Revolting
People occasionally bleat, “If we didn’t have guns, we’d still be colonies of England.”
To which I might respond, “So what?”
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What has become the United Kingdom is a parliamentary, constitutional republic. That’s pretty much what the United States is now, only without a bunch of pretentious, bloated, old, white peers shouting Here, here at each other. In this holy land, we have a bunch of pretentious, bloated, old, white self-proclaimed populists shouting Gimme, gimme at each other.
So yeah, maybe without guns we’d still be subjects of a useless, purposeless crown. How is that worse than being subjects of an obscenely rich plutocracy of transnational corporation CEOs?
The people of Scotland the day before yesterday voted by a healthy margin to remain under the ceremonial thumb of the Queen of England. Prior to the vote, there’d been a loud, seemingly wildly popular movement for independence. Scottish independence has not been, of course, the only mass call for autonomy in this mixed-up world in recent years. There’ve been successful independence movements in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Brunei, Yemen, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Timor-Leste, Latvia, Belarus, Slovenia, Estonia, Ukraine, Moldova, Macedonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and even the Federated States of Micronesia, all since the late 1970s.
South Sudanese Soldiers Celebrate Independence
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Each of the aforementioned new nations became proudly independent, often at the cost of hundreds of thousands of its citizens’ lives and limbs. Not all newly independent states achieved their autonomy through the use of ammo, but most did. Very often, other, much more powerful nations gleefully assisted those seeking sovereignty if only to weaken or humiliate the countries the rebels were fighting. In fact, we would not be the United States were it not for the help of our friends from France. And the Confederate States of America might be a thing today if only Great Britain and France had pitched in to the Southern cause during the Civil War.
Funny thing is, it’s hard to glean just exactly what each of the proud, new independent nations gained, besides pride, of course, a new flag, and a national cemetery bursting with fresh customers.
In any case, the Scots opted not to fire guns at the Brits. They voted, huzzah. And the independents lost. Generally in such a case, there’d be a wailing and gnashing of teeth from the losing side, followed by the sound of guns and bombs. That’s the way, we’re taught, independence works. You try to talk your way to autonomy and then you blow the other guy’s brains out.
It hasn’t worked that way in Scotland. In fact, here’s what Alex Salmond, the leader of the Scottish independent movement said after Thursday’s vote:
It is important to say that our referendum was an agreed and consented process and Scotland has by a majority decided not at this stage to become an independent country.
I accept that verdict of the people and I call on all of Scotland to follow suit in accepting the democratic verdict of the people of Scotland.
Salmond To The UK: You Win
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What the hell kind of revolutionary is that? Salmond resigned his post as Scotland’s First Minister this morning. What a wuss! Why didn’t he go down with guns blazing?
Perhaps it’s because he’s a civilized human being.
One of the very few in this crazy, mixed-up world.
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Bloomingfoods Union
If you support the right of workers at Bloomingfoods to at least consider unionizing, here’s a Democracy for America petition for you to sign:
Click Image To Access Petition
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Lotus Fest Saturday
Here’s your Lotus Fest 2104 lineup for tonight:
Venues
- Buskirk Chumley Theater 114 E. Kirkwood Ave.
- First United Methodist Church 219 E. 4th St.
- First Christian Church 205 E. Kirkwood Ave.
- First Presbyterian Church 221 E. 6th St.
- Ivy Tech Community College Tent 6th St. between Walnut & College
- Old National Bank/Soma Tent 4th & Grant streets
- The Bluebird 216 N. Walnut St.
- 3rd St. Park 331 S. Washington St.
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Saturday, September 20th
● Noon to 5pm: Lotus in the Park 3rd St. Park
∙ 12:15pm: Kaia
∙ 1pm: Banda Magda
Banda Magda
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∙ 1pm: Radha Lakshmi
∙ 1:45pm: Arga Bileg
∙ 2:30pm: Sancocho Music & Dance Collage
∙ 3:15pm: Lotus Dickey Song Workshop
∙ 4pm: The Revelers
● 6:30pm: FullSet Buskirk Chumley Theater
● 6:30pm: Arga Bileg First United Methodist Church
● 7pm: Banda Magda Bluebird
● 7:15pm: Catherine MacLellan First Christian Church
● 7:15pm: Tsuumi Sound System Ivy Tech Community College Tent
● 7:15pm: Las Cafeteras Old National Bank/Soma Tent
● 7:30pm: Nagata Shachu Buskirk Chumley Theater
● 7:50pm: Kaia First United Methodist Church
● 8:50pm: The Revelers Bluebird
● 8:50pm: Vanesa Aibar & Company Buskirk Chumley Theater
● 8:50pm: Derek Gripper First Christian Church
● 8:50pm: Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line First United Methodist Church
● 8:50pm: Mames Babegenush Ivy Tech Community College Tent
● 8:50pm: Aurelio Old National Bank/Soma Tent
● 10:25pm: Emel Mathlouthi Buskirk Chumley Theater
Emel Mathlouthi
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● 10:25pm: Singing for the Planets First Christian Church
● 10:25pm: FullSet First United Methodist Church
● 10:25pm: Orkesta Mendoza Ivy Tech Community College Tent
● 10:25pm: Movits! Old National Bank/Soma Tent
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