by Eric Byler
Two interesting discussions took place this morning in this segment of Up with Chris Hayes.
First, when is civil disobedience justified? Josh Barro of Forbes Magazine says it is justified if you are excluded from the political system, as African Americans effectively were prior to the Civil Rights Movement, but not since then. In particular, Barro objects to the use of civil disobedience by climate change activists because Americans who want to limit carbon emissions do have the right to vote.
Van Jones and Chris Hayes offer effective arguments to counter this idea. But also please watch this clip for Van Jones' framing of The 99% Spring. Friends of mine from the Occupy Movement have expressed concern to me that the broad coalition that is forming around 99% Spring (including Coffee Party USA) is co-opting the Occupiers' message. Jones makes the point that in fact, the Occupiers have co-opted America, by changing the conversation from "more tax cuts for the wealthy and austerity" to "why more tax cuts for the wealthy and austerity?" Actually he said it a bit better than that. Watch this!
The 99% Spring begins tomorrow. Check it out.
Join the 99% Spring
From April 9-15 we will gather across America, 100,000 strong, in homes, places of worship, campuses and the streets to join together in the work of reclaiming our country.
We are at a crossroads as a country. We have a choice to make. Greater wealth for a few or opportunity for many. Tax breaks for the richest or a fair shot for the rest of us. A government that can be bought by the highest bidder, or a democracy that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people.
The choice is in our hands. This spring, we will act on that choice and rise up in the tradition of our forefathers and foremothers. We will not be complicit with the suffering in our families for another year. We will prepare ourselves for sustained non-violent direct action.
From April 9-15 we will gather across America, 100,000 strong, in homes, places of worship, campuses and the streets to join together in the work of reclaiming our country. We will organize trainings to:
- Tell the story of our economy: how we got here, who’s responsible, what a different future could look like, and what we can do about it
- Learn the history of non-violent direct action, and
- Get into action on our own campaigns to win change.
This spring we rise! We will reshape our country with our own hands and feet, bodies and hearts. We will take non-violent action in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi to forge a new destiny one block, one neighborhood, one city, one state at a time. [MORE]
