Occupy My Toilet

Occupy a job somewhere

An unruly mob

Loudmouth rioters

All of these phrases were posted on my Facebook wall in the last two days. I was also accused of preaching, being out of touch or too kindhearted. Several people posted images of troops in Afghanistan or elsewhere with the tag “Too Busy Too Occupy Wall Street” (Never mind they are occupying somewhere)

All of this disturbed me, not only because I believe in the Occupy movement, have protested in Glenwood Springs, but more because it shows how easily Propaganda works.

Too often in America we think of propaganda as the tool of the Nazis, the Soviets or other communist and fascists’ regimes. Apparently we never think of how often it is used here. Sometimes intensely by using Donald Duck, Superman and Captain America in WWII, the Famed posters of how a lone traveler was riding with Hitler, the ugly images of “Japs” in posters or in the leading syndicated newspaper strip “Terry and the Pirates”

Later it was easily adapted to television during the Cold War with the westerns showing Manifest Destiny, or the spy’s saving the worlds in “Man From Uncle”, “Mission Impossible”, and “I Spy” even the original “Star Trek” carried these themes.

Now propaganda is being used to try and lessen the impact of the Occupy movement, whether it is the myth marines are too busy, never mind the number of veterans in so many Occupy protests. Or the easily dismissed straw-man that Occupy protesters want to soak the rich with taxes because they are jealous or they are unwilling to get a job, or just want their debts taken away.

Another part of the propaganda is that the authorities have to use force because force is being used against them, or just because the occupiers are on city property.

If you believe the propaganda then sure that’s what this is about, and most of the protesters are college students, and are trying to provoke police. However if you look deeper, you’ll see very direct targets of banks using fees, variable interest rates on short term or student loans. Targets are companies who have done heavy investment outside the United States and thus outside the laws binding employers in the U.S.

Propaganda works because it attaches itself to basic core beliefs, in the United States a core belief, recognized and admitted or not, is that the poor don’t work hard enough, because the premise has always been that if you work hard enough there is no way you can’t succeed. This idea is now being used directly against Occupy by the major media outlets and the entrenched corrupt government representatives. Anyone beholding to major contributors and advertisers.

Not every message Occupy has is right, not every behavior correct but the overall message is more than some dirty students, or unemployed being angry at the rich. Look deeper, look at who is telling you the news, pay attention to the information. Remember those in power say what they believe will keep them in power and always wrap it in patriotic colors.

It’s typical - make an excuse, go in with guns blazing, and arrest those who take offense to such actions. It’s never YOUR fault - it’s always someone else’s fault.

I’m so tired of ignorance. Just yesterday I was called an unemployed non-voting loser for simply putting in two words of support for a small Occupy protest that happened in my neck of the woods this weekend. Sure it didn’t have the best organization ever and it was raining so many people didn’t want to stand out there because 42 and rain is COLD, but there were people there. I don’t care that you disagree with the movement - I care that you do your research and actually have knowledge of what you’re criticizing before you start labeling people.

You can say what you will about greedy corporations, but the primary issue of Occupy is to confront the corporations that circumvent US law, the politicians who take kickbacks from these organizations to look the other way, and what this is doing to the working poor of this nation. It’s not right to be putting money in banks overseas and lining the pockets of foreign workers after US workers created the foundation of a company. I understand that costs are a factor, but I’d rather pay $5 for something instead of $2.50 knowing that my neighbor made it and I’m supporting his family with my purchase.

That’s my ultimate issue personally - we’ve lost our sense of pride for our fellow man. Instead of supporting each other, we look out for ourselves. If we want to see change happen in this country, it’s going to take a revolution… but a revolution back to the way things used to work.

The past is the past and that can’t be changed, but we can change our future by returning to the proven formulas of success. Buying local. Budgeting your finances. Staying out of debt. Supporting yourself. Living within your means. Certainly each individual is responsible for that, but so much more is corporate America and political America. That is what Occupy is about, no matter how many people, companies, media outlets, politicians, and whoever else wants to twist it.  

As serious as a movement can be. I field a lot of questions every day from folks who wonder what OMT really is - and sure there’s a satire component to it, but more importantly, OMT is about actually doing something when you have the moment to do something. Sure people make their jokes and do their own thing and think they’re funny when the concept has been around since 10/3, but don’t judge what others do on what I’m doing. 

Sorry if you’re tired of it - sorry if you’re annoyed, but Occupy isn’t going away. Do what you can, when you can, and let people snicker if they want. What’s more important is that you’ve done something about what you see as wrong. That’s how change happens. 

If all of us took time to occupy our toilets and do something for the betterment of society, we can affect change through social media. Join the movement!

It’s true that in many circles people are beginning to tire of the Occupy movement. After all, many are simply using the time to protest their own agendas and not cohese into something legit.

That’s why I’m making the call right here, right now. Let’s get one consistent message out there instead of several. Forget “Down with Capitalism.” Forget “Corporations are not people.” These things really aren’t evil. These things truly are not the cause of our problems.

So what is? Politicians. Leaders who promise one thing and do another thing. Washington double talk. I know people say that there’s no such thing as an honest politician, but that’s exactly what we need - a group of people willing to stand together, make the necessary changes despite the criticisms, and probably get voted out after 1 term.

I’m not talking about changing the Constitution - I’m talking about changing the people enforcing the Constitution. For me, this seems to make the most sense? Counteroffer?