A Confrontation in Philadelphia

There will be confrontation at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Confrontation in the committees, confrontation in the delegations, confrontation on the floor of the convention and confrontation in the streets.

Why is confrontation coming?

It's coming because there’s a sign on the wall. Because there’s always a wall. Because there's always a damn sign on it. The rich put up the walls and their bought-and-paid-for-politicians plaster Vote For Me Again signs all over them.

It's coming because there's blood on the flag. Because there's always a flag. Because there's always blood on it. The flags are waved and boots-on-the-ground soldiers splatter innocent blood all over them.

It's coming because there are criminals in the "government". Because there's always a "government". Because "governments" always degenerate into crime syndicates. Because lies are told and power is abused and justice is obstructed at every level of them.

That's why.

We've seen the sun go down too many times. We've seen it sink below the horizon, leaving working families in darkness, leaving the rule of law in darkness, leaving civil liberties in darkness, leaving democracy itself in darkness. The sun has gone down over everything we care about, over everything that matters.

American flag

The sun has set, leaving this entire nation in darkness, in the darkness of greed, in the darkness of deceit, in the darkness of fascism.

But as Hemingway reminded us,
THE SUN ALSO RISES.

It's been rising ever since Bernie Sanders began his campaign for the Presidency. He's campaigned across this country, telling the truth about establishment politicians who reward the powerful and punish the powerless, telling the truth about corrupt bankers who regulate Congress instead of Congress regulating them, telling the truth about racist police who kill black children and call it law enforcement, about corporate media hacks who cut-and-paste plutocrat talking points and call it journalism, about shameful judges who fill America's prisons with the poor and call it justice.

The huge crowds at every Bernie rally in every primary state from the Atlantic to the Pacific have a message for America . . .

[video:https://youtu.be/wysBZYBx6UI width:500 height:333]


~

We are shining the Light of Political Revolution on the evil of this national security state, on the evil of endless wars for profit, on the evil of mass incarceration, on the evil of corporate capitalism, on the evil of aggression and oppression and corruption.

William Faulkner . . .


Some things you must always be unable to bear. Some things you must never stop refusing to bear. Injustice and outrage and dishonor and shame. No matter how young you are or how old you have become, refuse to bear them.

Let there be Light . . .

So the crimes of Wall Street can't be hidden anymore, so the crimes of the Pentagon can't be hidden anymore, so the crimes of Pfizer and Merck and Exxon/Mobil and Monsanto can't be hidden anymore, so the treachery of the CIA and the NSA and the NRA can't be hidden anymore.

Let there be Light . . .

So the wages of working people can't be stolen by the Fortune 500 and the Forbes 400 and the Waltons and the Kochs and the Murdochs anymore, so the voices of progressives can't be silenced by the dirty money of the Clinton Foundation and the Hillary Victory Fund and the DNC anymore, so recall elections and primary elections and general elections can't be rigged by the Oligarchy for the next thousand years.

Philadelphia . . . 5 minutes before sunrise.

Sunday Surprise

There will be confrontation in Philadelphia because what should be alive is dead, because what should be dead is alive, because what should be set free is bound, because what should be bound is set free, because the political system is broken, because the economic system is broken, because the justice system is broken, because we can't believe the news today, we can't just close our eyes and make it go away . . .

[video:https://youtu.be/gbNuIqiVPbU width:500 height:333]


~

LET . . . THERE . . . BE . . . LIGHT


Say it here.

Say it at Daily Darkness.

Say it in the final primary states.

Say it with Bernie Sanders in Philadelphia.

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Comments

The City of Brotherly Confrontation.

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Moving the capital there from DC might not be a bad idea either.

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Alphalop's picture

Very poetic in nature.

Which brings a thought to mind, maybe some torches would help us light up the night until sunrise?

Oh, and maybe a couple pitchforks, 2nd only to a towel in it's usefulness. Wink

So remember, Don't forget your towel.

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"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

Alphalop's picture

"wet it for use in hand-to-hand combat" Smile

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"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

Maybe it's time to give them a try again.

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featheredsprite's picture

Smile

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Life is strong. I'm weak, but Life is strong.

Alphalop's picture

It is a rare book that makes me literally laugh HARD out loud while reading, and ALL of his books had the capability to do that to me.

I loved his Dirk Gentley's Holistic detective agency series too. "The Long Dark Tea-time of the soul" has to be one of the best titles for a novel ever. Smile

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"I used to vote Republican & Democrat, I also used to shit my pants. Eventually I got smart enough to stop doing both things." -Me

Too many years have gone by since I read it.

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mimi's picture

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Though the cities start to crumble, and the towers fall around us . . .

