new revolution

You think Communism is the answer? The answer to what?

 

I don't promote communism as an answer, nor socialism, fascism, or even a more controlling democracy. I am a proponent of freedom, and in my opinion it is the duty and responsibility government to protect, not to allocate freedom.

Having lived outside the U.S. for over 11 years, I've not had much interest in the events taking place there, but the most recent news seems to display a growing resentment between what the government is referring to as the haves and the have nots. While I would fall into the class of the have nots, I am quite happy with what I have and see current government actions having a negative effect on me, and a much more negative effect on future generations. Has anyone bothered to download and read any of the bills being voted on? It appears that not even the elected politicians charged with representing their constituents bother to read them.

 

Oh, sarcasm then.

No matter how Governments start out they always get oppressive. It's just a fact of life, personally I have no use for them. Sure, there is always the occasional blip of a good and competent leader but sooner or later they die and you're back where you started.

Just remember freedom comes from inside, it's not given to you from outside.

 

Only for those thinking the government is moving in the right direction at present.

I'm still uncertain what the "New Revolution" is supposed to be, as I was too old to have been a part of the Hippie movement, back in the 60's I believe.

 

GIL SCOTT-HERON - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

You will not be able to stay home, brother.
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and drop out.
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,
Skip out for beer during commercials
Because the revolution will not be televised.​

The revolution will not be televised.​

The revolution will not be brought to you by Xerox
In 4 parts without commercial interruption.
The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon
Blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John Mitchell,
General Abrams and Spiro Agnew to eat
Hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary.​

The revolution will not be televised.​

The revolution will be brought to you by the Schaefer Award Theatre and
will not star Natalie Wood and Steve McQueen or Bullwinkle and Julia.
The revolution will not give your mouth sex appeal.
The revolution will not get rid of the nubs.
The revolution will not make you look five pounds
Thinner, because The revolution will not be televised, Brother.​

There will be no pictures of you and Willie Mays
Pushing that cart down the block on the dead run,
Or trying to slide that color television into a stolen ambulance.
NBC will not predict the winner at 8:32or the count from 29 districts.​

The revolution will not be televised.​

There will be no pictures of pigs shooting down
Brothers in the instant replay.
There will be no pictures of young being
Run out of Harlem on a rail with a brand new process
There will be no slow motion or still life of
Roy Wilkens strolling through Watts in a red, black and
Green liberation jumpsuit that he had been saving
For just the right occasion
Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, and
Hooterville Junction will no longer be so damned relevant,
andWomen will not care if Dick finally gets down with
Jane on Search for Tomorrow because Black people
will be in the street looking for a brighter day.​

The revolution will not be televised.​

There will be no highlights on the eleven o'clock News
and no pictures of hairy armed women Liberationists and
Jackie Onassis blowing her nose.
The theme song will not be written by Jim Webb, Francis Scott Key,
nor sung by Glen Campbell, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash,
Englebert Humperdink, or the Rare Earth.​

The revolution will not be televised​

The revolution will not be right back after a message
About a whitetornado, white lightning, or white people.
You will not have to worry about a germ on your Bedroom,
a tiger in your tank, or the giant in your toilet bowl.
The revolution will not go better with Coke.
The revolution will not fight the germs that cause bad breath.
The revolution WILL put you in the driver's seat.
The revolution will not be televised,​

WILL not be televised,WILL NOT BE TELEVISED.​

The revolution will be no re-run brothers;
The revolution will be live.​

______________________________________________________________

You're either part of the problem
or
part of the solution-
Eldridge Cleaver-Soul on Ice​

 

If you've had a chance to read the thread, you've probably noticed that opinions vary on what the "New Revolution" is and what it should accomplish.

To me it seems that most revolutions try to force change on people from the outside and usually just change one bad government for another but the "New Revolution" starts on the inside of you, first by realizing that no one and no government has power over you unless you give them that power. Next I believe that what the "New Revolution" is trying to accomplish is a change of heart not a change of government. How do you change the world's heart from hate to love? One person at a time until more people have a heart of love than a heart of hate.

 

Exactly so, and from my experience revolutions gain momentum by the addition of supporters. The only problem is the more who become involved, the more the variation increases in what the changes the revolution is desired to bring about. Revolutions, like governments require leadership, so in the end often all that is accomplished is replacing those who will wield power over the followers.

I think you said it all in the words in bold.

Would you not agree that there are many areas where the government might need to be changed? Where I now live, each village has a single elected representative who is charged with dealing with the next higher level of government when problems occur which are beyond the capacity of the village to solve. Problems are often quite unique between one village and another, and the National level government seldom enters in as necessary to solve our problems. In fact several years ago the National government decided to provide water to each village by installing a centralized well, pump and storage tank for each village, making each residents personal well unnecessary. Since doing so, water has become unavailable for a major portion of each day in a number of villages, and many of the individual wells have become dry, requiring them to be dug deeper. Governments, even with best intentions, can and often do create problems or worsen problems due to an inability to fully examine or understand the problem or even if one indeed exists.

