So,
Yesterday, I finally got around to giving an overview of Ted Rall's Anti-American Manifesto and some sticking points that I had. There was one other thing that I left off that list that I'll cover today but first I think it's important to point out one of the basic tenants of the book.
I have pointed out previously that if you voted for anybody that has funded or directed the wars or the puppet dictators that torture, kill, and starve people for the United States government, you are, obviously, accountable for those murders. You voted for and authorized these policticians to initiate violence and kill anyone that stands in their way.
Rall takes it a step further. He states that if you know that the US government is killing people and you do not do anything to stop it, you are complicit in all those murders.
I have given this some thought and I have to agree.
Now, the fourth concern that I have with Rall's call-to-arms for the couch potatoes of America is that it's such a huge leap. He wants them to turn off American Idle, grab an assault rifle, and attack some part of the established government. That's huge for people that spent 12 years in the public propaganda system pledging allegiance every morning. It's especially huge for the demograph that he's addressing that has spent the last few years mocking tea partiers and their gun-toting ways. How do you create a leftist Tea Party?
He's hoping that they get angry enough and fearful enough of a right-wing coup that they will take up arms and take to the streets. I think that it might be more appropriate to take baby steps with these people. Now, like Rall points out in his book, you take help where you can get it so if he is able to get liberals to disrupt parts of the government, that works in everyone's favor so I am in no way dismissing his efforts. Anyone he can move along the spectrum from True Believer in The Great and Powerful Oz toward being a defender of freedom serves us all.
My suggestion is less radical and may take more patience (but might not if he can't get the people off the couch). It's much less dramatic and isn't fueled by anger. It's calm (until that calm is broken) and possible and addresses my four concerns: baby steps, spin, collateral damage, and violence replacing violence.
Baby Steps starts with education, like the first half of Rall's book and this blog. Everyone who sees what's happening needs to keep on pointing it out in attempt to reach as many people as possible. Corporate Media has been reduced down to a handful of companies that have a lot to gain from the continuation of governments and they are going to keep spouting bullshit to anyone that will listen. The more people that quit listening to them and start looking for the truth, the faster this government will fall. The whole thing is built up and sustained on falsehoods and each person that stops clapping and yelling "I believe" brings the fictional faerie closer to death.
From there, people need to just drop out of the system as much as they are willing. For some, this might mean nothing more than not voting . . . for now. I know quite a few people that have quit paying their taxes. Others don't obey laws that are established for government control, like getting a driver license or registering their car, and regularly go to jail.
"What're ya in for?"
"30 days for no driver's license."
"Hardcore."
There are some things that anyone can do and will be more commonplace as the greater depression continues over the years like bartering for services. When the plumber fixes a problem for the person that cuts his hair and they trade services instead of fees, neither of them has to pay taxes. Some communities are expanding this out by creating their own barter system. As long as you don't pay with Federal Reserve Notes and don't record the sale, you don't have to pay taxes. Some places are already switching back to gold and silver. Other places use Euros (which is still a fiat currency but tax free in this country). Hell, even buying things from Amazon reduces the amount of taxes that states get. Amazon doesn't charge sales tax. Instead, Amazon gives purchasers notice that it is their duty to pay the taxes to their home state for items purchased. Yeah, no one does this. No one likes taxes and no one volunteers to pay more than the IRS forces at gun point.
This is where Spin changes sides. Many of these things seem so minor, especially compared to Rall's idea of tossing a Molotov cocktail into the White House but there is sympathy to be gained here which will lead to recruitment. I just saw a new graph a couple of days ago that shows that taxes for the top tier are just about at an all-time low while taxes and fees for the middle class are going up. People see this and they are going to feel it more as inflation continues to bite the purchasing power of their Federal Reserve Notes. My dear and close friend, Ben Bernanke, doesn't count fuel and food when he discusses inflation and that's because it would be too telling. The price of things that people actually need are going up and going up fast. When people are given the choice of putting food on the table or paying taxes or for some new government fee, the choice is going to be simple.
People around the country won't blame them and many will copy the ideas that get them out of the Federal Reserve System. Bartering and counter-economies will flourish and at some point, the government will take action against some of these people. They can't take action on everyone. In fact, as small as the activities are now, the government isn't taking actions on many of them now.
Yeah, the IRS sends letters to people that don't pay taxes but those can be thrown away. Eventually, they may garnish your wages, if you have a job and you work for someone else. After that, what? Throw you in jail? Is there any room?
If they come to haul these people away and the people resist? First, that places even more burden on the system. If they can send two guys with small guns to your house and you walk out with them, it might work. If they have to send a SWAT team for every person who keeps their own money, well, it obviously can't be done.
Not only that but the spin has switched sides. When the government starts attacking families in their homes who are just trying to make it from day to day, it's going to be hard to put much force into the "evil tax evader" story. People are prone to side with the defender. When Rall suggests attacking the government, it's in defense yes, but it's easy for the government and their lapdog media to spin it as an attack. When the government goes around kicking in the doors of families whose only crime is trying to take care of themselves, the picture of the defender becomes true to life and people around the country are going sympathize and support the defenders.
Each time the government attacks the people, the movement toward freedom will gain strength.
In my next post on the topic (Monday? but no promises), I'll cover collateral damage and violence replacing violence. I also want to touch on desensitization and cooperation, time permitting (or maybe another post).
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