Link Dump: "the importance of protests".

The importance of protests is to put fear back in the oligarchy, which we'd forgotten.  However, as Vollman pointed out in his work, 'Rising Up and Rising Down', which you really had better read*, the oligarchy turns to your non-violent wing when they fear your violent wing: IRA, Sinn Fein;Weathermen and the Panthers, Civil Rights Movement; Ghandi was better than another 'Black Hole of Calcutta'.

Am I advocating violence?  I wonder.**  We'd be stupid not to be thinking hard.  After all, the '1%' already perpetrated a coup on our backs.  Here's another non-violent step to put it on their backs.  Here's a working 'Declaration of Independence'.  Here's an aging veteran of the same sort of thing in the sixties we should even listen to, despite being a boomer, as he owns up to the greater seriousness of these occupiers.  The '1%' have perpetrated incalculable violence.  It's their responsibility to find a way to avert it.

Interesting times.  Can't say I could join the camp, but if I were in a politically engaged country, unlike Borg-Japan, I'd be taking down supplies.  Then again, their disparity is nothing on ours.  Maybe I'll double check someone isn't doing something in Tokyo...

*Yes, I read the abridged version.
**Unlike Derek Jensen's interminable 'Endgame', I won't coyly hint people should, say, blow up dams for me (in his case), unless I too am prepared to put myself on the line.