SOUND OFF! 9/26/21 The Next Gandhi? Part 1

Plenty of people agree that this country is headed in entirely the wrong direction. Liberal or conservative, many of us feel that the regular Joes and Janes of our nation are forgotten and powerless. We are outraged at the NSA for spying on our e-mails and phone conversations, at big business for keeping wages low and moving jobs overseas, and at Congress for placing party politics ahead of this country’s best interests. Income inequality is increasing as employers use dirty tricks to avoid providing employees with benefits, and job growth is largely in low-paying positions. Lobbyists for powerful, well-moneyed interests hold sway at every level of government. Our government has ceased to be of the people, by the people and for the people; and is now of the big corporations, by the big corporations, and for the big corporations.

Many fear that we are creeping in the direction of a police state, one in which our Constitution is meaningless and human rights are trampled, where people must be careful of what they say or post on the Internet lest they get the proverbial midnight knock on the door. Snowden’s exposure of NSA spying demonstrates just how Orwellian our government has become. Meanwhile, our justice system has a double standard for rich and poor, “white” and “minority.” We lock up more people than any nation on the planet, and the conditions of many prisons are deplorable. Even with a Democrat in the Oval Office and Democrats in control of the House, we still have the problems of too many Republicans in the Senate – as well as fake Democrats – who are doing all they can to stymie progress. Some Republican Senators have admitted that their only goal is to frustrate Biden’s plans till the Republicans can get back in power.

Right now the United States is in desperate need of a serious political and economic overhaul. Unfortunately, we need some very drastic changes in our business, political, health, education, and other systems – but taking even baby steps will take, yes, an act of Congress, and Congress is notorious for passing half-hearted compromises that don’t go far enough, or create even bigger problems because they are filled with amendments, weasel words, pork and the like. Even replacing the horrible Trump with Biden in the Oval Office will not change much.

Only one thing will save us: Revolution. Fortunately, we can effect this using peaceful means. Throughout history, many a revolution has occurred and succeeded with minimal or no bloodshed. Civil disobedience and passive resistance have brought about a great deal of positive change. Look at the revolution that Mohandas Gandhi led in India, or the elimination of apartheid in South Africa, or the civil rights movement in the United States. Look at the downfall of the Soviet Union and the collapse of Communism in Central and Eastern Europe. With the exception of Romania, the Autumn of Nations proceeded fairly peacefully. From the Suffragettes to the current gay rights campaign, peaceful crusades have driven the social, ethical and moral progress that has molded and improved this nation.

Now, the proverbial $64K question is: How do we bring about such a revolution in this country, one that will be both drastic and bloodless? While discussing this nation’s problems, and how it’s going to take an out-and-out revolution to make even one of the necessary changes, an acquaintance of mine suggested that what this country needs is another Gandhi or MLK, a leader who can organize and rally the diverse people of our great nation in order to bring about peaceful change, somebody who can properly harness and canalize the vast political and economic might that our citizenry has. Because we are dealing with a country that – at least in principle – believes in human rights and human dignity, a non-violent movement that uses passive resistance and civil disobedience can succeed.

The Little Guys, the 99%, hoi polloi – call them what you will, but the Common Folks of this country are far more powerful than they realize. The fat-cat corporations may have money and political clout, but the 99% have numbers. The greedy CEO has no more of a vote than you do. It may not seem that way, and of course the fat cats want you to think otherwise. However, time and again history has shown that when large numbers of unhappy people get off their rear ends and start raising some serious hell, positive change does occur. Look at all the above-mentioned peaceful revolutions. The Big Bad Business Hogs rely on us thinking that we are helpless against their clout. The fact is, if enough of us work together, we can turn all of our anger and unrest into an unstoppable force. Like all the little fish ganging up on the big fish, all we have to do is organize and work together.

Nor do we need a really huge number of people to effect positive change. Remember this quote by Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that has.” Go back over history and you will see how true this is.