It's Time for Power to the People

power to the people.png

"We have one demand, Power to the People"

The protest by Native Americans and others against the Dakota Access pipeline (DAPL) project has been inspirational because of the solidarity created and tenacity displayed.

But maybe there's something bigger happening than a protest against a pipeline. Maybe this is the Revolution we've been waiting for. The symbolism and the timing occurs to me to be a spark that could start the fire. The involvement of Native Americans in a protest over water affecting their reservation, joined by Veterans, Black Lives Matters and others, at this time in history, could be a trigger for something much greater than stopping the pipeline.

My brother, who had been a long time republican conservative prior to seeing the (partial) light during the Bush regime, sent me an email from a right wing site that claimed Standing Rock wanted money, that Warren Buffet was involved (or his money) because of his oil (Burlington Northern) gravy train, that Standing Rock had the opportunity for input and never responded and it doesn't affect the reservation or water anyway.

He sends me stuff like that now and then, still having friends and contacts in the right brainosphere, so he knows how I'll reply to things like that. The thing is, relative to DAPL and the protests, I haven't delved into the matter deeply. There's only so much time and I haven't felt the need to dig into the history, causes, etc., of the matter. I knew what side I was on, what I supported and didn't support, that's as far as I've gone.

He's used to my responses and it's all good, like I said, he's getting it, he just took the right propaganda train for too long. No different than those who took the left propaganda train really. Both trains trap you into a manufactured reality.

So I replied:

"Guess he won't be joining the protest against the Oil Barons and instead will side with the fascist pigs who want to genocide the Indians again.'

I don't really care (anymore) about the details, it's always the same thing. We can blame each other but the problem is always the same. The Pinkertons, General Custer, Sheriff "We have the guns" Chickenshit, Oil Barons, giant Corporations, Four Dead in Ohio. You can tell me Standing Rock was trying to extort money and I wouldn't give a shit. This is a fight against the "Man". This is fight for fucking freedom.

My brother still has a lot to learn. He hasn't broke on through.

To me this is more than a protest against a pipeline, it's a protest against the establishment, the ruling class and its fascist police state. It's a protest against the illusions and injustices this country is built on and a challenge to the corporatocracy and the oligarchy that control all of us. It's a direct challenge to a country based on slavery and genocide and sustained by imperialism that continues to kill and murder innocent people in an insane quest for the ultimate Manifest Destiny of global supremacy.

It comes at a time when the first African American's presidency, an utter failure, is ending and the illusion of democracy has delivered us Donald Trump.

We have to tap into this energy. These people in North Dakota have started something, something big and something very timely. It needs to be tapped into and expanded. A genuine independent people's movement can emerge to challenge the oligarchy. It cannot be coopted by the political process, political parties or politicians. A movement completely independent from the political system to bring Power to the People.

[video:https://youtu.be/rynxqdNMry4]

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Big Al's picture

It's late night.

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Nope, not sappy. It's what I needed to read right now, anyway, so, thanks yet again.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Big Al's picture

Thanks Ellen.

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mhagle's picture

Hope.

Thanks

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Pricknick's picture

had it coming.
The legends are told of the Battle of the Greasy Grass.
Thanks for the reminder.

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

Oldest Son Of A Sailor's picture

Former Red Sox Pitcher Bill Landis was a salesman for the Arrow Shirt Company...
Had a funny line he'd drop...

"Custer wore Arrow Shirts..."

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"Do you realize the responsibility I carry?
I'm the only person standing between Richard Nixon and the White House."

~John F. Kennedy~
Economic: -9.13, Social: -7.28,

title of a song I heard in Houston.

"Going down three times, coming up twice.
Yes, Custer was a hardhead."

