Dear Protester,
You have met the enemy, and he is you.
For a few shining moments in Seattle, you stunned the world and made people believe revolution was possible.
Enjoy the warmth of that moment, because reality is cold and harsh.
Not only do you no longer make a difference. You have become a tool, and an excuse. And you are allowing yourselves to become the story. Do you want the atrocious actions and records of the World Bank to be common knowledge? When was the last time the story of any of these meetings was anything but some high schoolers getting arrested?
You’re methods are ridiculous.
You sit back and let them tell you you’re not allowed to protest on public sidewalks. You erect web site for the police to find out your every plan and locale. You give them an opportunity and excuse to make public fools and examples of you. You’re playing by their rules.
Protests alone never change anything. To truly effect change, you must sway the body of people. The prototypical marches in the 60s and 70s were accompanied by entire social revolutions.
Change does not come in one weekend a year. Be here every month… every week, every other day. Set up a cell system for passing information on, which makes it much more difficult for your plans to be leaked or communications infiltrated. Poster the cities, and distribute educational information to the public. Use that web site for education and training, activities it does the police no good to watch.
Be intelligent. Keep the issue in front of peoples faces. And make sure it is your issue, not your oppositions. Ambition and urgency should not outweigh or negate intelligent and decisive action.
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