So You Say You Want a Revolution: Week 1, Period 3

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Aly was enjoying being back in a classroom, perching on her desk and watching the students make their way into the class. She smiled at the students who had that shiny patina of being brand new to Fandom and nodded to Ino if she was there as a student she'd known before. Once everyone was close to seated, she stood up, leaning back against the desk.

"Good morning. I'm going to admit straight off that I might be a little rusty with this whole teaching thing. It's been a little while," she gave a little smirking smile that said you could take her seriously at your own risk. "I'm Alianne of Pirate's Swoop. You all can call me Aly, duani is acceptable if you're uncomfortable with just a nickname, but the first person who calls me Miss Aly gets me unhappy."

"This class is 'So You Say You Want a Revolution.' If you're not interested in revolutions, pretend because you already missed the class on Canada. During the term, we're going to talk about why formenting revolution can be a good thing. We're going to discuss what revolutions can be used for, how they can be put together, and why a failed revolution can be just as effective." She gazed at all of them with a slight smile. "And yeah, I hate theory so practicalities will be covered. Demolitions, weaponry, organisation, magic - or not, tactics." She grinned. "And my favourite, intelligence."

"Ten years ago, I helped organise a rebellion that put my Queen in power and have served as her Spymaster ever since - when I wasn't teaching here, of course. Almost everything I'm going to be teaching you is what I learned during the rebellion and in the years since. And if I didn't learn it there, it's something that was useful to me at the time." She paused for a moment before adding. "In spying, your brain is almost everything - half of spying is half mental which I've said many, many times before. A single person can't put together an effective revolution. But a single person can destroy one. And a destroyed rebellion feeds only the ravens and Stormwings. It's a dangerous game. And one you have to commit to fully if you're going to succeed."

"Today I'm going to be traditional - for once - and get to know all of you. I'd also like to hear what you think about revolutions and rebellions. When are they appropriate, what would it take to rebel against the current power structure of your home country, society, or even this school." She smiled mischievously. "I'm looking for a TA or two too so if you're interested, let me know."

Comments

Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

what do you think about revolutions and rebellions? When are they appropriate? What would it take to rebel against the current power structure of your home country, society, or even this school?

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"The question's complicated," Nico started, glancing around and wondering how his kin would take his answer. "In a revolt, don't both sides usually think they're right for whatever reason? So to me, it's more about how you know you really are right. Or if that automatically goes to the winner." Probably not useful to the discussion, but it was his opinion on the topic.

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

"It is complicated," Aly agreed. "But that doesn't mean it doesn't have an answer - even if it's one that's different for every person. So then my question to you is how would you know if you really were right or not. What circumstances would justify that being right?"

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[glacial_queen]

Karla shrugged a little, going for Totally Casual. "Considering I plan to instigate one when I go home, I guess I come down fairly heavily on the pro- side. But it's not about wanting power for myself--" she flushed, fairly certain that had been said many times over by people who meant the exact opposite, "--but about wanting to protect those who don't have the power to protect themselves."

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Interesting answer with that hint of defensiveness. "If you separate it from your personal plans," she said, with a little smile at Karla to indicate that wasn't criticism. "What circumstances are necessary for you to say a rebellion is justified? Are there certain situations, abuses, qualifications necessary? Do all other options have to be exhausted first?"

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[wrongkindofsith]

Well, this wasn't a distinctly uncomfortable topic to think about.

Even if it didn't sound it like it, Cara chose her words very carefully before replying. "A Mord'Sith choosing to turn on the Lord Rahl would involve unthinkable betrayal."

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

She nodded slowly. "Instead of asking what you mean by that, I'll ask if that Mord'Sith-" the pronunciation was exactly mimicking Cara's even though she'd never heard the word before "-ever has the option to renounce the Lord. Or is loyalty absolute and above question?"

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Sometimes they're necessary and sometimes they're not." Percy said without much thought. When did he give anything much thought? He left that to Annabeth and Grover.

"The person doing the rebelling is always going to think they're right. The people fighting back probably won't think that but they'll fight anyway."

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

Oh good, a part-God who didn't like to think. That boded so very well for the future. "When would they be necessary?" Aly asked, trying to draw out a bit of that capacity for thought that had to be back there somewhere.

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[intraspective]

Ino toyed with her pen before answering.

"I suppose it depends," she said slowly, "I mean, there's a personal rebellion where one person reaches their breaking point and either tries to strike back or flee the situation they feel oppressed by. Some people can hit that point easily--whether or not that's means there's something wrong with them or the situation depends heavily on the factors making up that particular situation."

A twirl of her pen.

"Then an organized rebellion--defined in this case by several peoplee, at the bare minimum, teaming up to take down those in power. There's generally only a few reasons, once you parse through all the things that make it individual. They're there to overthrow those in power 'cause those in power over them are corrupt, cruel, and care nothing for the people they're supposed to serve. Or because they want that power and don't care who they trample to get it.

