6/16/2002: Colombian protestors
 

http://cellar.org/2002/colombianprotest.jpg

It's another MSNBC image. These folks have buried themselves in the dirt to protest poverty and marginalization. They are outside a church, and they have announced that they will stay buried here until the mayor arrives to talk to them about their concerns.

I love these guys! They're like the Earth First! dude, except that 1) they're probably cleaner, and 2) they aren't preventing anyone from entering anywhere; they might not even be trespassing. All they want is to be heard.

And while I don't know whether the mayor paid them a visit (if I were the mayor I would definitely go talk to them), but they've now been seen by hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

A very queer garden, indeed. They must have some balls to do this. I mean, they can't even go to the bathroom around the corner or anything. I couldn't do that, but not because of the bathroom thing or claustrophobia or anything. The flat-out fear of someone kicking my head would be enough to stop me. Then again, I think that might be part of why they are protesting, to stop their figurative heads getting kicked, I guess.

Of course, burying yourself in the dirt to protest being marginalized is a bit like jumping in a pool to protest being wet.

Of course, burying yourself in the dirt to protest being marginalized is a bit like jumping in a pool to protest being wet.

A singularly poor simile. They were marginalized before they were buried. Non-violent, creative protest like this is one of the most potent sources of change. It is infinitely more sophisticated than violent protest. It pressures politicians where they feel it--in appearance.

More <a href="http://goethean.blogspot.com/2002_06_16_goethean_archive.html# 77830646">here</a>.

Hearhear, good on them.

The way a real tyranny handles protests like this is singularly effective: another foot of dirt.

true.
 

True. They do assume a modicum of freedom of expression. But skillful non-violent protest can work even against the most apathetically evil and powerful forces. cf. Gandhi vs. The British Empire.

So economic tyranny, i.e. overwhelmingly insurmountable poverty, is not tyranny?

The poor will always be with us.

We've had almost fifty years of money-vomiting, Great Society-style social programs here in the U.S., and while some of them have been marginally successful, most have been expensive failures.

It's amazing... you can't get rid of poverty by giving money to poor people.

Very true, there *always* will be poverty. On the other hand if enough people get pissed off, which wouldn't suprise me in this case, things do happen, ghandi is the obvious example.

Just a matter of beating societies shit-tollerance level.

bump

Colombian protestors
 

" I'm against protesters, but I don't know how to show it"
(Mitch Hedberg) :D

Every time I look at this picture all I can think of is "FORE!"

ok, I gotta ask. I thought the climate in Columbia was hot. If that is correct, why are they all wearing hats?

To keep the fucking sun off their heads! Hello!

It's chilly in the mountains.