What have you done to overthrow your government today?

[Tricky]

Inspired by another post.

Today I walked past a police officer without saying hi. A far cry from a riot, I know, but I'm working on it. I'm also thinking about decorating a brick.

So, what of the thwarting?

[fable]

You mean, as in protesting against Mainland China for attempting to kill off the entire nation of Tibet? Or Russia, for allowing their Army to turn Chechyna into a private whorehouse/torture chamber with free withdrawals, anytime? Or the US, for invading a sovreign nation and killing what some estimate at more than 500,000 inhabitants?

Overthrowing governments starts with small gestures, like these. Becoming involved instead of sitting back and being too clever to get involved.

[Curdis]

Join Amnesty International and start writing letters.

Being rude to your local cop is completely ineffective. They may think exactly what you do.

I've been a rebel soldier my entire life. If there was a demo, a rally, an activity, adjet prop theatre I was there. I've probably sung more protest songs sincerely than an entire planet could bear to hear. Amount of good actually done ->0.00000000000371.

Amnesty gets results. It lacks the high of the moment and the press of the crowd, but it eventually gets the job done. - Curdis !

[Magrus]

*whistles* Seeing as that the prince of darknesses company was already attempting to get through my firewall....I'll just say, nothing that won't be on the news eventually. That, and I did discuss the deterioration of the United States of America with my uncle who is a disgruntled, retired Army officer after dinner today. I think I'm getting drunk with him and laughing when this place goes to hell in the near future.

[Chimaera182]

Save me a seat.

[dragon wench]

Curdis is right,
Amnesty gets huge results, as do organisations like MSF, The Stephen Lewis Foundation, and any number of others I could think of.

I too have done my share of participating in demonstrations, rallies, vigils... you name it. I suspect the only thing it ever truly achieved was giving me a sense of community with fellow travelers.
Similarly, I've done my share of rebelling against authority figures. But that does even less than being a part of legitimate public protest.

It is far, far more effective to become involved in a dedicated organisation like Amnesty. Equally, shareholder activism can have a significant impact.

This isn't Haight and Ashbury circa 1967 anymore, and you can't fight the system with the same old methods.... Doing so is like trying to defeat an entire invading army equipped with all the latest technology while holding nothing in your hands but a slingshot.

[Chimaera182]

Given my bizarre political leanings, I find it difficult to protest against the government. Do I agree with it? Of course not. But my weird inner need for order just beats out all, and such protests are tantamount to treason and anarchy. I would have run over the protestor with the tank in Tianamen Square. But that's just me. Besides, the world could use some order right now.

[Sparrow]

Understand the 2nd Amendment. I won't say more... for now.

BTW, liberals are running to the gun stores, and loading up. I guess they've had a sudden "epiphany," concerning the meaning of this amendment, when confronted by the neo-fascists. No kidding.

[Xandax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow Understand the 2nd Amendment. I won't say more... for now. BTW, liberals are running to the gun stores, and loading up. I guess they've had a suppen "epiphany," concerning the meaning of this amendment, when confronted by the neo-fascists. No kidding.

Bah - I'm tired of the twisted meaning of the word liberal from the US, it is so wrong it me each time I see it.


Well, I currently see no reason to overthrow my government, and have not for the last many years. Ours is elected rather representative with majority rule (stupidity rule some might say), with 70-85% of the people with rights to vote doing so, and we have some 6-8 (established) parties to vote for and majority rule is rarely with more then a couple of percent between the different "wings" in politics. So I'm not overthrowing; I'm changing my vote if unhappy.

[Sparrow]

6-8 parties, Xandax? We have two. And they are the same. Our politicians are selected by the companies that distribute the electronic voting machines.

But more of us are waking up to the problem.

As for the liberal thing, I'm in the freedom/tyranny paradigm, and outside the left/right paradigm.

[Curdis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chimaera182 Given my bizarre political leanings, I find it difficult to protest against the government. Do I agree with it? Of course not. But my weird inner need for order just beats out all, and such protests are tantamount to treason and anarchy. I would have run over the protestor with the tank in Tianamen Square. But that's just me. Besides, the world could use some order right now.

While I hope you may reconsider your tank comment, Amnesty (etc.) sounds like #exactly# what you would respond to.

Don't like something in the world?

Find out who's behind it and tell them so.

The press spends endless hours demonising people, but they are at the end of each day still just people.

Even the most tyranical despot gets edgy if many people write to them and politely protest their crimes. The results are remarkable. Google amnesty Intenational. - Curdis ! - Better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

[Tricky]

It's not just about the removing the man from office, he did get there somehow. Do you think what needs to be changed extends to the people as well, or maybe just to the way we elect our leaders? The way we 'de-elect' them doesn't let us change that system.

There was an open congress about this in the Netherlands earlier this year, which was (unfortunately) organized by one of our smaller political parties. It wasn't political in nature, it just adressed the conduct of politics in general, what we thought about it, if and how it needed change. I attended the congress in my city (there were several) expecting to see some unity, but I found only chaos. Like browsing a severly un-moderated forum kind of chaos, everyone wanted to say something and nobody was really listening. I was very disappointed.

I can see some use in Amnesty International, I'm going to join them soon. I think demonstrations though have lost their edge ever since you had to get a permit for it. Tragic.

[Vicsun]

I listen to Rage Against the Machine songs. Sometimes I even sing along!

[fable]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tricky It's not just about the removing the man from office, he did get there somehow. Do you think what needs to be changed extends to the people as well, or maybe just to the way we elect our leaders? The way we 'de-elect' them doesn't let us change that system.

If you put into place a system that allows for shorter terms, term limitations, reasonable recall and greater transparency in official business, then I'd suggest yes, the way you could "de-elect" officials would make a great difference.

Overthrowing a government is a matter of organizing at a local level, working hard with people of like mind, getting information out there, and taking over local communities. If enough people get steaming mad and decide to do something about it instead of simply voting for one of two parties, things can get done. But it's a slow and painful process, because it's axiomatic that those in power simply don't want to let it go. They'll do everything they can to hold onto it in a legal but completely unfair manner.

[Magrus]

That, or you work at converting the existing military personel to your way of thinking and rebelling.