an encouragement

The Occupation, at its finest, represents a hopeful idealism that desires to change the future, to right the wrongs that simple greed has inflicted upon our institutions, our political process, and our shared morality.

This first video was released by Anonymous shortly after #OccupyWallStreet began on September 17th.

This is a message from Anonymous to the people of New York city, Wall street, and members of the protest. We are crowding your streets, we are filling its veins. This might be painful, but you will not open your eyes so we are being forced to dilate them. This your protest. Welcome your new neighbors for they choose to sleep on the streets for you. They choose to open their mouths when you are too exhausted. They are your brothers. They are here for your benefit. They are young. They are the children of the internet. They are generation zero. They are taking their future back into their hands. They are reviving the country you have long left to rot and whither. Never forget this. Treat them with kindness. Nod your heads in respect to them. Give them water, shake their hands, the smallest gratitude will incite them.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC9Vyt1ZBpQ

After spending many nights sleeping in cold weather without proper shelter (by demand of Minneapolis city and Hennepin county), I think that I have an even better understanding of the ineffectiveness of government to support the long term well-being of its citizens. Not only does it fail to support, but it actively works to inhibit free discussion. The complaint from the Sheriff's office yesterday was that our chalk is damaging the plaza as the chalk dye stains the granite. I've never seen such damage. Can anyone point me to a reliable source that refutes the idea that chalk can permanently color a granite surface?

This second video is a masterpiece. Charlie Chaplin delivered this speech in the 1940 film "The Great Dictator".  It restores my hope after that disappointing meeting with Hennepin County Commissioners that I attended on Tuesday.

I'm sorry but I don't want to be an Emperor - that's not my business - I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible, Jew, gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another, human beings are like that. We all want to live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone.  The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity; more than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.
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To those who can hear me I say "Do not despair". The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress.
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You the people have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy let's use that power - let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give you the future and old age and security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie. They do not fulfill their promise, they never will. Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people. Now let us fight to fulfill that promise. Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness.
Soldiers - in the name of democracy, let us all unite!
- "The Great Dictator", 1940 film with Charlie Chaplin

I will continue the occupation.  I hope to change the world.  I hope to create a future that is sustainable even though people inhabit the entire surface of the planet, even though mineral resources are depleted without leaving some in the ground as "seed stock" in case of future disaster, even though it's already too late to prevent catastrophic climate change.  I still believe we can create a future that is worthwhile, that allows humans to live in peaceful balance with the rest of nature.

I still believe there's time enough for change.  I still have hope.