OUT OF THE RAIN
Primarily written for members of Rage Against the Machine and select invitees (who I would like to read the revised RAGE+ and my first draft of RATM’s Inaugural Address)
by Aurochs

“Respecting the homeless and many other life-and-death major issues we’re not only not out of the woods yet, we’re in deeper than ever courtesy of George W. Obama & Co., and the proverbial woods are now being used for the dumping of toxic waste. It’s you who will have to stop the rain… no matter how small your numbers.” — The author’s mentor

Special note: Don’t read this blah blah. No need to pour over the beautiful likes of http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/23431 or http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/23434. No, time to get past the gorgeous documentation and delineation (http://oxtogrind.org/archive/438). You can skip the words, and pour out your soul at the feet of Etta below*. Be at the head of the line. Ahead of the curve coming up. Obviously, to not be oblique, to be able to elaborate… in person, in confidence conversation is required.

*With the link at the very end of this article.

I’ve been working 24×8 to mobilize citizens for meaningful, unprecedented action that would make a difference in our lives. With or without voting. On a basis that would suit a given person’s agenda, or be aligned with a given organization’s priorities. And so on.

But people are either too busy to even (carefully) read, too resigned, too cynical, too exhausted, too preoccupied with their little corners (without a sense of how the Big Picture is going to impact on their well-intentioned TINY PROGRESS!), etc., etc. etc. etc. AND SO ON. Excuses, excuses. Blindness by any other name’s the same. The most educated, well-intentioned, experienced activists are too burdened, too SOMETHING… whatever… to simply engage in deep discuss. They can’t rise above their automatic inclination to document and delineate in avoiding discriminate debate. They have no time. No taste for the kind of back and forth that was mandatory for activism a mere few decades ago. Certainly no heartbeats available for nurturing enthusiastic strangers.

Well, I’ve got a few sweet souls who can see in the TOSCA realm… but it ’s not enough. Not enough considering what they’re willing and/or able to give in pushing our new paradigm for change.

So, like Eugene Debs said, when questioned about his protest against recruitment for WWI: “I’d do it alone, if I had to. If not a single other soul spoke out against the horror, I would do what I’m doing.” Just so, here I go. FUCK this madness. The hell with this lack of sight, this inability to feel, to move on behalf of one’s own interest. This staying stuck in habit, habitual inaction that culminates in… zero. In DEATH TRIUMPHANT worldwide. To hell with that.

Others can stick with the people who have no clue about the toxicity in their environment. Who have no care in the world — really — about what Malai Joya rants and raves about. Who think it doesn’t mean anything that the game of Monopoly — functioning on a highly questionable premise to begin with — now comes in the form of a WAR TOY!: GI JOE MONOPOLY. [Pause.] Perhaps you want to engage against the machine. Which I know Zack, Tom, Tim and Brad do.

I pray that all the people who are WITH me will forgive me, but henceforth I’m going to be saying I. Until further notice, I. I. I. I. I. As in I’M GOING TO END THESE WARS. I’M GOING TO REVERSE THE MOMENTUM WHICH BLESSES TOXICITY IN ALL ITS FORMS. WHICH IS ALL ABOUT UNNECESSARY (VERY UGLY) DEATH. I am going to transform our state for children and artists. As in TOSCA, Transforming Our State for Children and Artists.

TOSCA used to stand for Taking Over the State of California. Well, some people on board objected from the outset to the phrase taking over. As if some magical evolutionary process without radical human influence was going to improve our state of existence. Or as if such a phrase would scare away too many people. But those are not the reasons I’m abandoning the original wording. No, I want to underscore the primary thrust of our focus, put less emphasis on anything that seems contingent upon the electoral process, and clearly spotlight the fact that TOSCA has international concerns/priorities as its spine, its reason for being.

Hey, here comes Sylvie! What? She’s telling me to keep TAKING OVER THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA? To not change the words? To say it like it is, like… what it must be.

Yes. [Of course.]

Fact is, even if we won the election… even if TOSCA triumphed in the electoral arena… the powers that be would not allow us to take office. You and I both know that. So what we’re really about here is organizing for a revolution. An unprecedented revolution. [Reviewing Paul Street's http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/23434 makes it clear that too many people are finished with voting, courtesy of the (intentionally failed) Obama Phenomenon, yes?]

I do have a plan. I have a plan that can circumvent their big guns. And get around the even more daunting challenge of citizens who are incapable of giving a shit. I mean, a full flush.

I want/need Zack, Tom, Tim, Brad & Co. YESTERDAY. [Pause.] They will help to bring us out of the rain. Oh God, look… look who’ve they’ve brought to LIFE! What. [See HOW and its related/embedded links?]

Life’s lifeblood. In torrents, drying us out, bringing us out of you know where. Bringing the best out in everyone.

I close with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN5fMpMoP38.

Out of the bloody reign,
Richard
Written 12/23/09, waiting for after the New Year, when RATM is supposed to have enough of a breather to make contact. Impatient Update 12/27/09: Where are they? I’m too itchy to wait… so I’m continuing to send new stuff like HOW their way via Brian et al. of Rockpit an Randy in their PR realm. I know they can be a tipping point for Noam in a huge way, above and beyond the simple imprimatur… saving many dance steps. O Bailan Todos O No Baile Nadie.