Wonder what Martin Luther King would have accomplished had he stopped when the Government wouldn’t listen to him either. But he marched on and on until they did...and so did all the citizens who longed to be free. We all should at least have the degree of steadfastness and resolve that these citizens had....what an example!
So no...I do not agree with your remarks that these gatherings do not matter....they have and they will...the elections proved as much and will in the future.
For all the credit given MLK and Ghandi (who MLK modeled)...
That works in a society where there’s FREE PRESS willing to cover/promote the cause.
Think about it.
You march in China, you’re shot. Never reported. Never happened. Ditto under Hitler.
Ghandi and MLK used the press to get out their message but without a system which values freedom of speech — even dissent — non-violence simply does not work to affect change.
And I agree with you... these marches have an effect.
I read some on liberal sites (to know the enemy) and some liberals say the tea party gatherings/town hall meetings/marches swayed the election. So these events, while greatly downplayed in the media, ARE noticed. It’s an accumulative effect and we must keep the pressure on, now that we have the clear upper hand.
Don't get me wrong, I agree with his firm stand for the Constitution, but what have these socialists done in office that is contrary to our electoral, legislative and judicial review precepts? Nothing. We the populace have tolerated this creep towards socialism for 70 years. The socialists have set backs through a periodic conservative awakening, but they always recover. (The New Deal, the Great Society, the Obama, Pelosi Reid agenda).
Even Republicans are complicit in advancing socialist progams (Bush's prescription drug medicare coverage for all, regardless of ability to pay). They are able to recover because socialism is institutionalized in our civil service system (the bureaucrats), the unions, the media and a populace that has, by design, become more and more dependent on government.
WE have tolerated it and enabled it. If it is time to stop it, it must come through radical change to institutionalized socialism. The Tea Party movement is the grass roots movement that can do it, but without a mantra of peaceful change, the movement will be marginalized and rejected even by those, such as myself, who are otherwise in agreement with the need and requirement of change.
Perhaps when elections are demonstratively ineffective - "when in the Course of human events it becomes necessary to dissolve the political bands" which connect us with an illegitimate government - then talk to me about taking up arms against my brother. Until then I will march, write, speak or even sit-in and suffer imprisonment to fight emasculation of the Constitution. Leave the threats of violence out of it.
especially since we do have motivation coming from the recent elections. What we are trying to do is get the American people to open their eyes, when enough has then Washington will be neutered.
We all should at least have the degree of steadfastness and resolve that these citizens had....what an example!
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We do, it’s called the TEA PARTY and those of us in that group vary in our way of thinking but all work for the same goal. Some want to attend D.C. and some want to use our money in other ways. It’s America!