I just picked this up from Bartcop, where someone else picked it up from a facebook post. There was no link.
- In the 1930s and 40s factory workers, miners, and laborers demonstrated for better and safer working conditions.
- They were first ignored, then mocked, then violent conflict erupted. Even the US army was called to “maintain order”. A number were killed. The result was the union movement.
- In the 1950s and 60s, blacks demonstrated for equal rights. They were first ignored, then mocked, then shot, beaten, attacked with dogs and fire hoses, some were killed. But the result was civil rights/anti discrimination laws.
- In the 1960s and 70s there were demonstrations against the Vietnam War. First ignored, then mocked, then the clubs, fire-hoses and bullets came out. But the result was the war ended!
- Today we have financial inequality and corporate abuse. Some chose to demonstrate,. They were at first ignored, then mocked, and now the violence has begun. I believe that the result will be that the people will prevail!
I’d add that it took street marches, protests and violence for over 30 years until women got the right to vote in 1920. Later, mountains of anti-discrimination legislation resulted from the feminist protest movement of the 70’s.
That’s the way stuff happens. That’s the way we were born as a nation.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. – Mohandas Ghandi
Posted in Civics, corporate power, Current Events, economy, feminism, History, Occupy Wall Street, Plutocrats, Politics, the future, the nation
Tagged history, income inequality, OWS, political reform, protest movements
You can have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, or democracy. But you cannot have both.
Whatever Works 