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A Further Perspective
Occupying My Time
It’s never too late for a non-protester to change his tune.
I missed the Occupation of Europe by a few years so I’m delighted to have an opportunity to Occupy America. Hey, it’s a start. Today America, tomorrow China!
Critics of Occupy Wall Street (also Boston, Denver, Oakland, Dubuque, etc.) claim that the protesters have no stated goal, which could not be further from the truth. The current movement is a major advance in protests — the first all-purpose grassroots protest in American history, which very neatly serves everyone’s purposes — mine anyway.
Former protest marches, sit-ins, love-ins and the like were much too narrowly focused for me on specific outrages — segregation, women’s inequality, anti-Vietnam war, that sort of thing. Good causes, I’m sure, but not enough to get me really fired up. I was never able to take part in any of them, for one reason or another (inclement weather, a dental appointment, something always came up), but the Occupiers have come up with a brilliant catch-all solution that allows everyone to get anything bugging them off their chest immediately.
This is a far more efficient way to protest major problems, and I commend the organizers for coming up with such a perfect tactic that suits every trouble — one size fits all. Can’t get a home mortgage loan? Credit card interests rates too high? Boss not appreciating you? Grocery prices going through the roof? Spouse refuses to listen to you? Cost of movies and sports events out of sight? The kids ignoring your advice? Wait time to see a podiatrist too long? Leaf-blowers and plastic shrink-wrap driving you nuts?
Folks, if any of those things are bothering you, it’s time to grab your tent and get yourself down to your neighborhood Occupiers location. There is one near you. If not, it isn’t too late to begin your own protest site. Go to Occupiersunited.com to find out more. Be the first on your block to establish an official protest area and get on local TV. Learn to become a community organizer, which could put you on the path to the White House. Become a talented on-site cook. Perfect your outdoor survival skills under blizzard conditions. Find new markets for T-shirts, posters, coffee mugs, and trinkets. Yes, people, great career opportunities await you!
In the past, as I say, I tended to sit out political demonstrations of every kind (though I did once put a “Ban the DH” sticker on my bumper), but the Occupy Whatever people showed me that even I, a lifelong non-protester, could be roused into action by taking a stand against whatever riled me — and, to my delight, I found that not necessarily just one cause, but several, could be taken care of in one fell swoop. Talk about catharsis.
So I made a list of stuff that’s been bugging me lately and was surprised how long it was — 136 matters in all, starting with noisy TV commercials. When I contacted officials at Occupy Main Street (a wholly owned subsidiary of Occupy Wall Street), they said that there was a limit of a dozen issues per month that one person could protest against. “Otherwise, this thing could really get out of hand,” they emailed me.
“We prefer major issues,” they said, “but whatever’s troubling you may be included. The more the merrier. We have a fairly lax policy here.” They said it wasn’t necessary for me to run my issues past them. “Just show up and hand out fliers. Hey, it gets you out of the house, and of course, like in the '60s, it’s a great way to meet girls.”
“That’s a good enough provocation right there,” I said.
About the Author
Gerald Nachman is a writer in San Francisco and most recently the author of Right Here on Our Stage Tonight!: Ed Sullivan’s America (University of California Press).
Letter to the Editor View all comments (36) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Gerald Nachman
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http://spectator.org/archives/2011/11/02/occupying-my-time
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martin j smith| 11.2.11 @ 7:07AM
Gerry: Observe their behavior especially as we get closer to the 2012 election. Here is my bet: There will be violence. That is the agenda Gerry.
DTOM| 11.2.11 @ 8:57AM
Gerr'
Can I protest the OWS at the OWS protest? Are they yet?
Patrick| 11.3.11 @ 5:45AM
If the smell doesn't overpower you...
Negro X| 11.2.11 @ 7:33AM
I have also been using the OWS to meet chicks and scam free food, my bank account is up and so is my sex life. The chicks will do anything for a shower and breakfast, tell them they can use your washer and dryer and it's serious freak time.
Melvin| 11.2.11 @ 8:45AM
Better watch out the government could construe your new found pleasure as providing a service so therefore your subject to higher taxes. Maybe even draw Big Sis's attention.
DTOM| 11.2.11 @ 8:58AM
Have you tried the battery powered blow dryer approach? It kills.
Occam's Tool| 11.2.11 @ 3:15PM
NX: My Man!
Al Adab| 11.2.11 @ 3:20PM
Scoring, by Ogden Nash
"Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker."
Trinacria| 11.2.11 @ 6:35PM
Liquor is quicker, but a SHOWER is POWER!
irish19| 11.2.11 @ 9:55PM
ROTFLMFAO!!
Appleby| 11.2.11 @ 7:41AM
Daycare for Obamas Children (now available up to age 26; present photo of your room at Mommys House as valid i.d.
KuroShinzo| 11.2.11 @ 8:10AM
Can they do anything about hemorrhoids?
Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 11.2.11 @ 8:31AM
No, because they don't have any "real" skills to solve real problems, but you "can" protest Preparation-H!! Because they're another example of an Evil Corporation, therefore they're part of the 1%!! But your ass will still hurt when it's all said and done!!
Drunken Sailor| 11.2.11 @ 2:06PM
I disagree LLL. From what I have seen these people should be able to solve hemorroids. I mean look at all the perfect a**holes attending these events!
Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 11.2.11 @ 6:05PM
Touche'!! Drunken Sailor, Touche'!!