That's a very good question. About 45 years ago, Viet Nam opened my eyes somewhat when I found that many of my best friends were also some of my worst enemies, depending on where we encountered each other. One statement I will always remember is "we don't hate Americans, we just hate your government". Could it be that Ronald Reagan was right? "Government is not the solution, it is the problem." Like any other problems, it is best to determine and eliminate the source in order to most effectively solve them.

I love my wife, kids, family, our pets, and even the monkeys on our property. I have daily contact with them, and we coexist peacefully. I like my friends and neighbors very much as they are all nice people who do not impose on me, and we too coexist peacefully. Those who I do not know at all, I neither love nor dislike them, I simply do not know them and as they do not impose upon me in any way that I can not avoid, I have no reason to dislike or hate them, even if others might and wish to bring me to feel the same.

I avoid becoming a member of any large groups as I find there are none religious, political, or other that coincide exactly with my views, and I refuse to allow others to impose their views upon me. When my views are wrong I am capable of exposing them as so without the demand of others, and I often question my own views making changes when I find them necessary.

Do you find that you and I are very different from one another?

 

I believe the “New Revolution” allows for a lot of variation and is different enough from “old” revolutions that it doesn’t need a leader per say.

To me it’s a fundamental concept of the “New Revolution”.

Sure I agree “there are many areas where the government might need to be changed” but my main feeling is who needs it. Government can be useful but for the most part people and government itself, take it too seriously. Larger groups can accomplish things that can’t be accomplished by individuals but what most often happens those larger groups begin to think too much of themselves, fall in love with power and begin to try and control the lives of individuals. Perhaps all governments should only be temporary.

For me as well, it was the Viet Nam war that woke me up. I thought where did all this hatred come from? Then I realized the problem ran much deeper than just the war, the world we live in is based on hate and even some who were against the war seemed to be driven by hate. It just seemed to me to be contradictory to be pursuing peace by using the tools of anger and hatred. So to me the answer was a world wide paradigm shift from hatred to love thus the “New Revolution”.

Imposing and demanding are the old ways, listening, discussing, understanding and a willingness to change if needed are the new ways.

No, not that different at all.

To me the leaders of the “New Revolution” are not on the news everyday, in fact some of the leaders of the “New Revolution” may not even realize that they even part of the “New Revolution”. Those everyday people who go out their front door each day who smile at people and are polite and courteous, those who after they’ve past are remembered by others as a bright spot in their day. Those who by just by living their lives encourage others to live better lives and thus more people have been added to the “New Revolution”.

There is a S/F short story that has an interesting take on the “New Revolution”.
http://www.abelard.org/e-f-russell.php

 

I just realized that some might think that I'm talking about myself, when in actually I'm talking about my Mom, a hippy before there were hippies. She never told people how to live their lives, she just lived her life to the full and others had better lives because she did and I'm just trying to follow her example.

She had the ability to make everyone feel at home and family, so when some say "home is where the heart is" or something like that, I always think for me, Home is where Mom is.

 

Thanks, I found "And Then There Were None" to be quite interesting. It made me remember my first trip to the store when I was very young. My Great Grandmother needed a few things and a second cousin asked if I wanted to go along. He first gathered some eggs and we mounted a horse and rode a little ways to the store where he swapped the eggs for whatever we needed. No money changed hands, just one form of value for another.

 

Nothing like having great memories, Thanx for sharing.

 

The best way I can think of to start a new revolution would be to supply free shit en masse for free, in the name of peace, unconditional love, and the unity of mankind.

Basically, if it is publicly demonstrated that there is a greater alternative to today's society, the fire will catch on even if the spark was very localized.

I do not believe that sit ins and protests are the answer. Those are effective for localized and specific problems, but if we want to start a positive societal change we really shouldn't do anything that stunts the daily order of things. Do your job, but sway the minds of others with unconditional kindness on a massive scale, and make your intentions clear.

That is all.

 

Always glad to share. BTW I was born in Brunswick, GA, when and where nearly everyone knew everyone else in town. The population was both blacks and whites, and I dearly remember two of our black friends who were sisters, Essie Bea, and Beulea Mae who cared for me often. Even in a period tainted by racism, everyone came to the assistance of others who were known to be in need, taking food, or giving a hand where needed in times of sickness, both black and white. When I got older I always made a point to drop by and chat with them, and took them fish every time I went fishing. In my opinion times have changed for the worse in many ways, as no one in town hardly knows or cares about anyone else any more. As population grew everyone became strangers. I no longer go home. It's not a black v.s. white problem, but a human v.s. human problem that is growing.

 

I can remember this same topic comin' up in the 60's....
here's what John Lennon said on Revolution (the B side of Hey Jude):

You say you want a revolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright

You say you got a real solution
Well you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright

You say you'll change the constitution
Well you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know know it's gonna be alright
Alright Alright

Quite well said....Brother John!!