Back in 1999 riots broke out in Seattle over the WTO (World Trade Organization). A lot of people did not like this and thought they were mostly mad hippies that really did not know anything. After all, America was at a high point in the 90s and really did not care about this economic affairs. Looking back now, we can see that the 99 rioters had some very valid concerns that have affected use today.
I think if enough people are protesting to amass attention like they did in 1999 then there must be something worth looking into. The worst thing a people can do is ignore rebellion. People like Huxley always talked about a dystopian future where we willfully ignored the bad things because we could amuse our minds with distractions. Distractions like crappy reality tv shows (speaking of, the quality of Survivor has really gone down hill as of late), dumb internet pictures, and unfulfilling school work. This is a prime example of that happening. People actually try to raise concern for something, and most people ignore it or dismiss it by slapping on the label of "hippy," a word that has become almost derogatory in meaning. Why has hippy become a such a "no no" word all of a sudden? It was probably due to subtle in doctrine from the right-wing conservative, I wish America could return to the days of yore (the 60s) where being a hippy was something to be proud of amongst your comrades, it meant you were part of a movement man. Anyway, back to the matter at hand, the nation basically ignored the Seattle protesters like a mother in denial ignores her child as the father beats it. Now, 13 years later, we look at that child grown up into a broken teen. Addicted to foreign oil, and picking fights with everyone, our angsty little teen of a country is going to learn one way or another how to actually function, like the more mature Sweden or Switzerland. Weather through foreign invasion, internal revolution, or actual civil legislature (ha! Like that would ever happen), we, as a nation, are going to need drastic change. We need to listen to protestors, we need to find common ground among the people, we need a government that listen to the citizens, not citizens that listens to its government. Viva la revolucion!
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/jontalton/2010369464_biztaltoncol29.html
