April 16, 2016 Blisteringly hot socio-political and steaming mulch radical environmental greetings to you, Democracy Spring continues to occupy the Capitol in Washington, D.C. as best that it can (without getting shot!), and will continue doing so to deliver the message that a corrupted, bought by global capitalism and run by a psychotic consumerist international freak show, will no longer be accepted by the American people.
The prevailing attitude in front of the White House is that it would be preferable to padlock it after the Obamas move out rather than let the Clintons move back in. Majority opinion is that the Republicans will not advance beyond the convention in late July in Cleveland, where anarchists plan to take dissent to a higher level. Also, the Democratic convention in Philadelphia in late July is perceived by some of the Democracy Spring marchers to be even more necessary to be shut down, because the Democrats represent a greater and possibly longer lasting insidious problem in terms of a lack of transparency, and general pandering to special interests. Also, the foreign policies of the two parties are an ongoing environmental death knell, specifically in terms of the extractive industries which are run by multinational corporations. Obviously, climate destabilization is scary and needs to be addressed, regardless of the stupidity of American politicians and their corporate masters.
A sense of frustration is being felt by protesters in Washington, D.C. insofar as credible third party candidates are concerned, since corporate media, for example, is not allowing the Green Party into the televised debates, and also the miracle which would be required to have Uncle Bernie prevail does not appear to be happening, although supporters are hopeful. This is fueling a growing sense of futility, as the possibility of a Republican administration with either the NYC billionaire rookie or the fracking evangelical Texan moving into the oval office becomes more likely.
The usually quiet under-the-table discussion of using tactics other than "non-violent" is becoming more openly advocated by participants out of the cameras eye, as the Capitol police lead away an endless line of handcuffed Capitol steps occupiers. Even historically pacifistic groups who are here look more indrawn that usual, and I am referring to the religious. Catholic workers and Pax Christie, Jewish middle east peace advocates, Muslim moderate types, inter-faith council members such as Unitarians, and neopagans of various types are all part of the Democracy Spring group, which is evident at the early assembly in front of Union Station where the free breakfast is being served.
The collective gossip over morning coffee is in regard to the quicksand sinking feeling that most are experiencing this week, and that the global ecological situation is approaching implosion; which is irrelevant to global capitalism, which requires inflation for its necessary growth, and has a more critical need of constant war to spur the global economy. The fact that this is insane is not comprehended by either main political party's current front runner, which is resulting in a reconsideration by Democracy Spring activists of the basic intelligence of continuing with an essentially "non-violent" and in some cases pacifistic approach by protesters. Intimations that collaboration with other tendencies at the late July conventions, for example, and certainly before that at scheduled bioregional gatherings, is a definite possibility. The elderly who led one of the Capitol step occupations are being tight lipped in response to a younger generation's advocacy of a return to tactics of previous anarchist blocs, such as what was seen at the Republican convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 2000, and some of the eighty year olds are recalling a certain police riot in Chicago in 1968.
The Earth First! annual Round River Rendezvous will take place in Michigan this year in early July, and a lot of the philosophical questions will be answered then. Radical environmentalism has been pushed against the wall, so to speak, by years of fascist political regimes worldwide, with recent murders in central America being the latest examples of how far global capitalism is willing to go to ensure its own continuance. None of this is lost on the Democracy Spring assemblage on the Capitol hill steps this week, which will go on through Monday April 18th.
Craig Louis Stehr
April 16, 2016
Washington, D.C.
The prevailing attitude in front of the White House is that it would be preferable to padlock it after the Obamas move out rather than let the Clintons move back in. Majority opinion is that the Republicans will not advance beyond the convention in late July in Cleveland, where anarchists plan to take dissent to a higher level. Also, the Democratic convention in Philadelphia in late July is perceived by some of the Democracy Spring marchers to be even more necessary to be shut down, because the Democrats represent a greater and possibly longer lasting insidious problem in terms of a lack of transparency, and general pandering to special interests. Also, the foreign policies of the two parties are an ongoing environmental death knell, specifically in terms of the extractive industries which are run by multinational corporations. Obviously, climate destabilization is scary and needs to be addressed, regardless of the stupidity of American politicians and their corporate masters.
A sense of frustration is being felt by protesters in Washington, D.C. insofar as credible third party candidates are concerned, since corporate media, for example, is not allowing the Green Party into the televised debates, and also the miracle which would be required to have Uncle Bernie prevail does not appear to be happening, although supporters are hopeful. This is fueling a growing sense of futility, as the possibility of a Republican administration with either the NYC billionaire rookie or the fracking evangelical Texan moving into the oval office becomes more likely.
The usually quiet under-the-table discussion of using tactics other than "non-violent" is becoming more openly advocated by participants out of the cameras eye, as the Capitol police lead away an endless line of handcuffed Capitol steps occupiers. Even historically pacifistic groups who are here look more indrawn that usual, and I am referring to the religious. Catholic workers and Pax Christie, Jewish middle east peace advocates, Muslim moderate types, inter-faith council members such as Unitarians, and neopagans of various types are all part of the Democracy Spring group, which is evident at the early assembly in front of Union Station where the free breakfast is being served.
The collective gossip over morning coffee is in regard to the quicksand sinking feeling that most are experiencing this week, and that the global ecological situation is approaching implosion; which is irrelevant to global capitalism, which requires inflation for its necessary growth, and has a more critical need of constant war to spur the global economy. The fact that this is insane is not comprehended by either main political party's current front runner, which is resulting in a reconsideration by Democracy Spring activists of the basic intelligence of continuing with an essentially "non-violent" and in some cases pacifistic approach by protesters. Intimations that collaboration with other tendencies at the late July conventions, for example, and certainly before that at scheduled bioregional gatherings, is a definite possibility. The elderly who led one of the Capitol step occupations are being tight lipped in response to a younger generation's advocacy of a return to tactics of previous anarchist blocs, such as what was seen at the Republican convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 2000, and some of the eighty year olds are recalling a certain police riot in Chicago in 1968.
The Earth First! annual Round River Rendezvous will take place in Michigan this year in early July, and a lot of the philosophical questions will be answered then. Radical environmentalism has been pushed against the wall, so to speak, by years of fascist political regimes worldwide, with recent murders in central America being the latest examples of how far global capitalism is willing to go to ensure its own continuance. None of this is lost on the Democracy Spring assemblage on the Capitol hill steps this week, which will go on through Monday April 18th.
Craig Louis Stehr
April 16, 2016
Washington, D.C.
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