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A MODEST PROPOSAL

Occupy, as a movement, succeeds wildly when we use creativity, humor and optimism to confront the extremely grave and heartbreaking inequalities in our society. The ‘Perfect Storm’ of socio-economic conditions that allowed our movement to get our foot in the door is often too frightening; too intimidating; too hopeless seeming for the average person to think of confronting. We are waging a struggle against centuries of entrenched violence, oppression and exploitation. Instead of drawing in a trickle of people who have long girded and steeled themselves for protracted street fighting and insurrection, let us try for a tsunami of people who confront the worst evils we have ever known with a smile on their faces and perhaps the first twinkle of hope they have ever known in their eyes. 

I don’t know that the old way of #oo and #osf (and perhaps even #ows altogether) are working in the post-camp environment. Let’s shake it up a bit, be creative, and be what the powers that be do not want and can not afford us to be. There will be plenty of time for street fighting and such when the tanks are in the streets. Right now, let’s concentrate on getting the streets filled with people! 

And so, I propose a #catbloc. It doesn’t have to just be cats, but let’s make it funny, creative, and amazing! keep it upbeat and humorous in spite of the crushing despair or blinding rage that fills us when examining some of the things we face. We can be violent, and we can resort to property destruction; we know we can, it’s easy. The point is, let’s take that higher road while we still can - let’s reach out to our oppressed brothers and sisters in other parts of town - let’s reach out to our forlorn brothers and sisters in the suburbs - let’s reach out and do it with smiles and optimism. We are the light that people are looking for in their lives right now. We stood up and stood fast against terrible opposition this fall and winter. Let’s be the spring that this nation and this planet deserves. CAN WE JUST TRY IT PLEASE? 

Paint your shields with cats. Print out and make funny cat face protest signs. Let’s fuck with the police and fuck with the powers that be with humor! It is our greatest weapon and really shows our contempt for them that we’re not even going to get angry anymore. We’re going to laugh and the whole world will watch and laugh with us!

I love you all! Let’s do this!

Scott 

OccupySF 

EDIT: Here’s the tweet that started it all - https://twitter.com/scottanansi/statuses/167515846154010624

And we’re on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/protest.catbloc