Forum Post: Time for the Next Step: Real Power and Real Change

It's easy to believe that the clearing out of Zuccotti Park is the end of the Occupy movement. Hardly. It's merely the end of the first stage.

Now it's time for the Occupy movement to think less about street demonstrations and more about getting sympathetic people elected to town, state and national government...the Tea Party did that and now they control Congress...we're polling more popular than they are. Let's make REAL change.

It's easy to get side-tracked into thinking the police are the enemy and that our success depends on occupying parks around the country.

On the other hand, every poll says that OWS has a great deal of support for its central messages, that of Wall Street run amuck and the inequality of wealth in America. Stephen Gaskin (founder of the Farm Community) once observed that movements attain their goals when they win over the "honest square", i.e. the average decent American citizen. That's how the Viet Nam war came to an end.

The "honest square" supports us so now it is time to amp up our tactics away from fruitless street confrontations and more towards changing the system....it's slower and not as sexy (or fun) but it WORKS and at this stage, we need to focus on what works. Let's get those people elected on all levels and make real change.

And yes, it will be messy and uneven at times but if it keeps the conversation in the mind of tens of millions of Americans, it will be worth the risk.