This Is Our Occupation

When you're sure that a War on Terrorism is hell on your government's deficit, then this is your occupation force.

When the average unemployed American has been looking for work for over a year now, this is our occupation.

When a member of the two-percent of our country's wealth complains that a mob impedes restaurant availability, this is your occupation force.

When the housing market is in the toilet inspite of a fixed 30-year mortgage rate being the lowest ever, this is our occupation.

When a company that can't keep its own house in order can throw people out of their houses, this is your occupation force.

Allow me, however, to add something to this occupation, lest it remain basically a matter of taking nothing more than time and space. In order to bring the wealthy minority to their senses, if not their knees, there needs to be what I can call (for lack of a better word) a siege.

Instead of blocking bridges and roads to restaurants, try a blockade of all financials in your investment/retirement portfolio. Instead of banking on placards and slogans, put your money in small, local banks and credit unions. My money is now in a local bank that still offers a passbook account; whereby I can withdrawal funds even if (when?) computers crash or fall victim to sunspot-disabling of the power grid. Instead of staging a long song and dance, stop patronizing any TV or radio station other than public broadcasting.

Wrap your mind around eating only local produce and prepared foods rather than trashing cities with wrappers from packaged foodstuffs. Don't chain yourself to a tree, but plant one and take responsibility for its care and preservation. Such a siege is needed if this is to be our occupation, rather than our three minutes, relatively speaking, of fame/coverage.

There was a derogatory joke circulating years ago about a certain notorious conqueror occupying a certain abject country by marching his troops in backwards; so that it seemed they were leaving rather than advancing to take possession. The joke is now on the abject majority, unless we can turn the tables on this strategy and be the ones showing our backs to the filthy rich and all their exploitative enterprises. This is my occupation.