Let's protest the war at the Democratic convention

[cally]

Better yet, let's have a confrontation with the police and the organizers there. Yeah, that will stop the war.

Umm, than let's protest against politicians who opposed the war and want to end it. Yeah, they are our enemies and we have to defeat them. Force them to defend against us.

We are about to face a huge election that will define the US for the near future. What does it accomplish by fighting against the folks who sort of agree with us instead of fighting those who don't?

Flame on but do realize that yes I do want the war to end as much as you do. I do want to hold the politicians responsible. I refuse to buy into what the right wants us to do. If I wanted to be a RW hack I could tell you how to defeat us. Make us look like revolutionaries, disruptive, and just plain scary. It looks like too damn many of us are buying into it.

Fixed typo

[demnan]

1. The problem is a lot deeper

The issue of government accountability involves people really paying attention to their democracy. We don't do that now. That has been all our faults' in the past and the Bush administration is just the crowning example of that apathy that the people in this country feel toward participating in their government. The Congressional candidates in some areas that keep winning time after time are also an indication that America is not paying any attention.

[Warren Stupidity]

2. The Democratic Party, then and now

had to be dragged kicking and screaming and forced to do the right thing. Then they did not have the courage to stop funding the war until 1975, until after Nixon was out and the 74 crop of young turks rocked the boat. Now? Who knows?

[WinkyDink]

3. It worked so well in 1968!

[cally]

12. We had a progressive revolution

led by the protesters. The RW takeover is just a bad dream.

[G_j]

17. wrong

some research would help dispel RW spins on American history

October surprise of 1968

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2000/111300a.html

From:

November 13, 2000

Who Should Concede?
The Secret History of Modern U.S. Politics
By Robert Parry

<snip>
The Vietnam War was raging and was creating deep divisions within the Democratic Party. In October 1968, President Lyndon Johnson was maneuvering to achieve the framework for a peace settlement with North Vietnam and the Viet Cong through negotiations in Paris.

At the time, 500,000 American soldiers were in the war zone, and civil strife was tearing the United States apart. Nixon feared that a pre-election peace agreement could catapult Humphrey to victory.

According to now overwhelming evidence, the Nixon campaign dispatched Anna Chenault, an anti-communist Chinese leader, to carry messages to the South Vietnamese government of Nguyen van Thieu. The messages advised Thieu that a Nixon presidency would give him a more favorable result.

Journalist Seymour Hersh described the initiative sketchily in his biography of Henry Kissinger, The Price of Power. Hersh reported that U.S. intelligence “agencies had caught on that Chennault was the go-between between Nixon and his people and President Thieu in Saigon. … The idea was to bring things to a stop in Paris and prevent any show of progress.”

In her own autobiography, The Education of Anna, Chennault acknowledged that she was the courier. She quoted Nixon aide John Mitchell as calling her a few days before the 1968 election and telling her: “I’m speaking on behalf of Mr. Nixon. It’s very important that our Vietnamese friends understand our Republican position and I hope you made that clear to them.”

Reporter Daniel Schorr added fresh details in The Washington Post’s Outlook section . Schorr cited decoded cables that U.S. intelligence had intercepted from the South Vietnamese embassy in Washington.

<snip>

[cally]

18. I was being sarcastic

I'm well aware of the history

[G_j]

21. sorry

too quick skimming the thread, I've gotten so used to hearing the '68
convention blamed for the GOP win.

I get it.

thanks :-)

[JacquesMolay]

4. I'll get my Abbie Hoffman wig ...

... might be fun. Wonder if the MC5 would play.

[jobycom]

nasty type in your subject line. Might want to change it. nt

[mike_c]

5. that's what Richard J. Daley said....

Well, sort of. Mainly he just busted war protester's heads.

The whole world is watching.

[cally]

14. Yeah right. It's exactly what he said

Umm, not exactly. Can we just learn from our mistakes. I know you are a union man. Do you really think the union backers will support this? I don't. My contacts are angry, organized, rebellious but would not support any violent confrontation.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. Some of us are revolutionaries. At least by your definition.

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." --Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 1789.

"Were parties here divided merely by a greediness for office,...to take a part with either would be unworthy of a reasonable or moral man." --Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 1795.


“Freedom for supporters of the government only, for members of one party only, no matter how big its membership may be is, no freedom at all. Freedom is always freedom for the man who thinks differently. “ Rosa Luxemburg

Why shouldn't we protest the war at the Democratic Convention? It's not a "revolutionary" act. It's holding the politicians accountable.

[cally]

11. What are your goals?

Protesting is your right but do realize that most of the public may not be with you.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. I gave up on "goals" long ago.

And, I gave up on "most of the public"s opinions after they elected Nixon.

[churchofreality]

7. I agree with you, I think every dem is alot closer to our beliefs

than any of the repigs

[BuyingThyme]

8. Oh boy. Another election. Then you can talk about the next one.

How about you hold people to their promises in the last one?

[Bitwit1234]

9. I thought the republicans wanted to keep the war going and

the democrats wanted it stopped. LET'S DEMONSTRATE AT THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION INSTEAD.............

[cally]

15. I'll be there

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

10. "We are about to face a huge election that will define the US for the near future."

I'd hope we'd be defined as people who stand up for what we believe in. Instead of gutless wimps who are afraid of a little confrontation.

[bryant69]

16. Look it's simple - if you wanted to end the war you would be agreeing with the majority

Being off on your own, having your own ideas accomplishes nothing.

Frankly I think its' time we really cracked down on these non-conformists - let them have it. Those that can learn the error of their ways can be rehabilitated; those who can't, well they were probably secret freepers and disruptors anyway.

In this case the collective wisdom of DU has decided that Nancy Pelosi is our enemy! If you look at things differently, change the way yo look at it!

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Vidar]

19. Cindy Sheehan has it right, as did Abbie Hoffman in 68.

[H2O Man]

20. Moonlight Drives

"Let's swim to the moon, uh huh
Let's climb through the tide
Penetrate the evenin' that the
City sleeps to hide."
-- James Douglas Morrison


I suggest that we engage in a semi-coordinated campaign of voter education and registration between now and next fall.


"Try to learn
instead of burn,
hear what I say."
-- Jimi Hendrix