[video:https://youtu.be/TAxsrgcatEg width:500 height:333]

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Slightkc's picture

Have you ever thought about speech writing? What you've written here practically sings with a revolutionary cadence. This one's a keeper! Thank you!

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Bernie is probably the only politician with the moral courage to give the kind of speeches caucus99 progressives would write. I'd offer my services, but I think he's doing just fine without me. Smile

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Still love hearing John Denver. I'm too old now to go to Philadelphia, but the activist in me is still alive, and wishes all of you who will be there, Peace, Be Safe, and Speak with Loud Voices.
Denver wrote a song, in honor of Buckminster Fuller's 80th (?)birthday: What One Man Can Do
After he finished singing:
...Denver proposed "my toast to Bucky." John had composed it especially for the event, and his guests, touched and teary-eyed, joined in the chorus: "What one man can do is dream/What one man can do is love/What one man can do is change the world and make it new again." Then John Denver kissed the grand old man, stroked the back of his neck and murmured, "I love you, Bucky."

https://www.google.com/search?q=John+Dnver+What+One+Man+Can+Do&ie=utf-8&...

tried to embed, but got message this video is not supported Sad

Well, maybe this will work - another favorite. John Denver was the inspiration for Jimmy Carter to form the Presidential Commission to End Hunger. Denver wrote this song for it too:

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KayCeSF's picture

We lost a really bright spirit when we lost you, John Denver.

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Kaye

And the lives of millions of people all over the world are brighter because of it.

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lotlizard's picture

changed last name . . . it’s kind of a cheap shot. John Denver’s last name was Deutschendorf — the fact that he changed it doesn’t make me respect or love John Denver any less.

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with an interesting history and multi-ethnic culture. The area there seems just about as beautiful as Colorado.
wikipedia entry on what used to be called Deutschendorf

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His music touched the hearts of so many people all over the world, and there could have been so much more of it.

Thank you for the tribute to John and the link and video, Caerus.

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has nothing to do with kumbaya and everything to do with f*cking your brother, as in the ancient Egyptian tradition.

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They say that there's a broken light for every heart on Broadway
They say that life's a game and then they take the board away
They give you masks and costumes and an outline of the story
And leave you all to improvise their vicious cabaret-- A. Moore

Heh.

I just want to see a million Bernie people there.

OccupyDNC

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him win Puerto Rico, even by a little. I think he could with his message about PR debt. Too bad there are no polls. I have no feel at all how it will go except the media keeps saying it will be a Clinton win for sure.

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The DNC in Puerto Rico has reduced voting locations from something to the tune of 1,500 to about 500...(over the past week) in order to try and defeat Bernie Sanders voters. Just sayin.. keep your eyes open.. the nasty is still in full force.

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No further text necessary.

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otherwise the movement will wither. Despair will win out. And when the Democratic Party dies nothing will replace it except fascism.

We need to have a plan. Let's be honest, we really can't afford a Trump presidency, as much or even more than we can't afford a Hillary presidency. That means we have to stop Hillary from getting the nomination. We have to pile it on, how Hillary is unacceptable, make the superdelegates realize that she is hopeless, and that they will suffer if they don't admit it. That means we have to do it before Philadelphia. Hillary can't just poll at -2, it has to be -10.
Her forces will try to discredit us - they will claim we're nothing but silly children and aging hippies (well they already are) and in Philadelphia they will put on ski masks and throw rocks. Cameras will be turned off and tear gas will be thrown and film will be edited. It will happen. She will attempt to marginalize and then demonize us. It will look like Chicago '68 - if Hillary has her way - and there is an extent that we cannot avoid it. We have to turn it on her.
By the way, what we've been doing has worked, so don't change strategy, but focus.

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On to Biden since 1973

I think Hillary is going to keep falling behind Trump in the polls.

The next two months until the convention are going to get very interesting.

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featheredsprite's picture

Perhaps we should send him a thank you note. Smile

Actually, Trump needs to have a good lead over Clinton in order to preserve his nomination. The Republicans are also capable of committing funny stuff at conventions.

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Life is strong. I'm weak, but Life is strong.

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Then we'll have a good 4 way race which opens a path for Jill Stein (or Bernie).

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Beware the bullshit factories.

There was a 4 way race in 1860, it opened a path to the Presidency for Abraham Lincoln.

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BSanders2016's picture

I agree. Bernie wants our movement to be peaceful and I concur with him.
That being said he also would not want us to quietly walk away. If Hillary wins the nomination on the first vote I hope the millions of Sander supporters will lock arms and peacefully push their way onto the convention floor. There will be way more Bernie supporters then police. They cannot keep us from entering the convention. At that point we will demand a recount. If Hillary wins on a second count we will leave peacefully.

