A note from the antiwar movement to striking truckers

[tr4nqued]

The trucker strike reminds me of what has been going on in the antiwar movement for several years now. Here are some of my insights from that other movement that might help with this one, which I support.

Self-fulfilling prophecies are a killer. When people think about protesting, or striking, or signing petitions, or whatever, they start off thinking it won't do any good, so they don't participate. So then you have a strike in which no one participates, and surprise, surprise, it doesn't do any good. But if people started out with the knowledge that a large-enough protest would work, and that the only thing people need to do is participate to make it large enough, then maybe individuals would be more likely to protest. It's a real conundrum, when people don't participate because they think it won't work, and then they get proof that they are right when it doesn't work, but the reason it doesn't work is because so many people think like them and don't participate. It's been killing the antiwar movement since day one, and the same is true of the trucker strike.

Another thing is that you can never wait on other people to act. Everyone has to act regardless of what others are doing. I have seen people say they will strike if others strike, but what happens if everyone thinks that? Of course then no one strikes, because they're all waiting to see what everyone else is going to do. People have to strike regardless of what other people do, and then it all comes together, or it doesn't. But people can't wait on others to act, or nothing gets done.

And the same thing might work with the CB chatter. Instead of waiting for CB chatter about the strike to start, people have to start that chatter themselves. Get on the CB and talk about it, and talk about it, and talk about it. And then when the nay-sayers laugh, just talk about it some more and some more.

And never trust the media. If you want coverage of what you do, cover it yourself. People who are protesting should make it clear everywhere they go that they are protesting. Leave flyers all over the place, post them, make buttons, write strike on your truck, etc., etc. If you want the status quo to rattle, you have to rattle it yourself. The media aren't there to rattle the status quo; they are there to maintain it just like it is.

But generally, America is messed up right now. The antiwar movement is not growing. It is shrinking. More people are against the war now than ever before, but fewer are doing anything about it. Americans just don't care about anything. If you want to get Americans' attention, you can't just ask please. You have to demand it, and keep demanding it, because as soon as something else loud and shiny catches their attention, they will look away from you. This happens over and over in today's America. Just look at the Gulf Coast. That place is still messed up from Katrina, and no one cares.

So I'm with you striking, slow-driving truckers. I hope you have an effect. But everything is stacked against you. Americans are zonked out on the drug called TV that keeps them all giggles and smiles all the time, no matter how bad things get. So it's going to be a hard push, but keep on pushing.

[HOUDINI]

This was a very good post. These are the kind of post I like reading.

[Meat Wagon]

Very well written and thought out.

[roadkill439342]

What FEW people seem to realize that short of forgiving the FEDERAL Taxes on fuel, there is little the Government can do to bring down the price of fuel.

How many of you remember the "attempt" to regulate fuel prices by Carter in the late 1970's?
Gas Rationing?
Long lines?

THAT worked REAL WELL, didn't it?

[Joe Dirt]

The antiwar movement isn't shrinking because nobody cares- it is shrinking because:

- The only people they show on TV are the radical protestors, laying in body bags or some nonsense, or protesting at funerals. People don't want to be associated with that.
- It isn't going to end the war anyway, and people have jobs to be at- not out protesting all day in Berkley, CA.
- A lot of people are tired of hearing about it.
- A lot of people are not sure if the truth about what is going on and the thoughts of our troops is actually being heard.
- Families want support, since their children are overseas fighting to give someone that has never been in the service the right to call them murderers, rapists, and criminals and fly American flags upside down and on fire.
- Few people actually believe the "We leave, and everything will be peachy keen!"

[Roadmedic]

Originally Posted by roadkill439342

What FEW people seem to realize that short of forgiving the FEDERAL Taxes on fuel, there is little the Government can do to bring down the price of fuel.

How many of you remember the "attempt" to regulate fuel prices by Carter in the late 1970's?
Gas Rationing?
Long lines?

THAT worked REAL WELL, didn't it?

Hate to bust the bubble, but we had none of these problems.

[EQRehab]

Originally Posted by Roadmedic

Hate to bust the bubble, but we had none of these problems.

We didnt? To hear my parents and grandparents tell it we did. A simple google search tells it all. Many gas stations shut down, fuel shortages unlike we have ever seen and lines that would baffle your mind. From what my father tells me, they based wether or not you were eligible to fuel on a given day by the last number of your license plate. For example if your plate ended in an odd number you were eligible to fuel Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and if it was even you were eligible to fuel on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. That is just an example for I am not sure exactly how it was run just the basics from stories passed down to me. Would love to hear stories from people that lived through this.

[Roadmedic]

Originally Posted by EQRehab

We didnt? To hear my parents and grandparents tell it we did. A simple google search tells it all. Many gas stations shut down, fuel shortages unlike we have ever seen and lines that would baffle your mind. From what my father tells me, they based wether or not you were eligible to fuel on a given day by the last number of your license plate. For example if your plate ended in an odd number you were eligible to fuel Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and if it was even you were eligible to fuel on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. That is just an example for I am not sure exactly how it was run just the basics from stories passed down to me. Would love to hear stories from people that lived through this.

Okay, I will clarify it.
There was NO problems where I lived.
I filled my car up every day. I drove over 200 miles every day. It did not stop me at all.

[peanut2008]

The so called fuel shortage happened in the early 70`s not the late seventys and it ended as soon as prices went up to where the oil companies wanted them.I am sure about this because it was the very year I got my drivers licence and no I am not senile.Before that time stations would pump your gas and clean your windshield some would even check your tires and oil with a fill up.Some stations would give a free gift with 10 gallons or more.They closed stations on Sunday and station tried to ration gas,but it was a joke you just had to drive to the next station to buy more the only ones it really hurt were the truckers as usual.The only shortage we got now is the cash to buy it,as before this is all about politics and greed.We also had an oil glut from1993-2000 I wonder how that changed from one president to the other?