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snoopydawg's picture

This might be the spark that we need to start the fire to start taking back our country.
The veterans are going to Flint to help with the water problems.
A judge ruled today that the government has the responsibility to supply people with water and the (things that go on faucets. Can't remember what they are called) and make sure that they are installed properly.
But just like the energy company is either going to ignore the ruling or fight it in court, so is the government of Flint.
But how do we get people like your brother to stop believing what he does?
I have see those same type of comment on my right wing local website.
And if people do start rising up they are going to be met by private mercenary companies like the ones at DAPL.
Look what they get to do.

Sorry about the small type here, but it says that TigerSwan can monitor social media, cell phones, closed circuit TV and more.

. . . Our GuardianAngel platform is capable of integrating and tracking virtually any kind of sensor. This includes, but is not limited to, GSM beacon, Iridium Trackers, cell phone apps, vehicle trackers AIS sensors, ADS-B sensors, light sensors, tamper sensors, temperature sensors and more. Being technology agnostic allows TigerSwan to develop customizable solutions for each client irrelevant of the requirements.

Does anyone think that this company has to get warrants to do these things? I don't.
We saw how they let dogs attack peaceful people and not one of them has been charged with assault and battery, which should be the least of the charges against them.
It's obvious that the police, the government of ND and our government is okay with their actions.
Here's the link to the article about Tiger Swan the private mercenary company.
http://warisacrime.org/content/standing-rock-tigerswan-and-dawn-official...

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

mhagle's picture

Wow. Frightening.

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Raggedy Ann's picture

this could be that very tipping point you are talking about. It is my hope, as I've been asking, "where are the protests?" to injustices since dubya was elected. As a child of the 60's, I was on the front lines in my state back in the day of protests. In fact, my own father caused a massive protest at a college I was attending and we took over the administration building. That was small potatoes compared to Standing Rock.

This is the real deal. The show of veterans shocked them into ordering an EIS, thinking everyone would pack up and go home. They aren't banking on we, the people, being screwed so much going home means they are to be trusted. NOT! The resilience and tenacity of the American people is now on full display.

The oligarchy must be stopped. It makes sense that it will start with the First Nations. We have much to learn from them. Let's get it right and stay the course to the end. Change will only come from the bottom up. The people REALLY DO have the power and must be courageous to use it.

I stand in solidarity with my fellow American protesters.

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Alligator Ed's picture

This year we have seen:
1. Brexit
2. Renzi's Italian power grab defeated
3. Liberal Van der Bellen elected in Austria displacing RWer
4. Resignation of New Zealand's TPP-lover Key in the offing
5. Imminent ouster of South Korea's president Park for a Hillary-style pay-to-play arm twisting.

Let us hope this is only the first stages of a world-wide tipping point.

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at Standing Rock?

I have read about two of the police brought in from other states resigning. I wonder if there may have been others. Anyone who is faced with the mercenaries needs to start naming names. Take pictures, post online and get these people identified. That alone might induce some to switch sides, and would be far more effective than screaming insults at them.

I don't know about revolution, but I do think that this incident could well coalesce into a new political force, an alliance of Native Americans, rural (and some other) white folks, including environmentalists and good food advocates, and returning veterans. One of the biggest unanswered questions in American politics has been, which way are vets going to jump, and we now have a partial answer. Please note the willingness of the vets to work with tribal leadership, to fund themselves, to not expect to take over, and to in general behave like invited guests, not interlopers. There are elements of the left which should take heed.

For my part, speaking as working class white, I would welcome Native American leadership. Native Americans don't treat the rest of us like walking ATM machines and they are not forever demanding adherence to their particular projects, such as electing Killary.

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Mary Bennett

riverlover's picture

Because one may be on one side, one the other in ND, which is not a grand Black hangout.

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Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

mentioned Black Lives Matter among others being involved. I am wondering how were they involved?

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Mary Bennett

blazinAZ's picture

As far as I know, the official BLM organization has not taken a stand on Standing Rock (though I haven't looked deeply), but many black activists have been there, and many people who are associated with the movement for black lives have been posting and tweeting.

