Forum Post: Dear Occupy: Time for Phase Two

As the Occupation enters its third month, it has already changed the conversation regarding our social and political challenges, all within the space of weeks, all in the face of a massive crackdown more reminiscent of third-world dictatorships than what many Americans believe the United States to be, and a complicit media blackout resembling the suppressive efforts seen in propaganda-driven autocracies Americans have always regarded with disdain. And yet here we remain.

Occupiers, we have the world’s attention. It is time for Phase Two.

The Occupation currently enjoys the support of approximately one-third of American citizens: 100 million men, women and children that demand a better world, and a fulfillment of the promise this country has always professed. However––and here is the best chance for success Occupy could possibly have been given––when polled as to the specific issues supported by the Occupation, that support jumps to two-thirds...a supermajority.

In other words, 100 million people agree with us, but don’t even know it.

It is this ocean we must traverse, one that will immediately double the chances of achieving these goals, and we must do so before the inevitable (and currently underway) corporate public relations efforts succeed in discrediting the movement, and its potential victory. It is time to storm out of the park, and convince 100 million people––by telling them nothing but the truth––why we occupy.

It is thus, in my estimation, in the best interest of all Occupy encampments––while continuing any marches or other demonstrations as well––to convert a percentage of their Occupying force into outreach activists, to take to the streets, to inform as many citizens as possible of our policy goals, and the specific legislative demands to achieve them, through millions of one-on-one conversations on street corners across the country.

Perhaps the best strategy to achieve this goal is the creation of a massive, open-source campaign literature project, wherein publicly-available, and more importantly, home-printable political pamphlets are made accessible for individuals to download, print, read, and distribute, enabling mass participation of any citizen anywhere in the country, at whatever level is feasible, regardless of the existence of a local Occupation. This will enable an unprecedented number of individuals to communicate––under the limitations of local canvassing laws, of course––with an extraordinary number of people in a very short period of time, especially those whose main source of political news is the corporate media, and might be sympathetic, but thus far unaware, of the political goals of the Occupation.

These materials should focus on the main goals of the Occupy movement, namely income inequality, corporate political influence, financial reform, and job creation, including specific, tangible legislative goals, such as the reinstatement of Glass-Steagall, the overturning of Citizens United and the Bush tax cuts, infrastructure investment, ending the wars, prosecuting financial crimes, ending corporate welfare, and electoral reform––though there should be no tactical limitation regarding the contents; a simple, heartfelt story of the real human cost of the political policies of recent decades is likely to be equally effective.

It is thus that all sympathetic, talented, knowledgeable graphic designers are called upon to participate in the creation of these materials, which should outline the main goals of the Occupy movement, and contain links to online literature for those wishing to inquire further. Distribute them to the local Occupation if possible, and make them publicly accessible for outsourced participation, so that any individual, officially Occupying or not, can become part of the movement. Do what you do best, and make your country proud. And Occupiers, take to the streets and show the world who we really are.

This is our chance, kids. We have 100 million people to convince. Time to change the world.