in the time remaining, to help us understand how the man-made system of capitalism will lead to the extinction of our human species, and so many others.
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
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
The Police and the Occupy Movement: An Interview With Kristian Williams
It is quite rare that I run across an article that provides significant original thoughts on activist issues, and by doing so, advances the activist movement. This one definitely does that. Kristian William's views on the vital subject of relations with the enforcers of the One Percent (cops and military) is clearly based on a lot of research into a broad reach of history which is informed by a social justice perspective. This interview has inspired me to read his two books: Our Enemies in Blue: Police and Power in America and American Methods: Torture and the Logic of Domination.