By George Washington. Cross posted from Washington’s Blog.

Pulitzer prize winning reporter Chris Hedges pointed out recently (starting at 5:05):

I was in Leipzig on November 9, 1989 with leaders of East German opposition and they told me that – perhaps within a year – there would be free passes back and forth across the Berlin wall.

Within a few hours, the Berlin Wall, at least as far as an impediment to human traffic, did not exist.

Week after week, month after month, these clergy in Leipzig held these candlelit vigils. And it was slow at first … people forget. Just like the Egyptian revolution has been percolating for many many months, and even years.

And suddenly, it began to grow. [Indeed, a study of history shows over and over that people don’t realize how close they may be to a positive turning point … if they just persist.]

And Honecker – who had been in ruling East Germany since the time of the dinosaurs – sent down a paratroop division to Leipzig .. . and they won’t attack the demonstrators.

It’s always when the foot soldiers of the elite won’t carry out the forms of draconian control that these dead regimes crumble.

And that’s why its so important not to respond to police provocation.