Change we can not beleive in.

Now that some time has past since Obama's election it is time we take a second-gander at the "change we believe in" and exam the caliber of this change. An inspection, even a general one, would bring to light the trivial nature of this change--or complete lack-there-of change--that electoral politics offers. We may then be humbled to realize and admit to ourselves that electoral politics are neither a viable tactic nor solution for the "change we want" and the issues we face.

The Flobots, a rock/hip-hop band from Colorado, published a series of cartoons regarding issue of their choosing. One cartoon titled "Vote for Change" was an attempt to empower folks to vote for the 2008 elections and to remind the masses that they have a voice through their vote. Now, this common and overused approach-rhetoric of change is a nice thought; but does little in the reality of change, not historically not currently.

Voting, in and of itself, is not a negative or evil thing. The idea of voting is, in fact, a precious skeleton for a consensus democracy. The value of this realization and paradox is that our votes do matter, figuratively, but in the reality of the current political climate in the United States votes do not, actually, matter. It didn't matter in Copenhagen nor in Afghanistan, it did not matter in Health Care Reform nor in the Bail-Out. The avenue of voices, supposedly our ability to vote, is inexistent and thus voting is a voiceless endeavor; one that guarantees much of the same. The only votes that matter are the ones backed by bucks.

That said, I take offense to The Flobots cartoons touting voting as if it were the path to solution and holistic justice. There is a danger in thinking that voting matters, for it does nothing to challenge the power imbalance in the United States and breed contentment. (Bill Hicks offers some insight on this matter, please watch)

The Flobots, all in all, have some good undertones. The song "Same thing" that ironically gets at elements that were represented earlier:

Saying the same things over again
Repeatin’ the same slogans we don't know where we've been
We've been all over the globe on our government's funds
Leavin’ man, woman, and child dead bloody and numb
Saying the same things over again
Repeatin’ the same slogans we don't know where we've been
We've been overthrowing leaders with legitimate views
Democratically elected but we didn't approve....

the short-comings are disappointing in that even with this realization they and their listeners still seem, at least somewhat, fooled by the electoral process. The title of their album is "fight with tools" I hope that the band and their listeners pick better tools to fight with than the voting ballets. The current stakes are too grave, the power too imbalanced and the propaganda increasingly invasive, for us to think that voting and American politics will bring anything but the same status quo, not justice, not peace, not change. The idea of FIGHT WITH TOOLS is encouraging but we need to question what tools we are fighting with. The lyric that starts off "same thing" suggest a plotting of action" Somewhere between prayer and revolution, Between Jesus and Huey P. Newton". I would recommend considering a bit more Newton than Jesus style tactics, it is time for change it is time for us to get the power back, and not sit idly by. Singing peace songs and raising pickets’; while the world and its people are ripped apart and its people deemed second class citizens is not enough. Question your tactics. Feel the pressure. Challenge yourself. Challenge the Systems. Risk your comfort. Fight with Tools .No Justice No Peace.

National Day of action Against Electoral Politics.