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

Friday, June 28, 2013

A Rare Speech by a Unique Political Leader

Click here to access article by Don Quijones from Raging Bull-Shit.
...just when you thought all hope was lost and the time had come to wallow neck-deep in despair, the world — and, to be fair, the human species — catches you unawares. For, as I recently learned, in 2009 the people of Uruguay elected a leader who could not possibly deviate more wildly from the standard caricature of a 21st century politician.
What a startling anomaly produced by the Uruguayan ruling class! Don't ever expect this to happen again, or especially to happen in a major country among a predatory class of capitalists. Nevertheless, it is inspiring that such a person can exist in spite of all the obstacles that must have hindered his rise in Uruguayan political circles.
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