I wish that Bernies' delegates and supporters in Arizona had done something similar at that convention. If they had peacefully sat down and were willing to be arrested and removed by police the main-stream media would have given the story more attention. We (Bernie supporters) were disenfranchised in Arizona and we had a right to be upset but the course of action wasn't well thought out.

Peace

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"YOU must be the change you wish to see in the world." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

gulfgal98's picture

This essay is beautifully written. Your writing is poetry. Smile

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

I love Caucus99. I love everything about it, even that crocodile with the typewriter.

Thank you for your kind words about my writing.

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hester's picture

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Don't believe everything you think.

work here.

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KayCeSF's picture

And inspiring! Thank you. It should be published somewhere for all to read!

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Kaye

I've been banned 3 times so far.

I wonder what the record is? I might strive for it, and then have it etched on my tombstone . . . Here lies Rusty, banned at Daily Kos 358 times.

Heh.

Thank you, KayeCeSF.

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But, I will definitely be there in spirit. Like Bernie said, Democracy is messy. And like you said, we will light the darkness, wherever we are. Truth can be a heavy burden. When we carry it together and shine for eachother, like your brilliant words, we will change our world.

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We could go there, and then go to Paris for a few months, but I'd have to save up some money first. Smile

We're shining the Truth here, and Bernie is shining it across this country, and we are going to change the world.

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Or maybe we can attend Bernie's inauguration party next year if we start saving now ; )

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I'll let you decide where we go. Smile

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Christine.MI's picture

that was an absolutely beautiful piece of writing! So much truth!

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poetry, my friend.

To all you fellow oldsters who can no longer handle street scenes, be prepared to send money to Philadelphia for bail, maybe for medical attention. It was helpful to us in 1967 when we confronted the establishment at the Pentagon.

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Wow. You were there, oldchuck?

This is an amazing community.

March on the Pentagon

Good advice about being fully prepared, contributions from people who can't go to Philadelphia will be important and very much appreciated.

Thank you, oldchuck.

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I was there and for many others. I saw Tim Leary and Abby Hoffman attempt to conjure the Pentagon to rise into the air. I saw a young lady plant a flower in the barrel of a military rifle. I also saw a couple of those young uniformed guys, really guys just like me, drop their guns and change sides. I saw a few of our people actually break the lines and storm briefly into that hateful building to be immediately beaten and busted. And finally, with an empty wine bottle in my hand, arm cocked and ready to throw into the face of one of those plain clothes government thugs that were beating people with their clubs and dragging them off to jail, to refrain, to not add more violence to a very tense scene. I have not changed that decision.

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Thank you, Chuck.

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This is excellent advise.

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janis b's picture

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riverlover's picture

Thank you, Rusty1776! Remember, Eyes on the Prize, our freedom from lies.

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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.

There's strength here, determination and solidarity.

Thank you, riverlover, and thank you Caucus99.

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jorogo's picture

Moving. Inspiring. Thanks.

I'll see if my friend's cafe, where the county Dems have their meetings, will let me post it on their "wall". It's a friendly wall, I assure you.

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"If I sit silently, I have sinned." - Mossadegh

eom.

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Has been HIPPIE punching again but this time the Hippies have effectively learned how to punch back (smile) and it's reaching critical PISSED OFF MODE in the closed door back room of the party...

The violent confrontation. In 1968 was NOT caused by those that went to Chicago to protest. It was caused by the PISSED,OFF PARTY INSIDERS who called in armed troops to keep those middle class kids in line... Same as they did at Kent State.

There WILL. Be confrontation in Philly but,it won't be caused by anyone heading there to protest.

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Orwell was an optimist

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I post links to many of the essays here on Bernie sites, it's a good way to support him and to draw people to Caucus99.

Thank you for sharing my essay on Facebook, trkingmomoe.

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That is a sermon, a revival meeting. It is a call to listen and to heed. It is calling down the thunder.

When you are called to the pulpit, you must speak. If you speak with righteousness, the people will hear. If they hear the words of truth and are not afraid, they will act.

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"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." --Jiddu Krishnamurti

That's what we need to do and that's what we're doing. Hillary and the DNC need to hear the thunder of political revolution, they need to see the lightning strike, they need to feel the heat of a direct hit.

Great post, 2andfro. Thank you.

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ninkasi23's picture

I've kind of been lurking here but I just had to say this essay brought tears to my eyes and a fire in my belly. Thank you.

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It's been a long, hard road for progressives, and there are long miles yet to travel, but we have Bernie now and he has us.

Tomorrow there’ll be sunshine, and all this darkness past . . .

[video:https://youtu.be/MWWpQJXVBeU width:500 height:333]

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