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Is this really what elections are still for? I remember the sense of relief and elation of many around me when Obama was elected. Change was coming and many peo

by gaelian 16y ago

Is this really what elections are still for? I remember the sense of relief and elation of many around me when Obama was elected. Change was coming and many people seemed to feel that the best time for it was when the old system has all but collapsed. I believe Obama himself actually said something to this effect at the time. Fast forward to a few weeks ago just before the US mid-term election and I saw Obama interviewed by John Stuart. His points seemed to boil down to that they couldn't change as much as they wanted to because the US (and by extension the world) was in crisis and that people expected too much. Don't get me wrong, I believe in participating in the political process, I do vote (though I'm not American) and at least try to keep myself informed though I'm no political expert by any means. But I guess my point is that taking into account how things have gone over the last few election cycles both in my country and the US, what this guy did at the TSA security checkpoint seems far more effective than voting if more people were to do it and things like it. But I guess that would mean that we'd all have to handle some amount of inconvenience to protect our rights and that seems to be something that modern citizens of modern societies seem mostly incapable of accepting.

trunnell 16y ago
what this guy did at the TSA security checkpoint seems far more effective than voting I would agree that's effective, but civil disobedience is just different than voting. I was not denigrating the OP's effort in any way; in fact I find it commendable (much more so than Tyner who took a similar position but was too combative and rude). My point is simply that if we Americans don't like TSA's policies we can do something about it. We can opt-out, we can complain, we can get media attention, but most of all, we can vote. Our complaints wouldn't mean much if we couldn't vote.
- gaelian 16y ago
  > I was not denigrating the OP's effort in any way Sorry if it seemed line I was implying this. I didn't mean to. > but most of all, we can vote. I guess this sentiment is what I was replying to, though. I'm starting to think that beyond a certain threshold of imposition on one's personal liberties, voting - while surely important - is no longer "most of all" what we should be doing. But I guess you American's have to decide what that threshold is for yourselves. Hopefully it won't be too much further past where you are currently... you're setting a bad precedent for the rest of us. :)

by gaelian 16y ago

trunnell 16y ago

what this guy did at the TSA security checkpoint seems far more effective than voting I would agree that's effective, but civil disobedience is just different than voting. I was not denigrating the OP's effort in any way; in fact I find it commendable (much more so than Tyner who took a similar position but was too combative and rude). My point is simply that if we Americans don't like TSA's policies we can do something about it. We can opt-out, we can complain, we can get media attention, but most of all, we can vote. Our complaints wouldn't mean much if we couldn't vote.

gaelian 16y ago
> I was not denigrating the OP's effort in any way Sorry if it seemed line I was implying this. I didn't mean to. > but most of all, we can vote. I guess this sentiment is what I was replying to, though. I'm starting to think that beyond a certain threshold of imposition on one's personal liberties, voting - while surely important - is no longer "most of all" what we should be doing. But I guess you American's have to decide what that threshold is for yourselves. Hopefully it won't be too much further past where you are currently... you're setting a bad precedent for the rest of us. :)