Sing along with Patti!
The power to dream / to rule
to wrestle the world from fools
it’s decreed the people rule
it’s decreed the people rule
LISTEN
I believe everything we dream
can come to pass through our union
we can turn the world around
we can turn the earth’s revolution
we have the power
People have the power ..
Yah!
beautiful. go, patti! love her.
What a load of sentimental drivel! I’m surprised at you, ‘Sis’!
And what do you have against “people having the power”, Mr. Duff? Do you prefer dictators? Or is it Patti you don’t like?
Have you read her biography Just Kids? I read it recently, and so many parts made me think of you, Sister Wolf
@David Duff sentimental sure, but drivel, surely not. This is Patti Smith we’re talking about.
David – Idealism isn’t sentimental. But you know that. xo
Not enough time to go into details which would fill a (really boring) book but ‘The People’, quite rightly, only have a tiny bit of political power. Sometimes, one feels, even that is too much for them but there it is. Just give the proposition a moment’s thought and you will see the abject folly of giving ‘The People’ any more than the bare minimum of a vote every few years. For example, how would you like ‘ROOTIE TOOTIE’, up above, to have more political power over you than one vote? He, she or it can’t even spell and presumably has never heard of a comma!
And, by the way, I haven’t the remotest idea who Patti Smith is.
I am excited you posted this. First Egypt and now Algeria! Woo!
Mr. Duff, I lived in a country where “The Party” thought that “The People” need to be told what they can or can’t do to progress from Socialism into a glorious Communist future. These who did not agree suffered the consequences, which in the fifties included jail, torture and executions. Eventually “The People” kicked “The Party” out of power, and it was very satisfying to participate in the kicking. You are, I’m guessing, not one of “The People” – I wonder if , under the circumstances, you’d join “The Party”? Their march on the “Road to Communism” was alway a bit easier, thanks to better housing, cars, medical care and, you know, “The Power”. As for ROOTIE-TOOTIE – I don’t want to upset you, but chances are, he/she/it will vote for Sarah Palin.
Cricket9 (what a frightfully British ‘nom-de-keyboard’!), alas, your ‘Great People’s Struggle’ is yet another historical myth. I assume you are talking of eastern Europe in which various more or less corrupt dictatorships were propped up by Red Army tanks (see: Hungary, passim) for decades and only the collapse of Russian Marxist economics, aided by constant western (ie, mostly American) pressure, left your rackety governments tottering alone and unloved. A pussy cat could have blown them over with a single puff! You should thank the American tax-payer, God bless him, he underwrote the entire exercise.
Mr. Duff, “nom-de-keyboard” is not after your incomprehensible game, it’s after a tiny, usually green, creature that chirps in the summer…
I agree that the Marxist economics would, eventually, collapse. I did not think it would happen in my lifetime – your governments were keen on lending our rackety governments money to prop the “status quo” indefinitely. Your government, IMO, did not give a crap about applying the pressure you mention; it did make sure that no “great unwashed” masses of Eastern Europeans would sneak into your country and get a job serving beer in a pub or tiling your bathroom. This, apparently, changed later? As it happens, the pussy cat was Solidarity, with the help of Catholic Church and the American tax-payer (God bless him indeed, even if he doesn’t know where Eastern Europe could possibly be).
Who, in your opinion, is underwriting the Egyptian events? And who should, according to you, have the big slice of “The Power”, since it’s not “The People”?
‘Cricket9’, I don’t know why but I guessed you were Polish and so may I take this opportunity to say thank you to all those young Poles who in recent years have transformed my country by coming over here and working hard with great efficency and courtesy in direct contrast to our very own Brit ‘youfs’ and ‘youfettes’ whose uselessness is only exceeded by their laziness! Also, Polish girls are drop dead gorgeous! (Oh dear, and now an old man is becoming over-excited – NURSE, my pills – quick!)
