I offer PROBLEM and REMEDY in this posting.
When NATO does this in Tampa / WE do this in our community.
I am sorry you may find it lengthy. I feel I have to make a water-tight case.
ON “THE REMEDY” SIDE:
Do not fall for the propaganda that what is happening in Quebec is “violent” or just a bunch of spoiled children. The documentation below shows it is neither. And it is spreading. There is video footage of similar mass protests (“casseroles” — banging on pots and pans) in Toronto and Vancouver. The movement is growing.
Remember Montebello (Item #13 below). It is well documented that violence is sometimes a deliberate tactic of the police to discredit and discourage protest.
Rally all the support we can for the “casseroles” (banging of pots and pans, citizens taking to the streets). Please take the time to understand the situation (“the problem”).
ON “THE PROBLEM” SIDE:
The factual documentation below shows that we are (democracy is) in a precarious situation.
– Jim (from the U.S.) writes:
“June 8, 2012 – Special Forces from 96 countries focused on ‘Building the Global SOF (Special Operations Forces) Partnership’ at a conference in Tampa, Florida. The multinational cooperation of NATO SOF serves as good example of (INSERT: proof of) such a global Special Forces network.”
The one thing that could be most effective globally would be true and enforceable INTERNATIONAL LAW & ORDER – but no one cares about this fact. None of this military bullshit (INSERT: NATO exercises in Tampa, Florida) would be needed if there were any real LAWS against corruption, fraud, mass murder (war – drone attacks), crimes against humanity and the like – this crap is a physical stopgap that only exists to keep all people prisoners of the (INSERT: I would say “corporate globalization”) one-world “government” that is in reality not a government at all – but is simply organized CRIMINALITY ON A GLOBAL SCALE. (INSERT: it is happening in many areas, privatization of water, utter destruction of the environment and graphically – the drone attacks, the President’s “kill list” – more below.)
BACK TO THE “REMEDY” SIDE:
1. (From Item #11 below, Vancouver “Casseroles” (street protest):
There is a beauty that emerges when we learn and inspire each other, just as Quebec has done for the rest of Canada. When we speak to each other instead of through governments or the mainstream media. Here in Vancouver, we discovered what it means to make music together in the streets, in the rain, and you can see it on our faces. It is magic.
2. (From Item #13 below, A talk given by Chris Hedges to the graduating class at Wilfrid Laurier University):
If the street protests in Quebec, the most important resistance movement in the industrialized world, spread to all of Canada and reach the United States, there remains the possibility of hope.
INSTRUCTION: After clicking on links to my blog, scroll down past the top headings to the actual posting.
3. (From Slavoj Žižek, Interview, “Democracy Now”, with Amy Goodman and Julian Assange):
“.. . . this idea that there are out there quite ordinary guys, nothing special, but who all of a sudden, as if in a miracle, do something wonderful. That’s almost, I would say, our only hope today.”
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To: All of us and our neighbours
I propose:
PROBLEM: WHEN NATO DOES THIS IN TAMPA
(see video, 6 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CvfJCzYtA3Y
(NOTE: the video is identified as “NATOchannel.tv”.)
REMEDY: WE DO THIS IN OUR COMMUNITIES:
1. Think about the “chilling” effect of the military, and the “normalizing” of their presence in communities.
Jim (Canadian) writes:
One has to have a sinking feeling watching all the public taking photos rather than protesting that foreign troops are on American soil: NATO Special Op Forces Assault Tampa, Florida – YouTube
2. Add a smithereen of history: The Nazis were a democratically-elected Government, as incomprehensible as that may seem. The people who COULD, did not stand up and say “NO” when they saw the threat, until it was too late to salvage democracy. And so there was a war.
3. Understand the importance of the Rule of Law in a democracy. Be clear – – Harper has blatant disregard for it. One example: It doesn’t matter what you think of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) – the issue is that Harper did exactly what the Law said he could not do.
- 2010-03-15 Can you have Democracy without Law Enforcement? (Read the preamble only.)
4. If you want to know what’s coming down the pipes in Canada, look at what’s happening in the U.S. (and in Canada, already).
- The NATO “Special Operations Force” in Tampa.
- 2008-03-03 Troop Exchange Agreement PLUS Naomi Wolf’s 10 Steps to Fascism. See the Guardian article, item #10 re rule of law and a brief comment re “posse comitatus” (Federal troops deployed domestically.)
