Forum Post: A road map to successful revolutionarism

Lets first start by taking a look at successful revolutions that had positive ends in the 20th century and their modus operandi. The one that should be focused on here is the civil rights revolution. I call it that because that is what it was. Like all revolutions it attempted to change the political state, control mechanism and condition of existence for not only those involved in the revolution itself, but for everyone. This was not an easy thing to do and was amidst much more violent reprisals and air than the current occupy revolution. The reason I am not using more violent revolutions as an example is that their violence itself ended up ruining the revolutions and their lofty goals and eventually continued in their violence. Stalins reprisals for instance. Not that there are bloodless revolutions, because there arn't. All revolutions are bloody, someone always dies, is hurt, is beaten is ruined during the process. This is the nature of revolution itself. The reason I am going to use the civil rights revolution as a road map for the actions and future of the occupy revolution is because it is what is needed. So, lets take a look at Mr. Kings methods and the demonstrations themselves.

Mr. King did not allow for his protesters to be violent and he tightly controlled the medium and the place and time of his demonstrations and most importantly, kept them hidden from the media until almost the last second and even worked with at times helpful law enforcement. Which mind you was few and far between. Peaceful demonstrations that obeyed the law only subjected any violent reprisals and reprisers themselves into to looking like victimisers and the protesters like victims. This gardened sympathy from the ruling public and even from government officials themselves. How as this possible? Why isn't this movement working the same way? Why arn't we having the same effect? Those are some questions that come to mind. So, lets take a look at a outline of rules to be used for protesting and why they work.

1. Do not under any circumstance be violent or destroy personal or public property. Why? Because it gives people the sense that you don't want change you just want to destroy. That will not help the revolution.

2. All protesters involved in a marching protest are to be dressed in the nicest cloths they have or will be not allowed to march. Why? Because people dressed nicely are far less likely to damage, destroy, riot, ruin or otherwise fight. People who are dressed nicely have higher self esteem and will not easily succumb to the idea of being violent. Being dressed nicely does not allow for the affluent ruling elite to dehumanize you. This helps the revolution. This mode of dress includes, "Sunday outfits", cloths that are clean, pressed and well taken care of. This is for marching participants only, occupation participants are welcome to dress in a more sufficient mode of dress for survival. However they too must be held to a high standard of public presence.

3. No cussing, spitting, drinking or use of narcotics in any form should be tolerated by fellow participating revolutionaries. Why? Because, those are bullets in the gun of the media machine to de escalate and de humanize revolutionaries as well as formally write off any meaningful statements. This pertains to both Marching and occupation participants of the revolution.

4. Marching participants must link arms and sing none violent hymns or chants that do not in sight anger or violence but make a simple statement and point about why they are there and who they are. Why? Because its much harder to put down a a bunch of peaceful, nonviolent happily singing protesters. Its hard to get police to become violent against people who are being calm and careful and cautious. This also creates group positivity instead of individual aggression.

5. Work with and not against law enforcement. Tell them when you will be protesting, tell them for how long and on what roads you will use. Why? That way you will get police protection instead of police aggression. Any and all participants in marches must follow these rules or be barred from future on foot protests by the ruling council of the revolution which is the revolution itself.

6. If there is any garbage on the protest route, pick it up and deposit it in trash cans or carried bags. Why? Because that is showing that you care for the place you live and protest and only want to make it better by your protest. Its hard to bad mouth people in the media when they are doing good in their local communities.

7. All occupation and march protest revolutionary components must conduct themselves with the utmost self respect, remove any and all heavy drug abusers and individuals using the occupation or revolution as a mask for their own debauchery. Help the homeless as well, give them ways out if possible, setup soup kitchens. Why? Because, if you are being good, feeling good and doing good what can the police really do besides make themselves look bad. This will foster more support.

8. Support all democratic and American functional components of society, stick to your morals and facts and give them to others. Why? Democratic revolutions are always the best.

9. Avoid social media and electronic interactions and trade them in for paper, pen and pencil for determining on foot protests and marches. Why? Harder for the police to infiltrate and only those in the know will know where to go and you can't turn off pen and paper or word of mouth.

I know some of these things have already been done. But a lot of them have not. This is the road map I have come up with. You will listen or you won't.

Signed,

The Holy Roller