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Forum Post: We're about to win. Here's how!

Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 12, 2011, 7:22 p.m. EST by therising (6643)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

King and Gandhi and their supporters succeeded in a huge way because they understood the power of non-violence and remained true to that principle. Individuals in their movements consistently and regularly "refreshed" themselves through what they sometimes called "self-purification". Simply put, they checked their motives, made sure they weren't reacting from a place of fear, hate or revenge. None of those has any place in our movement of course. Those will weaken us. Instead, we should embrace each other, love each other, even love the opposition so much that we act out of a sincere desire to "set them straight" as King put it. This is why King said people in the civil rights movement had "a spirit that dogs can't bite."

We too have that spirit. We have shown that in a remarkable way already. We all should be very proud that we have remained non-violent and we should practice that "self-purification" each day to make sure our automatic reaction to violence and provocation is calm peace. Make no mistake. We will create tension. We will use force. But our force will come from the power of non-violent provocative tactic.

In this way, our movement will follow the path that Gandhi described: "First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win."

Smile. We're about to win. All of us. Not just he 99%. Let's not stop there. Let's get get to a 100%. A new way of life. Imagine it.

41 Comments

41 Comments


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[-] 2 points by RichardGates (1529) 13 years ago

love this post

[-] 2 points by 8472ofborg (100) from Bruce, SD 13 years ago

I want a like button for this forum. My thoughts and feelings exactly.

[-] 2 points by brightonsage (4494) 13 years ago

Right on. I think it is important to think about what winning would look like. King and Gandhi both won, and what did They win? They won the possibility.

The possibility is still not achieved, not in America nor in India. But progress has been made toward the possibility. Both would be supporting this effort.

A few of the problems could be fixed quickly by acts of congress and the executive branches, if they were persuaded. Others, probably most of them, will take time (Constitution, Judges, culture etc.), some, a lot of time. Visualize it, then make it happen. If it was easy, it would have already been done. Try not to make a mess bigger than you can clean up.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

Yes. Leave the campsite better than we found it.

[-] 2 points by MiMi1026 (937) from Springfield, VA 13 years ago

Im on board 100% !

[-] 1 points by Atoll (185) 13 years ago

It's going to take more than a couple of months. Keep steady.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

You're probably right.

[-] 1 points by sudoname (1001) from Berkeley, CA 13 years ago

Nice post =)

They have started to fight. Hope it's quick and painless and the enemy cuts their losses. Some of the news networks already have.

BTW: http://vcn.bc.ca/citizens-handbook/gandhi.html

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

Thanks for the citizens handbook. Very cool. We're on our way!

[-] 1 points by Maxwellian (9) 13 years ago

Be careful if the movement is hijacked by one of the establishment parties that helped make the status quo our reality

it has already possibly begun

If an existing party takes over the message then they take over the movement, and then they have no motivation to change ANYTHING

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

Don't worry. The general assemblies are setting up a national assembly and all the individual assemblies are now linked. People are vigilant. This movement is reaching critical mass and can't be stopped. The beautiful part is that it's remained non-violent. Everyone should be so proud. That takes real courage.

[-] 1 points by hotdoghenry (268) 13 years ago

What will you win?

[-] 0 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

Community, wholeness, nourishment, freedom and love. A real authentic community. Once we stop clinging to the cage of nihilism, we realize that the door is open. It always has been.

[-] 2 points by hotdoghenry (268) 13 years ago

How do you define these concepts in tangible language?

[-] 0 points by thoreau42 (595) 13 years ago

common man, everyone knows what they are!

[-] 1 points by hotdoghenry (268) 13 years ago

I didn't ask you because "everyone knows".

How do you define community? What is the geographic are that you consider?

How do you define "Wholeness"? and for whom? how will you know that you have achieved it?

Nihilism? you can not define goals with the absence of, or presence of feelings and emotions.

[-] 1 points by thoreau42 (595) 13 years ago

I'm actually in agreement with you, but couldn't help being the first one to post a half-brained response.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

Man, you're hangin' on to life a little tight bro. Runnin around demanding everyone define everything for you ad nauseam. You just asked me the geographic area of community. You can't be serious. Rather than acting in opposition to everything that comes you're way, try the opposite. Try letting go a little and embracing life. Try being a little more curious and a little less angry. Rediscover community. Rediscover the feeling that comes from flowing with the force rather than in opposition to it. You're clinging to your cage man. The door's open. Just come on outside. The air is clear.

[-] 1 points by hotdoghenry (268) 13 years ago

I am very serious. I'm very curious.

What I'm trying to find here is clarity. There doesn't seem to be any.

You have to have goals.

"If you don't know where you are going, how will you know it when you get there?"

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

We know where we're going. We're not carving around the edges of a flawed system. We're remaking it. You want definitions, declarations, leaders, manifestos. Look how far we've come without any of those.

