I've never needed spiritual advice before but, well, see, there was this girl.
She was on the news. You've probably seen the pictures, but I knew her before then. I couldn't believe it when I saw her there. I looked in her eye, even though she was a hundred miles away, and I was right back then.
She was young and brilliant. We were all young and brilliant, then, and we were going to save the world. The problems didn't seem so insurmountable when we spoke. It was just that so many people couldn't see what we saw. But she was everything I wasn't, too. She was casual and irreverent, she smoked and drank and had a lot of sex that she spoke about candidly. I loved her, but I never touched her. I couldn't, because, let's be honest, I was never serious about having a good time. I knew she would take me places if I let her, but I was too afraid. I was happy just being near her, where the air tasted cleaner and the world seemed brighter and I never ran out of things to say.
And so we spoke for hours and hours, and we laughed, and we never cried. We were never wrong, any of us, and we were never really right, either. But that was okay, because we had all the time in the world to talk about it. We knew we'd get there in the end, how could we not? We were young, and brilliant.
That was so long ago but for a moment, I was there. Because she was laughing, I could see that, even though the commentator was speaking loud over whatever sound the crowd was making. Then the teargas hit, and she wasn't laughing any more.
She was separated. The boy she was with went running and she was choking too much to see where she was going. I watched, because what else could I do? The crowd was a mad panic, and the police horses came in hard. Somehow, she avoided the hooves, but they didn't give the stragglers time to regroup before they sent in the next wave.
I watched her trying to pick up what used to be her teeth, and I felt sick, Reverend. But there was a heavy hand on my shoulder, it said Don't worry, you wouldn't have changed anything anyway. You should stay here. The Police will have all their faces on file now.
After the second blow, she wasn't moving very much anymore. They just kept hitting her. The hand tightened on my shoulder, and it felt like it curled around my heart. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The protesters were a clear and present danger to the wellbeing of The City.
It isn't as though these issues affect you anyway. Think about your career.
The next day her face was looking at me from the newspaper, the television, her voice was snared by the radio, chanting some abusive slogan. They tried to make her look menacing, her most dangerous features. They pointed out a history of drug abuse, dangerous subversive behaviour, and I couldn't have changed anything anyway and there I was. Back then, laughing with her, because I knew we could change the world but... sorry, something in my eye.
... But we can't, can we Reverend? I can accept that now. The world is what they say it is, and that beautiful laughing girl is a dangerous radical, and they can see what we see, they just hate it so much. I can turn the television off, now. I can toss away the newspapers, I don't want to see. I don't want to care. It isn't as though these issues affect me. I just thought a man of the cloth like you, Reverend. You have to know, as my spiritual advisor.
Why can't I look away?
:mittens: motherfucking wow
Damn. Just, damn...
And, the answer to your last question? Because you have a soul.
Yowza.
Also, what Luna said.
jesus DS that was fucking awesome!!!
:mittens:
made me want to cry!
**edited for wrong squid reference - you cephlapods are confuzzling me**
still awesome post!!!
Line/paragraph 7... Holy Mary Mother of Fucking Christ....
Well, you can always rebel tomorrow. Or the next day. But there's so much to do, and you have to think about your career, as you say.
Maybe some other time.
(http://i476.photobucket.com/albums/rr126/TGRR/riot-cops_9-1-08.jpg)
That one felt like a punch to the gut.
Quote from: Nigel on April 12, 2011, 01:06:43 AM
That one felt like a punch to the gut.
Well, then, it's good training for the coming hilarity, right?
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 12, 2011, 01:15:43 AM
Quote from: Nigel on April 12, 2011, 01:06:43 AM
That one felt like a punch to the gut.
Well, then, it's good training for the coming hilarity, right?
It's a sample portion.
The OP took what little courage I had to stand up on my own hind legs and do what I think is right.
I fail at life. :(
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 12, 2011, 01:59:21 AM
The OP took what little courage I had to stand up on my own hind legs and do what I think is right.
I fail at life. :(
Look, it's really simple. You avoid the riot cops with the rolled-up sleeves. They fucking mean business.
And look like students, housewives, blue collar joes. Let the anarchists get whacked over the head. You can't win that game, unless you're a Libyan with a hunting knife.
DRIVE CLOSER! :lulz:
That's good advice, though.
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 12, 2011, 02:05:30 AM
DRIVE CLOSER! :lulz:
That's good advice, though.
Serious about the rolled-up sleeves guys. The ones with their sleeves rolled DOWN think about regs, and about keeping oven-cleaner and flammable shit off of themselves. The ones with rolled-UP sleeves are there to work up a sweat.
Joining mass protests isn't the only way to fight it.
So what do? Write letters to the higher ups? Does that even help?
I mean, if they're going to be underhanded, power-hungry shits ANYWAY, how does people telling them off for it do anything?
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 12, 2011, 12:28:45 AM
(http://i476.photobucket.com/albums/rr126/TGRR/riot-cops_9-1-08.jpg)
Mind if I yoink this?
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on April 12, 2011, 02:50:58 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 12, 2011, 12:28:45 AM
(http://i476.photobucket.com/albums/rr126/TGRR/riot-cops_9-1-08.jpg)
Mind if I yoink this?
Knock yourself out.
Or have your local police department do it for you.
Thanks guys! Inspiration struck and I couldn't sleep until I got it out.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 12, 2011, 03:00:35 AM
Quote from: Dr. James Semaj on April 12, 2011, 02:50:58 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 12, 2011, 12:28:45 AM
(http://i476.photobucket.com/albums/rr126/TGRR/riot-cops_9-1-08.jpg)
Mind if I yoink this?
Knock yourself out.
Or have your local police department do it for you.
Love this.
Quote from: Jenkem and Bubble Baths on April 12, 2011, 02:10:38 AM
So what do? Write letters to the higher ups? Does that even help?
I mean, if they're going to be underhanded, power-hungry shits ANYWAY, how does people telling them off for it do anything?
Small group direct action is often effective.
Systems disruption is probably the most productive activity for small direct action groups to take part it.