DarkmoonIkonoklast's Journal - Why? Because Silence IS complicity...

..... and, to paraphrase that great political philosopher Seven-Of-Nine, "I might lose, but I will NOT comply!"

..Everyone has made great points, and it warms this old crusader's heart to hear (okay, read) these words of determined non-compliance. I'm not sure I can actually add much to the debate, Miss Honey (GAWD! I love how that sounds! ) but, as one who was maced and tear-gassed on the Mall in 1970, who was on several lists (including, so I was informed, Mr Nixon's "Enemies" list) and was, for several years (and as far as I know, still am) on the FBI's "Subversive Surveillance List, I think I can offer a relevant observation or two...

..Yes, as we "revolutionaries" were taught back in the 60s, successful political movements involve a certain "calculus of popular activism"... specifically, movements seek to attract a hard core of about 1% of the populace as actual "Soldiers of the Revolution", and another 15-20 percent into active support, figuring that no more than 20% of any given population actually, actively supports the regime... This figure is, apparently, the "flash point" number at which the remaining 60% of the populace which remains, for any number of reasons (good and sufficient to THEM, even if to no one else!) "on the fence"... once the majority sees one in five of their fellows actively opposing the "Status Quo Ante", they are inclined to give, if not credence to their message, at least, honest attention.

..At this point, so say those who study such things, a revolution has, at least, a chance of success.

..This was, as I understood it, the situation in Cuba during the rebellion which overthrew Fulgencio Batista, and placed Fidel Castro at the head of the Peoples' Republic of Cuba. The rebels were fed, sheltered and helped to evade the Army and Police forces by something like 10% of the campesinos -- the farm workers and others who lived on, and off of, the land. Che Guevara, Argentinian-born child of privilege, Moscow-trained and widely considered the strategic mastermind behind the home-grown Castro, knew that any revolution would require, not the "Urban Intelligentsia" (who had too much invested in the corrupt system-that-was), and not the urban workers, who saw themselves having too much to lose (and no real benefit) in openly opposing their meal ticket... rather, the rebels worked in the rural areas, fighting those battles which they knew they could win, in order to a) keep morale high among those already involved in Resistance, and b) hearten those who were cowed into submission with evidence that their Masters were not, all-powerful, that they were, after all, vulnerable...

..This, I believe, is the true validity of public protest, of public opposition: as a statement to those who are, for their own valid reasons, unwilling to resist, that resistance is NOT futile, that the Establishment is NOT omnipotent, that honor and justice are still worth standing (yes, and dying) for... and that Everyone is NOT "doing it"!

..You still might lose, but you'll never be beaten... all "they" can do is kill you.

..Miss Honey, does this help at all? Of course, if you were on the barricades at (what?) 14, I suspect you already know the answer.