Forum Post: Hunger Strikes

I have heard that members of the occupy movement may began hunger strikes this spring. I think hunger strikes can be very useful to bring attention and pressure to corrupt institutions. This can force change but such things require planning and understanding. Here are some of my thoughts on the matter:

1. Gain santuary with a local church as a fall back position. A hunger strike will be best done in the open, but understand this govt will use whatever power it has to shut a successful protest down. Historically the power structure will use "CONCERN" for the individual to seize that individual and force feed them on humanitarian grounds. Having a sanctuary to fall back on will prevent the govt from apprehending the protesters.
2. Understand that engaging in a hunger strike will cause incredible amounts of stress and possible long term psychological harm to those close to you (including ones own self). PTSD comes to mind. For this reason it will be important to get those close to you into a group therapy session. Let everyone, get everything out on the table. If you are up front with your plans, people will be feeling the pressure long before the hunger strike ever starts. It is also important to note that the system will try to undermine the message and shut this type of protest down, the easiest way to do this will be to question the psychological well being of the protesters. In this case, the protesters will have an established realtionship with the professional from the group therapy that has dealt with the protester and can testify that this action is an act of conscience and not the act of a madman. If you have any history of mental illness or anything that can be misconstrued as mental illness, understand the press will be all over it. If the powerstructure can't kill the message and the protest, they will definately try to undermine the messenger.
3. 60 days is the point of no return. Once you pass this point, even if you stop, the damage you have done to your body is so great that you are going to die. Bobby Sands died shortly after he passed the 60 day mark.
4. There are many ways to conduct a hunger strike, for instance there are muslims in Turkey that took suplements and continued a hunger strike for well over a year. One can also opt to go without water if you want to come really hard, but you will not last long on this path.
5. Be honest and true to the cause...no cheating. Do it or don't. If you want to see a protester get lots of press coverage, let that individual get caught cheating. The press will eat that right up. On a personal note I have been on a hunger strike. This occurred years before occupy, before it was politically popular to stand up against corporate corruption because they were needlessly putting American lives at risk. My hunger strike lasted 32 days. What? Never heard of an American citizen on a hunger strike against a major US corporation? Do you assume this was something the press would be all over? Well, here is an ugly truth. The corporate press is, very loyal to other corporations and the powerstructure. I think occupy is learning this fact the hard way. The press will likely probe the story to find weaknesses to undermine the protest and protesters. Failing this they will remain quite as a church mouse and give the story the least amount of coverage to say they did in fact cover it. If you are going to do this good luck and god speed. Make it count, you will be risking a lot. And those around you will pay a price.