Imagine non-violent civil disobedience en-masse

[homebrew1973]

Just imagine that for a while and let`s hear your thoughts on what would be the outcome.

They couldn`t lock us all up, and who`d pay for it even if they could? If only more people stood up for themselves instead of behaving like "I must obey every law without question" sheep-like robots...

[loderlive]

Just imagine that for a while and let`s hear your thoughts on what would be the outcome.

They couldn`t lock us all up, and who`d pay for it even if they could? If only more people stood up for themselves instead of behaving like "I must obey every law without question" sheep-like robots...

The Native Americans did it.

[mcthompson2x]

I think something like this is inevitable, they just have to push us too far. I'd much prefer this over any "revolution" that involved fighting and guns and death. I don't think that the majority of the military is going to be willing to use violence or coercion to imprison innocent civilians who are non-violently standing up for their promised Constitutional rights.

[keystone]

Like the European Army for example??

[homebrew1973]

Ye gods don`t give the armed forces ideas of paying their robots on piecework :eek:

[the itinerant shrubber]

It would mean having enough people to be disobedient to make an impact.Most people arent willing to do that. I'm constantly disobedient. Dont see many people joining me though.Most people are chicken-shit.

[void]

Just imagine that for a while and let`s hear your thoughts on what would be the outcome. They couldn`t lock us all up, and who`d pay for it even if they could? If only more people stood up for themselves instead of behaving like "I must obey every law without question" sheep-like robots...

My view is that the very 'individual' nature of culture in this country now has made the possibility such a mass "non violent" disobedience just that - imagination. Divide and Rule, and we have all indeed been divided and ruled. People in our culture generally only care about themselves and their immediate family, and have a vast difference of opinion, even if it appears they all follow the same stuff. .Good, but not in this kind of situation.

Coming together in unity, simply doesn't happen now. One person's rebellious stand, is seen as a selfish and incovenient annoyance to another person's life by others. One group goes on strike to stand up for themselves, and everybody else whines that their lives are inconvenienced and eventually join in condemning them. No longer is there a communal spirit which could be effective to really put a spanner in the works. On the more practical note, you're right they couldn't lock everyone up if such a mass gathering ever occured, but they could certainly detain (now for a loooong time without charge) and fine people big time. Because without all the prior permissions given by police that satisfy a plethora of their conditions, spontaneous and un-approved protests are actually illegal here, and are treated as such.

Even the most peaceful unnanounced gathering that may happen to disrupt the flow of the system (which a mass one would do), is viewed as illegal. Labour has the Civil Contingencies Act (--http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/ukpga_20040036_en_3#pt2-l1g20--), an emergency powers act which on the surface looks like it is solely about protecting us in emergency situations should something happen 'to' us, but can also be used 'against' us, because it allows emergency powers (literally martial law) to take over virtually everything in this country, from keeping banks going, supply routes open, communications, prohibit gathering, prohibit travel, etc.

Army are allowed to be deployed to restore the flow (mind you, most of them are over in Afghanistan or Iraq). One of the reasons our frankly embarassingly pathetic fuel protest fell apart in a matter of days years back was because this act was pulled out of the hat to threaten the fuel depot blockades, I believe. Add to this that so many people thought only for themselves filling up like fools and after a few days getting bored with having their driving lives disrupted, it led to such a humiliating dissolving of what at first 'appeared' to be our nation standing up for once to the government. Unfortunately it fell apart very quickly and Blair even topped it off by making us all look like naughty children, calling us "un-reasonable". Nothing changed, nothing happened, we all went back to work with scalded hands. Humilitating.

Add the other laws about 'perceived' disruption like the new anti-terror laws, the long term detention without trial, and even the most peaceful standing up could be hit by all this. No, they can't arrest everyone but they can pick out the motivators (which they are skilled at doing), create diversions, and arrest those who keep it going. Once arrested, they come down hard on those people like a ton of bricks. Once the masses see what happens to such a person, they'll soon go whimpering back home to catch Eastenders (IMO).

People have been led to beleive that they have a LOT to lose by standing up and saying - "Enough is enough". We all bitch and moan, but we know that overall we 'still' have it pretty good compared to elsewhere in the world, and folks don't want to risk losing what little they've got, however awful it is getting. Essentially I'd say it's the old prison of - "Better the devil you know".

[diamond dogs]

Don't forget the Poll Tax riots in the UK that was a long time ago now but we could be heading towards a similar situation especially if the Iran blockade shoots up the price of oil further (their intention)...I think the Can't pay Won't pay scenario will kick in...IF the majority (eventually...a trickle leading to a flood = i.e 60%) stopped paying their Council tax and gas and electricty bills (and TV licence) then what could they do...send in bailiffs? there would be so much second hand stuff for sale it would be worthless and what 'brave' persons would do the job, the courts would be overun...there is always something that breaks the camels back and although most people are not 'awake' when the money becomes too tight and they can't 'live' they normally think f#ck it I aint paying (go out and get p!ssed)! Eventually this would lead to some sort of financial collapse and anarchy in the UK.........the coming months will be a litmus test of the situation...lots of disenchantmet out there and when the weather changes and the bills start adding up then gradually things start to kick off...Inner city areas first!

