The revolution will not be televised - Boy do I hate rallies

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised:

You will not be able to stay home, brother.

You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,
Skip out for beer during commercials,
Because the revolution will not be televised.
The revolution will not be televised.
The revolution will not be brought to you by Xerox
In 4 parts without commercial interruptions.  by Gil Scott Heron

I hate rallies...

From my college days on I sure planned, organized and hosted enough rallies for a life-time. I have been a panel member, guest speaker and a moderator at several rallies, but I must say, I hate rallies -- although I will concede they do have a place, purpose and value.

I hate them because too many people falsely believe that attending a rally or a march solves the problem. Too many microphone fiends descend upon the city, issue or controversy du jour with their camera ready speeches and rally cries:  What do ya'll want? Justice. When do ya want it? Now. Or, No justice/No peace.

As if shouting those tired cliches will expeditiously usher in a new dawn for the oppressed. 

And after CNN, MSNBC or Fox leave town, cameras in tow, these self-described Tree Shakers not Jelly makers also head for the door. Or, should I say they head for the next stage to express their mock outrage.

Boy do I hate rallies...

Yea, I do...when the time to comes -- in the aftermath of a rally -- to roll up the sleeves and do the nitty gritty work that substantively brings about change, you need a CSI Forensic team to locate the so-called leaders, spokespersons or should I say the TV/studio personalities.

The thing about it...

These folks actually do more harm than good. Why? They may raise the profile of a heretofore local issue, but at what cost? Often our Tree Shakers/Studio Personalities have so much baggage that instead of uniting all people -- black, brown, yellow, red and white -- they bring about more entrenched polarization.

Give me institution building over the bling-bling of Drive-By-Rallies any day...

"One is fully conscious when he or she is the results of having been informed and instructed by the experience of his or her ancestors and use that knowledge to master, understand and become able to create institutions that allow him or her to live in harmony with the rest of nature and the universe." 

Professor James Small