Violence erupted throughout Europe in 1848, a time that was later
dubbed the “year of revolution.” Though the motives and perpetrators
varied from country to country and even from region to region, the
frequently violent protests sought major changes in the status quo, to
include political emancipation and economic reform. The revolutionaries
were eventually suppressed by use of military force, but the ideas of
national rebirth and political change lived on to resurface in Italy,
Germany, and France later in the century.
What drove the revolutionaries was the principle that the old system
that had for centuries regulated the lives of Europeans was broken
beyond repair. The old land-based economy had produced starvation and
the control of the political structure by what amounted to oligarchies
in most countries meant that few felt any kind of connection to the
state, which was increasingly seen as a taxation machine backed up by
the brute force of soldiers. Alexis de Tocqueville described the turmoil
in his native France as "society was cut in two: those who had nothing
united in common envy, and those who had anything united in common
terror."
How much different will 2011 be? The world’s economies are in danger
of sinking, dragged down by a US economy which is on the verge of
insolvency. President Barack Obama and his cheerleaders boast of the
Administration’s successes, but apart from a badly needed START treaty
with Russia, which was clearly in the national interest, there is little
enough to show. The US is failing to produce jobs for its people, is
awash with debt, and is mired down in two wars that it cannot and will
not be able to finish with a third and larger conflict waiting in the
wings.
Can it be that Obama is a tyrant on the order of the kings and princes
of the nineteenth century? He is in fact worse, far worse, because he
has the technology and means to monitor and punish every citizen through
an acquiescent judiciary and congress, national security letters,
military commissions, and Patriot Acts. Guantánamo is still open and
Attorney General Holder will undoubtedly be sending more prisoners there
in the new year, possibly to include Julian Assange of WikiLeaks fame. If you want to travel on an airplane President Obama even has a machine
that can see you naked and if you reject the treatment don’t try to
leave the airport because you can be arrested. And when the president
imprisons the innocent or strips someone of his or her rights he can
cover up the crime, not through citation of the divine right of kings,
but through the state secrets privilege. The United States badly need a
change of course, and 2011 will be a good opportunity to see if the
American people will take up the challenge and march to the barricades. If they do not, there is evil in the air and we have a long and dreary
future ahead of us.
2 Comments in Response to Will 2011 Become 1848?
And, a Happy New Year to you and yours!
What will happen is exactly foretold by this;
Ok whatever. Oyate wants you all to know that John Stuart, activist and scholar is on trial for his life right in Phoenix Arizona and Oyate also wants you to know that editors of FP are not only ignoring this issue, they refuse to re-enable Oyate's account so a brother can speak on behalf of another brother.
Oyate also wishes editors and publishers to know that John Stuart has come up with the most effective plan to save American homeowners from fraudulent foreclosures and that John Stuart is a real man.
Oyate goes so far as to imply that the editors and publishers of Freedoms Phoenix are pussy faggots for not standing up for one of their own.
His name is John Chester Stuart and he was a friend and counselor to the late Aaron Russo. So anybody in Phoenix that claims they knew Aaron and helped with the message, this is not true. Aaron Russo relied upon John C. Stuart for input.
And now it's fashionable for everybody to say they knew Aaron back in the day. Well guess what? I was Aaron Russo's National Director Of Technology. AND THAT'S ENOUGH SHINY BADGE TO STUFF IN OUR FACE AND MAKE YOU CHOKE ON IT. And to this day you brag about being MC at R3VOLUTION March and it's me that put you up there. Whatever, you owe me nothing. It was me that put you up there next to Gary. Because I knew that Gary needed that annointment, that confirmation and not you, you grand-standing closet authoritarian. And I don't give a shit if you say it was Ray Powell who needs our help right now, which you aren't giving or anybody else you choose, I'm Oyate, I don't give a shit.
Thing is you pretend to be this or that and I know the truth. Remember that Ernie? We know the truth? Well the truth is you climbed up on some people's backs and now they need help and you ain't giving it to them.
What you owe, you motherfuckers, is some face to John Chester Stuart. Because he and we were fighting before you little pissants were trying to get radio time on XM looser sats. And back in the day, we used to take care of each other. EACH OTHER. And a bro was a bro.
And each and every one of you are leaving John C. Stuart out to dry.
Often when I counsel with Gary I say "what would Aaron do?" Often we both say ho man, maybe a lot more. Me and Gary have the love of the man who was a step better than us. You guys are showing us a step beneath us. And you are supposed to be the leaders and you, Enrie, invoke Aaron all the time. So it's time to step up, it's not too late.--I am a coin holder, Eccilesiatical Order of Mobius Nemisis. This order was born in jail.