- (NEW POSTING, very worrisome) 2012-06-06 Ottawa launches Alberta counterterrorism unit
5. Review the role of propaganda in the build-up of a militaristic state, be able to identify it. The NATO video is propaganda. Cleverly done, and subtle, normalizing what is UNacceptable. A “NATO TV channel” running this kind of propaganda, “conditioning” the populace – – not good news.
- 2010-03-10 Propaganda, Democracy: Imagining “the other”. Ralston Saul. The Cellist of Sarajevo.
- 2010-03-05 Love, Hate & Propaganda, the art of mass persuasion (WW2) on CBC
Only for the REAL keen people!:
- 2011-12-06 Have you heard of “astro-turfing”? Watch the propaganda machine in action.
- 2010-12-16 Lockheed Martin propaganda campaign on F-35 jets for Norway (Wikileaks cables from U.S. Government). Lockheed and DND’s propaganda campaign for F-35 fighter jets in Canada.
6. Know the GOOD NEWS! The military-industrial people might be building the propaganda, BUT! Sometimes the truth gets aired on mainstream media – NBC (who would have thought?) !!
6 minutes
Very important televised debate: Jeremy Scahill (“The Nation”) says Obama drone strikes constitute murder, and he says it on NBC. The U.S. “kill list”.
7. Refresh our memory:
Last week a friend saw the Saskatoon Police Force’s “cougar” on the street. That is the first I’ve heard to confirm that it was actually purchased and delivered.
8. Make sure everyone knows that if Bill C-38 gets passed, American police (on top of the American military) will be allowed to operate in Canada with American laws.
9. Then watch this (new posting), if you need a reality check:
10. Add “Kettling” to our vocabulary (new posting).
2012-06-10 Kettling, a tactic of police, now counter-used by crowds to “kettle” the police.
11. Think: Does lobbying the Government work in Canada? If not, what will?
12. Get comfortable with banging our pots and pans. And if you aren’t, do not denigrate those who are.
I added the following 3 updates to All over the World, people coming to life in the streets – – even in Canada! (in solidarity with Quebec)
- UPDATE: video Casseroles – Vancouver, May 30 2012
Shot & edited by Ian MacKenzie, ianmack.com
Inspired by Jeremie Battaglia’s gorgeous Montreal film, Vancouver answers the Quebec student movement with a pots and pans revolt of our own. There is a beauty that emerges when we learn and inspire each other, just as Quebec has done for the rest of Canada. When we speak to each other instead of through governments or the mainstream media. Here in Vancouver, we discovered what it means to make music together in the streets, in the rain, and you can see it on our faces. It is magic.
- UPDATE: video Casseroles Night in Toronto
- UPDATE: video Un frisson de solidarité (http://vimeo.com/43629423)
13. DO NOT FORGET MONTEBELLO:
EXCERPT:
. . . EVENT: SPP meetings in Montebello, Quebec. Peaceful protest.
DATE: 2007
The only protesters who were masked were POLICE OFFICERS. They were trained and assigned the role of turning the protest violent.
It is all on video, along with the later statement by the head of Quebec Police (Surete) that yes, the “protesters” were actually police officers. . . .
14. READ THIS, VERY IMPORTANT, NEW POSTING: 2012-06-03 If the street protests in Quebec, the most important resistance movement in the industrialized world, spread to all of Canada and reach the United States, there remains the possibility of hope. “Northern Light”, column by American Chris Hedges.
If the street protests in Quebec, the most important resistance movement in the industrialized world, spread to all of Canada and reach the United States, there remains the possibility of hope.
The preceding is similar to:
(From Slavoj Žižek, Interview, Democracy Now, with Amy Goodman and Julian Assange):
“ . . . this idea that there are out there quite ordinary guys, nothing special, but who all of a sudden, as if in a miracle, do something wonderful. That’s almost, I would say, our only hope today.”
15. KNOW THIS (the purpose of the preceding factual information): What’s coming down the tubes is not pretty. This is no time to be timid. Talk with your friends, spread the word, support the pot-bangers. Be a pot-banger.
The only power on Earth that can stop and reverse the taking down of democracy is ours.
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RELATED:
2008-02-14 Canada-U.S. Troop Exchange Agreement. “Civil Assistance Plan”. In context of privatization of prisons, military functions, access to information.