To be slightly serious I think it is important that people have a vote and thus the chance to turn the rascals out at regular intervals. Not that they always choose particularly well but, hey, it’s better than the alternative – as you know better than me! However, the slogan ‘Power to the People’ – and slogans are written for idiots to chant – implies much more than just a regular franchise and as such it is a nonsense. A visit to any saloon bar will quickly tell you two things: that most people are pig ignorant on politics in the widest sense of that word, and that if you have 5 people arguing you will end up with 6 different opinions! So, let the politicians have the power, and let us judge them on a regular basis.
Heh heh Mr. Duff, thank you for the much needed morning smile. You’re right, I am Polish and I’ve heard about recent British enthusiasm for Polish workers, and especially Polish girls; so, you’re welcome!
I agree with your evaluation of the political savvy of an average dude in a bar, but to me, “Power to the People” means right to vote and to have a real vote count – plus the right to legal political opposition. That’s all “The People” need to exercise “The Power”, but it’s not as widely available as one may think. As for slogans – I wouldn’t dismiss an importance of a good slogan.
Now I wonder – are you really so fascinated by Sarah Palin, or are you just a contrarian?
Careful, ‘Cricket’, you speak of the woman I love, er, well, I love ‘Big Sis’, too, of course, and just recently I’ve fallen for Andra who appears here from time to time, and I must never forget the Memsahib – would I dare? – so you see, like Romeo I am in love with love!
As for Sarah’s politics, I would agree with most her opinions and I think? hope? wish? that she would be an effective president – but you never really know until they are in the job. Well, look at Obama, everyone thought he was really intelligent and it is now clear that he is a stumble-bum dimwit.
Oh, c’mon – you may WISH and HOPE she would be an effective president, but you KNOW she’s, how should I say it – too dumb for it, not much smarter than that dude from the bar…
I too like Andra, and that was an underhanded swipe at Obama. You’re quite devious, Mr Duff!
David – Your ignorance about Patti Smith is only exceeded by your ignorance about Mrs. Palin. Patti Smith is my Living Idol. I have seen her perform at least ten times over the last 35 years, and each performance was a religious experience.
Her song “Power to the people” is an exhortation to get off our asses and use our voices to make a difference, through voting, protesting, what have you. It is an attempt to break through to our complacency and apathy.
I know it sounds like hippie nonsense to you. But I have to say that picketing the campaign office of Arnold Schwarzenegger, when he ran for governor of my state, was a wonderful experience! It wasn’t enough to just sit home and fume. In the end, my effort was in vain but still mattered, morally speaking.
I am incredibly moved when people decide to take action against injustice or corruption.
Yes, many people are stupid vulgarians like Rootie Tootie (who is in fact our deranged friend from Dallas, still obsessed with my private parts.) But we mustn’t judge people in general by the worst cases.
IF only Andra could make everything better. I’m counting on her!
OK, OK, ‘Sis’, I’m in love with Patti Smith, too, even if I have never heard of her!
Also, I’m confused – again. You seem to be all in favour of getting “off our asses and use our voices to make a difference, through voting, protesting, what have you” but if people do that and happen to call themselves Tea Partiers you and your fellow liberals throw a hissy-fit.
Mr. Duff, SW, as usual, said it so well. It is about getting off our asses and make a difference; I hate when people say “I’m not voting/signing a petition/going to a demonstration/ because it doesn’t matter”. IT DOES, lazy morons!!!
As for Tea Partiers – they are entitled to do their protesting and what have you, we (SW and fellow liberals) are entitled to our hissy-fits and counter-protesting. That’s how it works, and you surely know it. That’s why, if there is ever an action against your beloved Sarah P. in Canada, I’ll be there. I was very proud of U of Ottawa students who scared the pants out of Ann Coulter to the point that she canceled her appearance (no violence was involved). I wonder if you like Ann…
“I wonder if you like Ann…”
Need you ask?
Ha, silly me!
Yay, U of Ottawa! Boo Ann, they chased you away – despite your generosity: “We (US) allow them (Canada) to exist on this continent”. We are an ungrateful bunch.
:-]
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