POST American| 11.2.11 @ 8:45AM
---Tavistock 'CALM--place--n' see' and SAP OP---
-------------------------ALERT!---------------------------
FACT IS, the OWS is a SOROS orchestrated
co-opting DIS--traction. SOROS, destroyer
of currencies and economies, is nothing more
than a ROT-child front op.
Happily, our sources on the ground report
that, even so, the SOROS and 'FED" forces
have been unable to completely takeover
GENUINE dissent ---or to even fully dominate
it.
AGAIN kiddies ---it's NOT going to STOP
gettintg worse until we CLEAN OUT our churches,
REPENT ---and open, dismantle and prosecute
the 'social engineers' and instigators ---not
just in the psychopathic, USURY mongering
'FED' ---but in their 'fave' lurking places
within the 'benny violent' , ULTRA RICH,
TAX FREE ---foundations and NGOs.
---------------HUAC meets NUREMBERG------------
--------------------------2012-----------------------------
DTOM| 11.2.11 @ 8:56AM
Post;
I'm with you on this one as well! But I did kinda lose you at the HUAC/Nuremburg thing. What's up with that?
Bydand76| 11.2.11 @ 9:39AM
In my most humble opinion,
If someone was smart they would set up a clinic at the OWS protests offering free tubal ligation and vasectomies.
This would help to reduce their carbon footprints and over-population AND they would be getting free health care!
Just sayin........
Mike 3/505| 11.2.11 @ 10:07AM
And would help clean up the gene pool.
Regards,
Mike
DTOM| 11.2.11 @ 10:47AM
Howsa bout Superlate term abortions, at say, 321 months after conception?
Oh, all right, never mind.
Al Adab| 11.2.11 @ 12:24PM
BY:
Some smart entreprenuer is out there selling hats and shirts with OWS statements on them. Go Capitalism.
Petronius| 11.2.11 @ 9:47AM
Free grape koolade spiked with....
Al Adab| 11.2.11 @ 11:35AM
Interesting that there is a central OWS office to contact. Haven't we been told this is a spontaneous protest? Maybe in fact it is just a dress rehersal for the disruption of the conventions (possibly the election?) next year. A Socialist revolution in embryo?
Riff Raff| 11.2.11 @ 11:50AM
We should rename the “OWS Movement” to more accurately describe their actions and character. Considering the cleanup required in their wake, I suggest this moniker:
The Bozos, Occupiers, Whiners, & Excrement Leavers Movement, or BOWEL Movement for short. This is apt.
Dan Mathewson| 11.2.11 @ 5:58PM
Perfect.
nohussein| 11.2.11 @ 12:21PM
They're hurting businesses and costing taxpayers to push communism, wood shampoo all of them.
Franco| 11.2.11 @ 12:31PM
Yesterday I protested the stresses and inconveniences of parenthood by eating the balance of my children's Halloween candy. IN YOUR FACE, CHILDREN!
My stomach agreed to discuss our common issues.
Patrick| 11.3.11 @ 5:52AM
Ah, teaching children the ways of socialism.
Peter | 11.2.11 @ 12:49PM
Attending the OWS protests? I have a few suggestions for signs you can bring along to get the discussion rolling:
http://www.simplemusingssimple...../flipcard#!/2011/10/ows-signs-i-would-like-to-see.html
Nick| 11.2.11 @ 2:46PM
Here is all you need to know about these dirty, smelly, law-breaking, commie, hippie protesters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?f.....GFeJ6gmJAE
http://www.mrctv.org/videos/oc.....-shut-down
(h/t: Hot Air, Breitbart, MRC-TV)
Redstateboy| 11.2.11 @ 3:10PM
I Loved hearing that the NYPD is supposedly circulating encouragement to every loser, dirtbag, homeless-bananahead to go down to the Park and how delicious to read the OWS cooks went on strike because these (other) leaches are not down for the struggle.. just the free food and the five-finger discounted iphones, ipads and anything else they can grab..
POST American| 11.2.11 @ 11:46PM
HUAC ---for our 4 decades of deliberate,
systematic, set up, sellout and Globalist
TREASON. One might really take in the
entire 20th century --POST the set up
Lusiatnia disaster.
NUREMBERG ---for the full spectrum
contamination of our water, meds and
food by our EUGENIST owned and run
agra-businesses, meds and 'Big Farma'
--er, we meant Pharma. For the 'on the go'
stated agendas of the TAX FREE, ULTRA
RICH, USURY FEULED, EUGENICS front
---'benny violent' foundations.
As we are all burying victims of the
deadly, cancer virus crammed, Salk
POLIO viruses ---even as we allow
our newborns to be barraged by mercury
filled shots.
-------------HUAC meets NUREMBERG--------------
---------------------------2012-----------------------------
Nick| 11.3.11 @ 12:57PM
Don't forget about our "precious bodily fluids," General Ripper.
sinanju| 11.3.11 @ 9:16AM
For my generation it was the nuke-freeze movement in the early eighties but I was too busy working after school at the fried-chicken place.
Bummer how such mundane responsibilities as work/school/family always seem to get in the way of us less-privileged ordinary schmoes and our higher ideals...
Matt| 11.4.11 @ 12:38AM
I'm a conservative and constitutionalist, but I won't be back to this website. Cynical tirades like this article and all of the self-serving hate comments about OWS reveals who the true audience of the spectator is.
Nick| 11.7.11 @ 1:33AM
Don't let the door hit you in the backside on your way out, Matt!