We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Monday, February 13, 2012

Greece: 12-2 / Revolt begins as the regime votes in favour of the EU

Click here to access article, videos, and photos from Eagainst. 
A peaceful protest was organised by the major trade unions...at 17:00 outside Syntagma (parliament) square. Around 1 million Athenians responded to the call. Violent clashes broke out between some militant demonstrators and riot squads a few minutes later when some police officers attempted to brutally attack the crowd by throwing excessive amounts of tear gas, aiming to remove them from the square, violating their democratic rights to assemble.