America Needs Civil Disobedience

"Democracy in Action Series"

Pt. II:

In the first installment of this editorial series, I tackled the controversial issue of the need for peace talks between the U.S. and certain Middle Eastern nations. For the second piece, I will discuss the necessity of activism on the part of conscientious, sincere Americans in order to end the war as well as alleviate domestic problems.

Some monumental changes are occurring, but they are doing so very slowly. Why? Perhaps one major reason is lack of unity between the major political parties. Accordingly, I will address this issue and its consequences as well as propose a few solutions.

First of all, there are a number of domestic issues that need to be dealt with, but the aforementioned discord is impeding progress. Sadly, it has led to U.S. Senate (both Republican and Democratic) approval of $150+ billion in funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. That money could be better spent on various domestic crises. One region of this country-- the Deep South-- could especially benefit from the allocation of a sizable portion of that sum. Much of the Gulf Coast has still not recovered from Hurricanes Katrina, Gustav, and Ike, and families, lives, and school systems are in shambles. This has exacerbated existing socioeconomic and racial inequities and is beginning to lead to violence, particularly among youths. For example, the case of school violence in Jena, La., in which six African-American students were accused of assaulting one white student, highlights the need for funding for conflict resolution programs and extracurricular activities. Elsewhere in the U.S., many families, even those who are relatively affluent, can no longer afford their decadent lifestyles. Clearly, we need to streamline, scale back, and become less self-involved. (Go to http://www.feedthepig.org, a resource management website.) What is more troubling is the fact that our materialism is perpetuating and prolonging our involvement in several world conflicts as well as contributing to economic disaster. Thus, if we learned to communicate and empathize with one another and drove fewer SUVs, it would be a step in the right direction.

Of course, we still have to contend with the pesky war issue. As for solutions to this problem, the most practical one is to decrease our dependence upon foreign oil. (Refer to preceding paragraph.) In terms of political solutions, we can start by advocating the punishment by war-crimes trial of the president and his cronies. (For ways to do this, go to AfterDowningStreet.org, a website that began approximately two years ago in response to the public disclosure of the Downing Street Memo, a document in which President Bush, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and their cohorts devised a plan to sell the Iraq War to the masses.) More importantly, we must inform ourselves via reliable (read: alternative) sources such as MoveOn.org and Mother Jones. In addition, college students need to organize and increase their awareness through membership in campus political groups. These are just a few "grassroots" solutions.

The most critical piece of the social activism jigsaw puzzle, however, is a widespread anti-war movement. The main obstacle here is a pox on critical thinking that has infested contemporary society. It is time to overcome our fears of being labeled as "Anti-American" and "Enemy Combatants" and commit purposeful acts of civil disobedience. It will not be easy, but it is what has to be done if this nation is to survive. The ultimate goal of today's social activists should be to restore faith in the political process and listen to and supported elected officials who advocate positive social change, offer a fresh perspective on foreign and domestic issues, and are willing to be the antithesis of "those greedy, self-promoting politicians." We, the people, have the power to make a difference.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."-- Margaret Mead

(Look for Pt. III of this series sometime in November.)