Apathy+and+Reform

=Apathy, Reform, and Revolution= == =//Untitled (Headlights)//=
 * Photo by Angela Strassheim**
 * Marvelli Gallery, 2006**
 * [|photo source]**

=Port Huron Statement:=

Tom Hayden explores the apathy of Americans
Although our own technology is destroying old and creating new forms of social organization, men still tolerate meaningless work and idleness. While two-thirds of mankind suffers undernourishment, our own upper classes revel amidst superfluous abundance. Although world population is expected to double in forty years, the nations still tolerate anarchy as a major principle of international conduct and uncontrolled exploitation governs the sapping of the earth's physical resources. Although mankind desperately needs revolutionary leadership, America rests in national stalemate, its goals ambiguous and tradition-bound instead of informed and clear, its democratic system apathetic and manipulated rather than "of, by, and for the people."... America is without community.
 * //An excerpt by Tom Hayden, pp.46-47//**

We seek the establishment of a democracy of individual participation, governed by two central aims: that the individual share in those social decisions determine the quality and direction of his life; that society be organized to encourage independence in men and provide the media for their common participation. In a participatory democracy, the political life would be based in several root principles: that decision making of basic social consequences be carried on by public groups; that politics be seen positively, as the art of collectively creating an acceptable pattern of social relations; that politics has the function of bringing people out of isolation and into community. //**An excerpt by Tom Hayden enumerating how to initiate change, p. 53**//

=Protest Music:=

Fortunate Son
Some folks are born made to wave the flag, Ooh, theyre red, white and blue. And when the band plays hail to the chief, Ooh, they point the cannon at you, lord,

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no senators son, son. It aint me, it aint me; I aint no fortunate one, no,

Yeah! Some folks are born silver spoon in hand, Lord, dont they help themselves, oh. But when the taxman comes to the door, Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes,

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no millionaires son, no. It aint me, it aint me; I aint no fortunate one, no.

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes, Ooh, they send you down to war, lord, And when you ask them, how much should we give? Ooh, they only answer more! more! more! yoh,

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no military son, son. It aint me, it aint me; I aint no fortunate one, one.

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no fortunate one, no no no, It aint me, it aint me, I aint no fortunate son, no no no,

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Crucifix Submerged in Urine
=//Piss Christ//= [|photo source]
 * by Andres Serrano**
 * Walter Otero Gallery, 1989**

=Democracy in America:=

Why so many ambitious men and so little lofty ambition are to be found in the United States
I believe that ambitious men in democracies are less engrossed than any others with the interests and judgement of posterity; the present moment alone engages and absorbs them. They are more apt to complete a number of undertakings with rapiity than to raise lasting monuments of their achievments; and they care much more for success than for fame. What thy most ask of men is obedience--what they most covet is empire. Their manners have in almost all cases remained below the height of their station; the consequence is that they frequently carry very low tastes into their extraordinary fortunes, and that they seem to have acquired the supreme power only to minister to their coarse or paltry pleasures.
 * //An excerpt by Alexis de Tocqueville, p. 783//**

Moralists are constantly complaining that the ruling vice of the present time is pride. This is true in one sense for indeed no one thinks that he is not better than his neighbor, or consents to obey his superior: but it is extremely false in another; for the same man who cannot endure subordination or equality has so contemptible an opinion of himself hat he thinks he is only born to indulge in vulgar pleasures. He willingly takes up with low desires, without daring to embark in lofty enterprices, which he scarcely dreams. Thus, far from thinking that humility out to be preached to our contemporaries, I would have endeavors made to give them a more enlarged idea of themselves and their kind. Humility is unwholesome to them; what they most want is, in my opinion, pride. I would willingly exchange several of our small virtues for this one vice. =//**An excerpt by Alexis de Tocqueville, p. 784**//=

=Bong Hits for Jesus:=

Featuring Adam Kulton and Zack Simon
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//An example of a 2007 youth movement//
=The Woman Warrior:=

Maxine Hong Kingston rebels against traditional Chinese images
When one of my parents or the emigrant villagers said, "'Feeding girls is is feeding cowbirds,'" I would thrash on the floor and scream so hard i couldn't talk. I couldn't stop. "What's the matter with her?" "I don't know, Bad, I guess. You know how girls are. 'There's no profit in raising girls. Better to raise geese than girls.'" "I would hit her if she were mine. But there's no use wasting all that discipline on a girl. 'When you raise girls, you're raising children for strangers.'" "Stop that crying!" my mother would yell. "I'm going to hit you if you don't stop. Bad girl! Stop!" I'm going to remember never to hit or scold my children for crying, I thought, because then they will only cry more. "I'm not a bad girl," I would scream. "I'm not a bad girl. I'm not a bad girl." I might as well have said, "I'm not a girl." //**An excerpt by Maxine Hong Kingston, p. 46**//

Apathy, Reform, and Revolution Reflection Back to Puritanism Prevails