When have Americans ever stood up? (Post Revolution)

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

And effected change?


Civil War
The Great Depression*
World War II**
The 60's



When have Americans ever sat down?

And had their pockets picked?


All the other times









*One could presume that the great changes of the New Deal weren't put into place by Americans standing up but that the piss-poor status of the country demanded it.

**Did they stand up on their own or did someone kick them?

[smtpgirl]

1. this should be our '60's

I am old enough to remember that, my mom protested the Vietnam war at UMD

[NEOBuckeye]

10. The 2010s will be

Just a hunch. But watch and see what happens.

Actually even better than that, don't just watch. Make it happen!

[smtpgirl]

2. I'm in

[GrumpyGreg]

3. Wow! You don't think much of the USA,do you? I think it's a

damn good country,as do all the millions of people that have immigrated here.

Sure we have our problems as do all the other nations of the world.

What country do you really admire?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

5. Damn. The lemmings are leading with a right.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

6. Thanks for answering the question.

:hi:


Chalk me up as a Hate-America-Firster! :eyes:


"We're a damn good country. What more do we need to do? Isn't that enough for you Pinkos? We're damn good. Yeah, I said it!"

[f-bush]

13. Iceland, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Netherlands

[KittyWampus]

16. Many of those countries have strong Racist elements that eclipse

what you find here.

You must not be black or Muslim.

[pinto]

4. We've raised generations of good, decent kids. That's standing up, imo.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. Agreed. But most people are decent.

Iraqis, et alii, have raised generations of good, decent kids.

I'm trying to get at what exactly does it take to create a symbiotic movement.

"We're Americans! We're free! We won't take any shit!" Or will we?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. Additions? Subtractions?

Are we are who we think we are?

[Katherine Brengle]

9. I don't exactly agree...

I guess if you are talking about the American people, and not the state, then the 60s are a great example.

The Civil War was primarily political, but I would say that the abolitionists, the true ones, were stand-up Americans.

The Depression--I am going to assume you mean the New Deal. While I personally approve of most of the New Deal legislation, there were negative effects--the state basically took on corporate powers, which is in essence fascism, rather than socialism, which it has been perceived as. FDR also refused to stand up for anti-lynching legislation because he didn't want to lose support for his programs--that's not standing up--that's giving in.

WWII--this was another political move. Especially in reference to our dealings with Japan, but also definitely in the European sphere. Until the breaking point, when we entered the war, we took no issue with fascism, which was considered a great political idea at the time--once we were brought into the war, we used opposition to fascism as a selling point--just like the "liberation of the Iraqi people" is used to justify the Iraq oil war now.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

11. I'm talking about the people and not the state.

An interesting post.

[Katherine Brengle]

14. thanks--definitely an important distinction. n/t

[Greyhound]

17. Let's not forget that the New Deal actually saved the evil institutions

that caused the crisis in the first place, allowing them to live and grow to inflict this on us. The finance and insurance industries (really the same thing) are the driving force behind our impending enslavement.

[nemo137]

12. The Labor movements of the 19th-20th centuries, maybe?

The Bonus Marchers of the 1930's? Those two come to mind.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. I thought about that but their goals were not really reached until

after we had an economic collapse.

What does it take, short of catastrophe?

[KG]

18. a really good question.

my answer would be: never

and that's why things are so fucked up. too many USians think everything's just hunky-dory just so long as they can watch NASCAR every sunday.

[Arkham House]

19. The 1890s

There was a depression then every bit as virulent as that of the 1930s, and a great uprising of the people, especially in the agrarian areas, when America was still--just--primarily an agrarian nation...it bubbled up into the 1896 campaign, when the Populists--for better or worse--adopted Bryan as their champion. And he came within an ace of winning--indeed, many people--including HL Mencken, who despised him--thought Bryan *did* win the election, but had it stolen by the Repubs...sound familiar? The election of 1896 was every bit as stressful as those of 1860 and 1876, and predictions of civil war if Bryan won were as plentiful as those in 1860. But of course, he "lost"...and McKinley won...and the depression faded, and the great revolt faded, even from historical memory. The Progressives took over, who were more middle-class, and they eventually triumphed under Wilson and later FDR... But the 1890s are worth remembering...

[Art_from_Ark]

23. There was a brief shining moment of progressivism

when the Teddy Roosevelt wing of the Republican Party had power, but that evaporated after TR left office, and Republican Progressives eventually fizzled out in the 1920s.

[bryant69]

20. There's not going to be a revolution

And if their was things would get worse.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

21. Revolution revolution? Or 60's-style revolution?

I agree that there won't be an armed insurrection.

How much worse can things get? Short of the impending collapse? I'd rather fix it now than a few years from now from a soupline.

[Johonny]

22. If Americans rose up in the 60s

Why with that generation basically in power are we making all the same mistakes of the 60s? How many Americans rose up in the revolution... not many. How many in the 1960s... clearly not many.

On the other hand don’t discount what the pre-union worker did to get unions into the work place.

For the record I think you're seeing a lot of unrest in this country. What if the media really covered the protest prior to the Iraqi invasion? What if the media really focused on all the protest during Bushed inauguration? A protestor in the dark doesn’t last long. I marched prior to the Iraq war. I would not do so again. I would suggest the modern protest have moved to other forums in this country.

[TayTay]

24. There have always been Americans who stood up.

And there have always been other Americans who have sat on their hands. And there have always been Americans who sided with the existing power structure and beat the ever-loving crap out of the ones who stood up.

Our battles are against ourselves. That's who we stand up against anyway.

[Marie26]

25. I think you underestimate Americans

You can look at the whole of American history as people standing up and making things better for the next generation. We take freedom so completely for granted now that we don't even notice it; it's just like the air we breathe. But we sure notice when that air is taken away. Most Americans are feeling suffocated right now, and it's pissing them off. I live in a red state, and NOBODY is happy with Bush. People are beginning to pay attention & protest. You seem to imply that people are mostly brain-dead sheep who lack courage or strength. Look at our history - Americans have fought for their rights throughout: immigrants, laborers, civil rights, feminism. Our lives are easier & freer now because of the sacrifices others before us made. That struggle for rights has always been there in our history - sometimes dormant, but always present. If we have to fight again, we will.

[genie_weenie]

26. Read Howard Zinn's

People's History of the United States!

Oh great FSM, thank you for stretching out your noodlely appendage and gifting us with the Great Zinn!