The recent debate in OWS circles about whether violent protest is ever useful is just a smaller version of one that has played out again and again for centuries. The Very Serious People haven't had much success working it out, so why don't you listen to some Fools like me. Use pseudoviolence.
As a species, we've already learned how much better it is if we fight our wars with words and dollars rather than guns. Can't we do that as a country? People are already using glitter bombs. Use those instead of real ones. Don't shoot bullets at leaders, throw pies.
And of course, since this is my proposal, I'll be the first example. I've added a picture to my profile to illustrate what you should do to people who try to lead you. :-)
(And you know, after the initial shock, especially to an extremely shy, nerdy guy like me, it's actually delicious and fun. Instead of a career in politics, I got a much more satisfying career in science with politics as a hobby. Long story for another diary....)
I don't have the whole thing worked out, and I'm no expert on politics, which is why I'm suggesting it to you guys. Probably you can do something with it, if you're willing to listen. Meanwhile, got a napkin? Or another pie?
So I've been reading the reports of the raids going on at the OWS protests, and I think things are only going to get much worse next year before they get much, much better in 2013, but only if we all work together on it.
But what happens when there's a disaster? What happens when the police, whom we as a society need for order 99.99% of the time, turn on us and, for example, shoot one of us in the head? The example that springs to my mind is Scott Olsen of Occupy Oakland, but sadly, I suspect there will be more in the weeks ahead, here and overseas.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/...
The urge, at least speaking for myself, is to shoot back. Fair's fair, right? He shot Scott, I'll shoot him. Yeah, but....
Yeah, but, I would be part of a large group, while the cop would be one person. My 99% with bullets would easily overwhelm his 1%, so really, that's not fair at all.
Yet clearly not shooting back is not fair either. That lets the cop totally off the hook. The 1% can do whatever they want without fear of reprisal.
So I propose this: once provoked with violence (such as a bullet) from one person (such as a cop) against a crowd, it is appropriate and even constructive for that crowd to respond with non-lethal pseudoviolence (such as a pie fight or a glitterbomb) against that person.
This is hardly a new idea, BTW. It's just basic mud-slinging, a term which came like most of our democratic institutions from the Greeks and Romans. (E.g., the term "candidate" comes from "candidatus", the chalk-white campaign toga that they wore which disgruntled citizens would sling mud at.)
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/...
"A candidate was called petitor; and his opponent with reference to him, competitor. A candidate (candidatus) was so called from his appearing in the public places, such as the fora and Campus Martius, before his fellow-citizens, in a whitened toga. On such occasions, the candidate was attended by his friends (deductores), or followed by the poorer citizens (sectatores), who could in no other manner show their good will or give their assistance (Cic. pro Murena, c34). The word assiduitas expressed both the continual presence of the candidate at Rome, and his continual solicitations. The candidate, in going his rounds or taking his walk, was accompanied by a nomenclator, who gave him the names of such persons as he might meet; the candidate was thus enabled to address them by their name, an indirect compliment which could not fail to be generally gratifying to the electors. The candidate accompanied his address with a shake of the hand (prensatio). The term benignitas comprehended generally any kind of treating, as shows, feasts, &c. Candidates sometimes left Rome, and visited the coloniae and municipia, in which the citizens had the suffrage; thus Cicero proposed to visit the Cisalpine towns, when he was a candidate for the consulship (Cic. ad Att. I.1)."