Uh. Ino had words. She was just going to shut her mouth for now and wonder what other people would say to that.

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

"While you're right about personal rebellion, I'm thinking we have a big enough subject already this class. Besides you're all teenagers, you're experts on personal rebellion of one kind or another," Aly chuckled. "And you've defined the other pretty well too, but what I'm wondering is when do you think it's justified?"

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[likes_scoundrels]

Leia played with the necklace Anakin had given her. "I'm already part of a rebellion," she said. "I'm going to help bring down the Galactic Empire and restore justice to the galaxy."

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[tricksy-spy.livejournal.com]

"Big words," Aly said. "And I bet as a slogan it works pretty well, but break it down for me. How do you know justice was taken away? Was it ever there in the first place? Who determined that?"

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[trickydemigod.livejournal.com]

"I think they're necessary at certain points in history. Sometimes the power structure gets so corrupted and full of themselves that they're no longer protecting the people they're supposed to help," he said. "That's when someone else has to take them down and start over."

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico had to bite his tongue to stop himself from adding on to that one, but he certainly heard what Luke was saying and the seemingly good intentions behind it.

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[seaweed-demigod.livejournal.com]

Percy found himself staring at Luke after that answer. The familiarity was eerie in that statement and how the Luke he knew felt. He could see how this Luke could end up as that Luke.

It was all really confusing. Still, he didn't glare. Just eyed Luke warily and wondered how he could think the Titans were better than the Gods.

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[gorka-wolf.livejournal.com]

"What do I think about about revolution?" Makita's smile was genuinely amused. "I am a wolf of Nokgorka, a member of the resistance militia. I find this place too quiet for my liking, to be honest. Everyone is so complacent about how things work here."

"I have fought for three years to free my country, and I'll fight for another three hundred if that is what it takes to stop the genocide of our people and to get the Reds out of our lands."

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[didntchewgrass.livejournal.com]

"Nothing all that bad ever happens in Oz," Elphaba said, thinking this over. "I can hardly think of a time where demolitions would be required." She didn't have many illusions about Oz society, but that still seemed so extreme to her. "The Wizard has seen most of Oz flourish in the past years, I don't think anyone thinks ill of him."

She paused. "As for this school, I do not think I have been here long enough to make any criticisms or speculations."

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[onlymistaken]

"As others have already said--" Cally nodded towards Ino and Luke. "--rebellion may be necessary when those in power ignore the plight of, or worse, harm, those they're meant to be serving and protecting." Though she also had to nod to her own upbringing, and add, "If civil methods of disagreement fail - or are met with oppression and murder."

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"If the revolution is to serve the people, it's a good thing. But I've heard of revolutions that were simply to put a despot into power in which case, not so much. And I'm taking this class to hopefully get a better idea of what it's going to take to rebel against the power structure back home." The complication of course being that by the time she was ready to do that, she might be the power structure back home.

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[eyesofahero.livejournal.com]

"Revolutions and rebellions are a necessary change when the current power structure has become...unreliable." Ah, touchy subjects, forever haunting him. "They are appropriate when the objective of the same is to stop injustice and allow people to choose for themselves, and not when someone else wants to claim the corrupt power for themselves." That much he was sure of.

"Hm...a rebellion in Fandom High? With the people in here...all they need is a good reason and a strong leader." And there were leaders, but reasons? Not so much.

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[thinkbetterofme.livejournal.com]

"I am the son of the Steward of Gondor," Faramir said after he'd thought this through for a moment. "My view would be considered coloured. They are something I would like to avoid at all costs from happening in Gondor. There was a rebellion once in the kingdom and it left its mark on my people still."

He knew there was little point naming men whose name was unknown here and he tried to find a way to shorten his answer. "That doesn't change that it may have been the right course then. The King was a cruel man who seemed not to care about how much blood he spilled. It would have been necessary then, but a rebellion now, would tear our kingdom apart and leave us vulnerable for an enemy who's waiting to wipe us away."

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[angelo_wings]

"I joined a rebellion back home," Rinoa said firmly. "I was in Galbadia, but Galbadia kept invading other countries and doing horrible, unethical things. So I moved to Timber and worked with them to fight for their independence."

They hadn't gotten very far, but the teacher didn't ask if she'd succeeded.

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[weetinyreese.livejournal.com]

"I think being on the receiving end isn't a good thing. Being on the rebelling end isn't fun either, but it's necessary sometimes. I don't know the answers to the rest."

Re: Answer the Questions [Rev 9-1]

[dontvotemeout]

"I think revolutions are appropriate when the people in charge have lost sight of what the people they're supposed to be leading want," Jason said. "When people have needs that aren't being met because the government is corrupt, or just clueless, then a little rebellion might wake them up."