Rightwing coups d’état and putsches are characterized by terrorism. They’re the efforts of a minority to impose it will.

It also occurs in anti-colonialist conflicts by nationalists to counter colonialist military terrorism. The fights in English occupied northern Ireland and in Palestine are good examples. And it’s used by misguided leftist groups when they feel desperate, as in the Weatherman bombings of the seventies. For an eye-opening look at the differences between terrormism and revolutionary mass action rent the film “The Battle of Algiers” where you’ll see well meaning Algerians battle French military terrorism and get rubbed out. The final scene shows the real Algerian Revolution begin when tens of thousands of women storm into the streets. Not unlike the march on Versailles or the women’s marches in May 1917 in Petrograd.

Revolutions are never won by terrorism but by the organized left leading working people, farmers and minority groups in mass actions.

@Charles J. Mueller: As someone who does a lot of traveling to south east asia I know exactly the kind of traveler you are. For those of you who have never been to the Philippines it is infested with pervy old western men who go there because there are a lot of people who live in poverty who will form relationships with these old men out of sheer desperation. I have seen these men they go to these countries pay young men and women to have sex with them (often underage people) and delude themselves that “asians are not hung up on age” or “their sense of morality is different than ours” not taking into account crushing poverty and hunger for some people becomes so unbearable that sharing a bed with someone, anyone western is a ticket out of a very hard life. These relationships are always based on money.We met men like this there with their “boyfriends” they are essentially johns but pathetically don’t know it they genuinely think these people they pay for sex and eventually to live with them actually love them. No wonder you are not disgusted by this kid who blackmailed kids into sex acts you probably haven’t had uncoerced (free) sex in years.

Mueller’s companion is in his forties.

Turn off the waterworks, christer. You Dobson, getreal and Pat Robertson all accuse gay men of pedophilia to take the spotlight off the real pedophiles – christer priests and pastors.

Fundamental social changes like those of 1775 to 1783 and from 1860 to 1865 were characterized by periods of large scale mobilizations, defeats and demoralization, and the development of steel-hardened revolutionary instruments like the Continental Army and the Union Army. You can follow the first process precisely by reading Tom Paine’s pamphlets and the second by following the works of Frederick Douglass.

Terrorism has no part in that process and is usually a desperation tactic of those who’ve been defeated.

As for religion, I don’t think it can be entirely suppressed, but we can kick it till it’s down and keep it there. I’m not much interested in religion except for it use as a vehicle to promote anti-GLBT bigotry, woman hating or racism. That part of religion has to be suppressed with a heavy hand.

For instance, any decent government would have put the man who said this in jail:

“I get amazed, I can’t look at it but about 10 seconds, at these politicians dancing around this, dancing around this, I’m trying to find a correct name for it, this utter absolute, asinine, idiotic stupidity of men marrying men.” (shouts from crowd)

“I’ve never seen a man in my life I wanted to marry.” (shouts, applause) “And I’m gonna be blunt and plain, if one ever looks at me like that I’m gonna kill him and tell God he died.” (laughter, applause) “In case anybody doesn’t know, God calls it an abomnation (sic). It’s an abomnation (sic)! It’s an abomnation (sic)!” (applause)

That was pentecostal minister Jimmy Swaggart in 2004. Obama’s Minister of Pandering Joshua Dubois, who now heads the faith based bribery effort, is also an ordained pentecostal minister. So is Leah Daughtry, head of the Democratic (sic) National Committee. Like Swaggart, they’re pigheaded opponents of same sex marriage. As is Obama.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iinqe_4O9bM

@Bill Perdue: I agree, this is a very important piece of legislation for us, and I hope beyond hope that it passes. I, too, am in favour of a working-class revolt, though I think that unless we have some strong, eloquent leaders it will probably not go as smoothly as we’d like. When poor folks get riled up, they tend to go after each other rather than their oppressors. We need to train people to choose appropriate targets before letting them loose in the streets. I’d go into more detail on what I’ve been thinking, but I’m probably on a list somewhere as it is, so a public forum likely isn’t the place.

One thing I should point out, though, is that religion is a highly effective way to influence the masses. I would argue that the solution isn’t necessarily to abolish religion, but to introduce a new one altogether, one which embodies a better vision of the future. And yes, I’m working on that.

Many beatings go unreported because of fear or because of police hostility go GLBT folks. If the hate crimes bill passes it’ll improve reporting and probably have a modest effect on crime but it won’t end bigotry or violence. Nevertheless it deserves our full support.

The real solution to bigotry and violence awaits fundamental changes in thinking by working people and minorities. As Obama’s recession gets closer to becoming Obama’s depression and as he continues his attacks on Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan to steal oil the situation will continue to deteriorate.

When it gets bad enough, when working people have had enough, that’ll create the opening to form a government to end the rule of the looter rich and their christer enablers. That kind of government can almost immediately and take real steps to end bigotry by suppressing it’s source – religion.

blockquote> @Charles J. Mueller: As someone who does a lot of traveling to south east asia I know exactly the kind of traveler you are. For those of you who have never been to the Philippines it is infested with pervy old western men who go there because there are a lot of people who live in poverty who will form relationships with these old men out of sheer desperation. I have seen these men they go to these countries pay young men and women to have sex with them (often underage people) and delude themselves that “asians are not hung up on age” or “their sense of morality is different than ours” not taking into account crushing poverty and hunger for some people becomes so unbearable that sharing a bed with someone, anyone western is a ticket out of a very hard life. These relationships are always based on money.We met men like this there with their “boyfriends” they are essentially johns but pathetically don’t know it they genuinely think these people they pay for sex and eventually to live with them actually love them. No wonder you are not disgusted by this kid who blackmailed kids into sex acts you probably haven’t had uncoerced (free) sex in years.

http://www.queerty.com/wiscons.....-20090206/

Mueller ‘s companion is in his forties, hardly a boy so your arrogant description of a Philippine man as a boy reveals an ugly racism on top of your straight christer hated of gay men. 99.99% of you comments are similarly disgusting attacks on gay men who are atheists. You’re a disgusting breeder and a christer troll. Who else would invent such garbage?

Let’s hope that doesn’t happen again.

I was actually fighting back tears (and losing) when I thought about Matthew’s death…man, I was there, right there in that “podunk” town, right there at the fence where it all happened…beaten bloody and unconsious, dumped over a fence, and left for dead on a cold night..and I think of all the other victims of anti-gay, and anti-trans violence, and it can get overwhelming…

But you know, I think the best way to serve their memory is to be the “best gays” we can, the most joy-filled, the most creatively expressed, the most compassionate, the ones who aren’t silent in the face of bullshit. As they say, “living well is the best revenge”, and I think any of our commrades who have left us too soon would want us to live that way.

You’re right though. I gotta back off. It’s just way too liberating to say how I really feel on this board when I could never say those things in public.

Plus its way late and I’m not tired enough to sleep.

Happy thoughts, think happy thoughts, Ok, maybe you’ll get run over by a bus, or struck dead by lightening, or be the first American casualty of swine flu. Ok, now I feel better. Die motherfucker, die! I’ll join Tank in dancing on your grave, and then take a dump on it for good measure. You deserve no less…