The Nature of Protest

The tea party movement was about money and anger. False perceptions about wealth had been imploded. People wanted to return to the myth of prosperity; that fairyland were home values only soar, debt doesn't matter and your life full of meaningless crap made you happy. These shallow blowhards succeeded in seeing the election of the biggest bunch of nincompoops ever to sit in Congress. "We want free money just like the banker's got." seemed to be the salient message. Then the dolts they elected talk about cutting entitlements when the constituancy is asking for ammenities. The widespread belief that the Republican party will somehow line your pockets persists when in fact they do no work for you at all. The Dems at least are unambiguous thieves, it's a party tradition.

This new 'Occupy' movement is still about money tinged with anquish rather than anger. If you are in the 99% of a democratic community I would think you'd feel powerful. We don't. If the angst is only about money then it is misplaced. My guess is there will always be an aristocracy be it by birthright or presently slight of hand. Who is deserving of privelege?

The changes that need to be are those of the mind not of the pocketbook or the people. The French took the direct approach and lopped off the heads of the aristocracy only to produce a little demi-god. America was always designed to favor the favored. The Communists plunged everyone into grim poverty save a few at the top. Make up your minds about what you want to change.

Passive resistance always wins, some, maybe more than some will die. Expect to be arrested, beaten and pepper sprayed. That means you are winning. Only a maniac like Gaddafi or Stalin would be willing to kill you all. So camp out have a good time, take your beatings but come back every morning. When you win have something more to say than, "Give me the Money."

I think the real revolution is just now forming articulation. Many, many good people have been talking about this for years. So many great books full of ideas but it takes an engaged electorate, maybe an enraged citizenry to elicit change. To see anything happening gives me hope.

I grew up in a vibrant, hopeful and promising generation. Kids that still had humility and the ability to love. All of that was kicked to the curb. We sold out. We couldn't take the beating. No shame in that but for all the sell outs that taught their kids all about evil and greed you can't die too soon.

The flow of time on this little world tends toward progression and evolution. We live in a rich country and no one should suffer. Be it kindness, compassion, a hand up or out it doesn't matter. We are this beautiful nation and the strictures that binds us will be released.