I saw one tweet (I'm paraphrasing) that said "Standing Rock is Black Lives Matter. Standing Rock is LGBTQ rights. Standing Rock is environmental justice. It's all the same struggle."

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There is no justice in America, but it is the fight for justice that sustains you.
--Amiri Baraka

Pluto's Republic's picture

They will bear witness to the first blood.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
Lookout's picture

new police barracks.jpg

and you might enjoy this similar thought Al (3 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x1DvtaL0T8]

Power to the people and the protectors...there's more to come.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Big Al's picture

There's more to come.

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pswaterspirit's picture

A prophecy come true. There is one that says that the people will eventually gather behind the tribes to fight the government. It's part of the story of White Buffalo woman.

We live in interesting times.

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WaterLily's picture

And sincerely hope you're right. I do think something's in the air.

I just learned about this today -- organized, in part, by Shaun King. I don't know how successful it will be, but at the very worst it's another positive sign. And it appears thought-out and strategic.

Injustice Boycott

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enhydra lutris's picture

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

WaterLily's picture

It works for me -- perhaps a browser issue? (I'm on FF for Windows).

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Thanks for posting this - the Injustice Boycott is brilliant and just what's needed to be applied to all of the criminal corporations, everywhere!

This must spread globally!

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

blazinAZ's picture

Thanks for this heartfelt essay.

I'm right here with you.

Hasta la victoria siempre!

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There is no justice in America, but it is the fight for justice that sustains you.
--Amiri Baraka

Big Al's picture

Going to have to check that out.

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ggersh's picture

on a somewhat different note, this might be exposing what a fraud all voting is. For there is something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-12-06/michigan-republicans-file-emerg...

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

Thanks for posting that link, which looks clear enough to me. When suspect election results cannot, by law, be verified by a recount, it's painfully obvious that this is a feature, not a bug, rather like privately owned voting machines which are sealed off to make results unverifiable as 'confidential business information'. Ain't that the truth which they're not bothering to hide well at all?

Edited for a missed comma and my somehow using 'but' rather than 'not'. I haz mad Typo Queen skillz...

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

ggersh's picture

all corporations, govt's etc.etc. are having "feature" problems, bugs are sadly going the same route as bee's, extinct.

No worries, I'm the language Wacko

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

enhydra lutris's picture

nothing gets done without people taking to the streets and standing up to government and private wrongdoing. Let us hope that it grows and the scope keeps broadening.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

MarilynW's picture

their lives on the streets, there are so many issues...

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To thine own self be true.

polkageist's picture

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-Greed is not a virtue.
-Socialism: the radical idea of sharing.
-Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
John F. Kennedy, In a speech at the White House, 1962

Pluto's Republic's picture

I have to love your fiery remark. It's one for the ages:

"Guess he won't be joining the protest against the Oil Barons and instead will side with the fascist pigs who want to genocide the Indians again.'

I can confirm that we are looking at the same phenomenon right now. It has dimension:

We have to tap into this energy. These people in North Dakota have started something, something big and something very timely. It needs to be tapped into and expanded. A genuine independent people's movement can emerge to challenge the oligarchy. It cannot be coopted by the political process, political parties or politicians. A movement completely independent from the political system to bring Power to the People.

This is why I'm here. I've watched myself slowly treading water and I wonder why I remain. From the time I got here, I really had only one simple message to deliver: "Change can only come from the outside. The system cannot be changed from the inside." I deliver the message repeatedly, in everything I write and say, but it cannot be heard. So, I ask myself, what am I waiting around for?

And, now I know. I waited because I wanted to see the way the air ripples when real change approaches. I wanted to see the contours of change as it consolidates above us, like a great mothership. But most of all, I wanted to feel the simplicity and purity of heart that attracts transformative change, because that moment of creation always seems to pass unobserved and unrecorded.

I felt it this time. From every direction. It looks a lot like electricity.

I did learn one important thing today: You don't bring revolution. It comes to your door.

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____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
Big Al's picture

and well put. "It comes to your door".

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver