Dissent

As citizens of some nations in Europe are demonstrating effectively in the streets to rectify the social ills forced on them by their elected officials Americans are beginning to take notice.

The summer of 1968 in the U.S. is a reminder that Americans also have a history of social protest and street demonstrations. Some wish to see the same kind of activity in American streets again.

I'm not sure it is a good idea. The American Establishment has vast resources of tools to distribute violence against protesters and some are just itching to use them.  Violence intimidation and force are go to tools for almost any situation the Establishment feels itself threatened in. 

While Americans are surely feeling the fist of the economic oppressor at the hands of the Establishment, allowing themselves to become red paint on the street isn't going to solve the problems the people have. In fact it may make those in charge even more brazen, if indeed that is possible.

I was thinking something should be done that will have an immediate, attention getting effect. How about a targeted, nationwide, as long as it takes mass boycotting of selected corporations and or products?

Boycotts have a history of working. Demonstrations even for good things have a history of demonstrators having their blood spilled at the hands of the Establishment.

A targeted mass boycott if enough people, say 30 million people, would participate could be effective if the boycott only amounted to those 30 million reducing their consumption by half. That would have an impact on the producer of the product and it would be a sure fire non-violent attention grabber that gives the demonstrator a good vantage point to get their ideas across. It's the kind of protest that has the possibility of attracting people who might not take it to the streets.

Imagine the impact if sales dropped by 30 percent or more! It could be done if enough people made a game of it and participated every time they went to the store and decided NOT to buy something that is usually purchased if it's on the target list.

How would this work?  Imagine the impact on a company accustomed to selling 100,000,000,000 of something that is the target of a mass targeted  boycott and that boycott effectively reduces the sales by 30%.  That's gonna hurt.  I bet when the people see the effects of their non-violent protest they can have fun and make a game of the process.

The purpose of this is to notify the Establishment that you are awake and are not taking it anymore. The way to show it is by not buying, or drastically reducing purchases of the crap they sell. That is really all these corporate people understand.

Protesting in the streets is as American as the first Tea Party, and it's just as dangerous today as it was then.  That's why I think targeted selected mass boycotts are an important way and safe effective way to protest civil injustices. It might become another way of voting.