I continue to marvel at the scenes from 'Sicko' that showed 100s of thousands of people marching in the streets of Europe, demanding that their voice be heard. The film stated it plainly: in France (especially) the government fears the power of the People. In the US, the People fear the power of the government.
The 2nd point that the film makes, is that life in the US appears to be intentionally structured to keep people fearful of getting in political trouble, because it might mean losing their job and their health insurance.
Independence Day is tomorrow. It's beyond time for a Declaration (we don't even need a new one - the original is still just fine).
I am disgusted.
It was fun seeing SiCKO in a crowded theater in supposedly conservative Vancouver and hearing everyone collectively gasp at some of the movie's more startling revelations.
ReplyDeleteMost were retirement age folks, who undoubtedly are under their HMO's thumb.
Yes, the European images of protests framed the concept of protest in a much more favorable light than we presently have of it in the US.
Protest demonstrations in the US are simply seen as a fringe activity that seems simply ritualistic and symbolic, rather than a genuine aspect of political discourse.
Maybe a few more crappy administrations (of either party) will change that fact.
Or lots more people marching in the street, making it clear that we are mad as hell and are not going to take it anymore.
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