Monday, February 21, 2011

Revolution Any One?

The news from Libya and Bahrain continues to be bad and good. Bad because protesters are still on the streets and being killed by their governments, and good because they are still protesting for more freedom. These people, mostly young but not all, are putting their lives on the line for an idea. I cannot express my admiration strongly enough, and my sadness for their losses.
Wisconsin is dealing with another kind of criminal leader. This is a Governor who is attempting to gut the unions of the state by voiding the collective bargaining contracts unilaterally. People there are protesting in the streets. Dying for your freedom and protesting for your rights are different in intensity, but not in character. In both cases despotic rulers have overstepped and need to be corrected somehow.
In America we can protest without fear of death or injury, usually. We can also vote out the offending politicians and vote in new ones. Not always better, but at least we can vote. In many places in the Arab world there is no alternative but the street and armed confrontation.
Killing your own people leads to revolution.
Unilaterally killing contract obligations can also lead to revolution.
Revolution any one?
Image:http://www.prwatch.org/news/2011/02/9944/live-reporting-wisconsin-protests

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