hand, the divergence between the economic level, lifestyle, complexion, social connections, and goals of the state and federal legislature and those of the American people are great enough, our infrastructure is crumbling enough, and our youths prospects are bleak enough that all three branches of the American Government might as well be following some Bloody Revolution pinterest recipe. On the other hand, there is simply no way that an American revolution happens in a way that isnt much, much bloodier and race-based and violent than what has been happening in Europe. The people who would be the most cohesive, the best armed, and have the best shot at winning power through a show of arms are, well, the people who already have the governments positive attention. And the inherent destruction of civil infrastructure would kinda defeat most of the point of a revolution. Unfortunately, the other model that we generally see in action is the Russian model - the one where civil degradation, brutalist governance, blatant oligarchy, and naked aggression become so omnipresent as to give the illusion of inevitability. And so rather than joining together and standing up for themselves using the civic weaponry they still have, people become embittered and isolated and cower in their rooms, ignoring the best they can the muffled screams from the other room. It doesnt have to be this way. France, Spain, Indonesia, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and even Venezuela have shown us that there is a path that allows for fundamental chance without the collapse of governance. We still have time to save us from our darker eventualities. For now, for most of us, our votes still matter. To the degree that the Democrats promise of protection from bigoted, plundering thugs was ever real, it clearly has failed us. We need to spend these next two years building connections, building resources, developing a platform of set of broadly compatible platforms, and crowdfunding to send challengers from the left across the country, at both state and federal levels. We need to do more than vote, we need to run, and to give up on the deadly myth of the lesser of two evils. Like an Octavia Butler character, we do need to run. But not toward the borders: toward the capitols.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 20:01:43 +0000
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