[homebrew1973]

Don't forget the Poll Tax riots in the UK that was a long time ago now but we could be heading towards a similar situation especially if the Iran blockade shoots up the price of oil further (their intention)...I think the Can't pay Won't pay scenario will kick in...IF the majority (eventually...a trickle leading to a flood = i.e 60%) stopped paying their Council tax and gas and electricty bills (and TV licence) then what could they do...send in bailiffs? there would be so much second hand stuff for sale it would be worthless and what 'brave' persons would do the job, the courts would be overun...there is always something that breaks the camels back and although most people are not 'awake' when the money becomes too tight and they can't 'live' they normally think f#ck it I aint paying (go out and get p!ssed)! Eventually this would lead to some sort of financial collapse and anarchy in the UK.........the coming months will be a litmus test of the situation...lots of disenchantmet out there and when the weather changes and the bills start adding up then gradually things start to kick off...Inner city areas first!

Or to be more accurate diamond dogs it`ll be the poor and vulnerable that get targeted first (as always).

I was one of the millions that didn`t pay the poll tax and for those that don`t know about it the queues in courts were longer than dole queues back then. Now if people stuck to that same principle now regarding all unjust and unfair things, especially the likes of a conscription/draft, perhaps things can improve. After all our taxes pay politicians` wages and they`re meant to represent us, if we pester them long enough reminding them of that fact maybe they`ll get the message...

[void]

We live in a totally different world now (as it were),

Indeed. I guess it's also a shocking testament to how rapid the introduction
of such a monitored and pinned down society has occured. Shockingly fast. :eek:

[void]

especially the likes of a conscription/draft.

Oddly enough there is actually a section in the Civil Contingencies Act which says that it cannot be used for that purpose (conscription). So at least that is 'something'. But it gives the Queen the power to deploy the existing Army into virtually every other aspect of this country should any 'emergency' arise (that they 'deem' an emergency).

[resistance]

er Pay per kill:eek: yer like the oposite tu pay per view:eek: like they do the killin and the viewing and get paid as well..:eek:

[cruise4]

"Dont see many people joining me though. Most people are chicken-shit."

Ain't that the truth !

[resistance]

Umm, like a whole new enterprise in sports channels:D shouldn't laugh though we may be the star of the show one day:eek: getting shot at..

[resistance]

"Dont see many people joining me though. Most people are chicken-shit."

Ain't that the truth !

:confused:

[amerigirl]

Umm, like a whole new enterprise in sports channels:D shouldn't laugh though we may be the star of the show one day:eek: getting shot at..

That kind of reminds of one of George Carlin's acts where he talks about the next new thing will be the "Suicide Channel"...

[cruise4]

I mean the general population. I still haven't paid council tax and getting visits now but the people around me keep on about 'Who will pay for the roads' and crap like that, even though I have explained the 'Treason' situation. If everyone did it, we wouldn't have any of this stuff. I just cannot fathom why people constantly go along with all this. Bar it's all me me me or 'I'm OK Jack'.

[blane777]

This is something ive thought about for some time now.

How about the people of the world wakes up one morning and says to themselves "Today i'm not going to work and you know what im not going to go to work for any organisation in my life again"

Today im going to work for what we really need.Today i'm going to work with the people around me to cultivate what we really need to live away from the materialistic bullshit what the mainstream tells us we need to survive.If we all decided not to play our part in "their" system because it is their system it is not ours as we didnt make the rules or conditions we are born into it.

All it would take is for us all to say NO..they cant control us all :)

[cleopatraxxx]

This is something ive thought about for some time now.

How about the people of the world wakes up one morning and says to themselves "Today i'm not going to work and you know what im not going to go to work for any organisation in my life again"

Today im going to work for what we really need.Today i'm going to work with the people around me to cultivate what we really need to live away from the materialistic bullshit what the mainstream tells us we need to survive.If we all decided not to play our part in "their" system because it is their system it is not ours as we didnt make the rules or conditions we are born into it.

All it would take is for us all to say NO..they cant control us all :)

unfortunately, there are more stupid people thaN CLEVER ONES.
meaning that to allow such a quite non violent situation to exist, it would take calm, intelligent humans in the deep know of the whole scenario to continue standing up for their rights. problem is, the dumb ones, who are in thousands, are really the ones who would be promised something better, would fall for it and go against and betray the intelligent ones, therefore it is an IMPOSSIBLE, unfortunately for the few intelligent ones scenario.
it takes a lot of emotional training to stay calm when someone hits us psychologically, not to mention physically.
someone said once and very clever:
"do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also."
and
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God ", or whatever is called the INFINITE CREATING SOURCE

[cleopatraxxx]

...and when i mean, dumb people, i really mean it. i have come across with those who dont give a damn about anything at all! they arent bothered... they are selfish, completely :mad:
i believe that without them this place could have been a better one, but it seems that the lessons have to be learnt, and this is the only way for ones to grow: through the existance of the dumb ones...

[branjo]

Someone once said, unless you are prepared to fight and die for peace and freedom then you don't deserve it in the first place. There is a time for turning the other cheek but it sure as shit isn't now, turning the other cheek means doing nothing. If anyone thinks that turning the other cheek will suddenly stop people fighting unjust wars or stop the torture around the world then you are clearly deluding yourself. The only power we posses is how much we can take before we die and if we don't fear death we are an invincible force that can accomplish anything we put our minds too.

People are always thinking someone will come along and bail them out if they do nothing, I for one wouldn't fight for anyone that wont stand up for themselves, so how can you expect anyone else too. Even the smallest animal will fight back if threatened, the law of nature is right there for you to see when you get sick of being a slave.

Im with blane777, the best power we have ATM is the word "No", lets just see how far that can take us before we change it to "Fuck Off".