The short term effort has to do with waking each other up so we realizE that we the 99% have the power, have had it all along. The long term effort is related to utilizing that power to help our country correct course, reclaim it from the extremist oligarchs that hijacked it.

As for details, you'll see those soon enough. And you'll see some decisions. And you'll see some non-violent resistance by millions of people if the 1% insist on continuing their occupation of half the wealth in this nation.

[-] 1 points by RastafariAmerican (141) from Yonkers, NY 13 years ago

Human beings are not inherently greedy.

Human beings are a product of their environment.

Human beings reflect their environment.

The human race is suffering from a value system disorder.

We, as a society cannot seem to denote wrong from right.

This must change.

The world must evolve.

The government must evolve.

The economic system must evolve.

Love will shine. Love will illuminate the truth.

Love for all mankind. Love for all the world's inhabitants.

Keep your eye on the prize. Keep your eye off the money.

Follow your heart. Follow your dreams.

Peace, Love, and Unity.

Jah. Rastafari.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

Cheers!

[-] 1 points by coolnyc (216) from Stone Ridge, NY 13 years ago

wise and pragmatic; hate has no place here - hate can only hold us back

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

Hate is boring.

[-] 1 points by philadelphia (4) from Philadelphia, PA 13 years ago

I completely agree and The ONLY plan that will work is if local Representatives, I mean they will represent about 2 square miles, have to come home from a LOCAL county assembly to the GLARING eyes of his or her CONSTITUANTS, and explain how our TAX money is being spent. It is the ONLY way. If the Representative is not intimidated by our ideas and our expectations for how OUR tax money will be spent in our physical presence in our Local Assembly, they will never ever feel the need to give us what we demand: Health Care, Education, Social Security, Green Energy, and a War-Less Future. I think its called Democracy

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

Rock and roll. I'm all about fresh and local!

[-] 1 points by GinaLola (210) 13 years ago

So so true. Please put the Ghandi saying on the printed signs and have the protesters repeat it daily. Jesus said we are to pray for our enemy and to forgive them first before we ask anything of our Father. And I can say personally that there is power in that. Real power. It was part of his recipe for taking down ginormous evil in government and society because it puts the situation into God's hands for revenge. He says that revenge is His alone and belongs to Him. Believing on that gives you tremendous power. I love the Ghandi saying. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Only squeaky wheels get oiled. The sit in occupieds are working. We just need to keep recruiting from colleges and unions. Never stop recruiting. You always need fresh ideas and energy. Occupy DC should be a million man sleepover event that never goes away.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

Bongo Jerry, Rastafarian poet, put it like this

"Sooner or later but muss' The dam going to bus' and ever person will break out and who will stop them? The force? What force can stop this river of people who know their course?"

[-] 1 points by atki4564 (1259) from Lake Placid, FL 13 years ago

Exactly, but we need a comprehensive strategy, and related candidate, that implements all our demands at the same time, and although I'm all in favor of taking down today's ineffective and inefficient Top 10% Management system of Business & Government, there's only one way to do it – by fighting bankers as bankers ourselves. Consequently, I have posted a 1-page Summary of the Strategic Legal Policies, Organizational Operating Structures, and Tactical Investment Procedures necessary to do this at:

http://getsatisfaction.com/americanselect/topics/on_strategic_legal_policy_organizational_operational_structures_tactical_investment_procedures

Join

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/StrategicInternationalSystems/

if you want to be 1 of 100,000 people needed to support a Presidential Candidate – such as myself – at AmericansElect.org in support of the above bank-focused platform.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

I'm glad you're thinking ahead. As serious as this is (and it is very serious) it's also pretty fun, isn't it. :)

[-] 1 points by atki4564 (1259) from Lake Placid, FL 13 years ago

Thanks, these times, as rare as they occur, are always very exciting because the new possibilities they bring for everyone. In that regard, I hope you will join the group at http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/StrategicInternationalSystems/ too, for every person added is more powerful than the last person added when it comes to thinking ahead in politics.

[-] 1 points by Alldeesx3 (23) 13 years ago

Yes I think it's great that it's been peaceful but we have to be very careful of the extreme right..they don't like our presence at all and I shudder to think what they're capable of. Murdoc said today it's war on OWS

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

Let's really freak them out and embrace them. There's a move / strategy in the martial art wherein, when your "opponent" comes at you, you take one step to the side. Just a bit. Then, rather than resisting his force, you go with it and "help him to the ground where he'll be safer."

I like that. Let's do that.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

PS - This is transitioning from a movement into a revolution. You can feel it.

[-] 1 points by OWSNewPartyTakeNY2012 (195) 13 years ago

i feel it, its working, but I think we will truly gain ground when we put people from the movement into office, That way we wont have to ask politicians to do the right thing, we can do it our selves.

[-] 1 points by therising (6643) 13 years ago

It will be fascinating to see how it unfolds. The water is flowing. It will find it's way. I feel quite confident of that.

[-] 1 points by brightonsage (4494) 13 years ago

And that takes time, See above.