Prelude:
In the very short amount of time that modern weaponry has existed, humankind has witnessed a tragic escalation in violent military conflicts. These conflicts have shifted from inter-state military actions of both offensive and defensive natures to  humanitarian interventions’ and intra-state military actions. In one sense – the case of interstate warring – the world has become a  less violent place; though the means for the total obliteration of life on earth (roughly) exist, they do not pose as great a threat to peace, security, health and the welfare of humankind as much as things like access to and availability of potable water, street drugs, cancer, civilian related gun deaths, choking on pretzels and falling asleep while driving.

In places where there is no relative peace, work can be done to foster relative peace through the means elaborated and elucidated by  many ‘experts’ who work in the field (Galtung, Gandhi, Sharp, Olberg, Johansen, et. al.). Where there is peace, work can be done to  foster community and creativity as well as a sense of charity to those in need. Charity  an come in many forms and, in its essence –  whatever the form,  is an act of solidarity. An example of this would be OTПOP ‘members’ working with movements in the Arab Spring; this is a direct form of charity, solidarity and peace building through the statistically proven effective method of non-violent actions  and interactions. Perhaps that is the differentiating factor – where there is relative violence, non-violent actions can take place. Where there is relative peace, peace promoting actions can take place.

The intent of non violent or peace promoting actions is to change the dynamics of the system in question. The system in question here is the the structure and function of a tyrannical regime, as opposed to the dynamics of trade union disputes, interpersonal  relationships such as marriage, or saving endangered species from the threat of environmental degradation and destruction. In terms of promoting democracy (the ideal and principle of one person one vote – not it’s practical manifestation) there are a number of  aspects we must consider with respect to the the structure and function of governments: how the government gets its money; how the system maintains the status quo in terms of the work force necessary to keep the state functioning; the military; the police; civil obedience , and the bureaucracy of governmental institutions and its proxies. Two dynamical models should be considered and applied and will be recurring themes throughout the movement: 1.) viewing the six items listed above as pillars for dismantling; 2.) viewing the six items listed above in terms of fulcrums that will act as the pivot for displacing or shifting structure and authority in a direction away from the status quo.

The chord structure has
been laid out more or less in the preceding text. The melody,
thematically, is the National Anthem of the United States as Charles
Ives or Igor Stravinsky would rewrite it. This is to say that the
system in question is the structure and function of the United States
and the subject here is the next American Revolution (apologies to my
colleagues from the continents of America who dislike the fact that,
though people from the United States of Mexico call themselves
Mexican, people from the United States of America call themselves
American).

Adagio:
Preparation for a non violent revolution in the United States will
take approximately two years. Several simultaneous (non) events will
take place according to what I term “Ring Theory”.
Imagine a stone dropped in a still body of water and the concentric
rings: at the center stands self; the next layer is family; then
comes community and/or tribe (depending on which term you prefer);
outside of tribe is state; following this comes nation state; beyond
this ring – the outermost – is planet Earth (everyone’s
home). Each of these concentric layers requires a transformation. I
suggest the most difficult transformation is the personal one for if
we can overcome the apathy, incoherence, and discord that is bread in
each of us which is the direct result of intentions to occupy one’s
identity plus the unintentional manifestations that arise as a result
of an inherently complex system void of spiritual guidance (since
Imperialism makes a conscious and calculated attempt –
successful they have been – to remove the spiritual leaders
(and educators) from community/tribal relations). In any case, once
one can overcome (read, transform) their personal trauma, apathy and
whatever else I said above regarding personal identity, the potential
for transforming the rest of the rings increases significantly
(qualitatively observable though not likely quantifiable).

There are many ways to
regain personal identity. I will elaborate on those in little notes I
will leave under stones along the banks of the Mississippi.
Similarly, transforming familial relations will require a battery of
proven techniques using the tools of shaman, rabbis, priests, imams,
and paid professionals. Taking for granted that such transformations
will take place (or, even if they don’t) the next ring is the first
ring of social transformation:

I, or someone acting as
myself, will form a medicine circle in a small town somewhere along
the Hudson River in NY. This small circle will receive training in
Nonviolent actions of protest, non-cooperation and coercion as well
as non violent communication. They shall also study survival skills,
history and military strategy. This small circle of people will then
work with their proxies (Circles of circles) to train them in the
same way, yet each member of the circle will approach Non violence
and peace building in different ways: One of the one’s
will be engaged in communicating with community leaders in different
regions focusing on educating High School students about Non violence
and peace building; another one will
engage with the media informing them of the group and the intentions
such that there is no doubt that the MO of this group is non-violent
and anyone who commits violent acts does not represent the group;
another one will work
with regional community leaders who will take this message to the
local, state, and regional police and military; another one
will work with community and regional leaders and organizations who
deal, specifically, with sustainable energy and agriculture; another
one will work with
another set of rings to lobby politicians to express the intentions
of the widening circle of circles
and ones (see Allegro,
below, for the intentions); another
one will work with transforming employers and employees in the
Military Industrial Medical Media Academic Complex – to win
their hearts and minds – who keep the destructive forces of
government and civilization intact; another one
will work with community and regional spiritual leaders to get them
ready for the spiritual transformation that will have to take place
to ensure people don’t lose their identity in this process; another
one will work with
organizations throughout the country to unify them in their cause for
justice peace and equality (groups such as: Women In Black, Code
Pink, Progressive Democrats of America, Veterans for Peace, Iraq
Veterans Against the War, Christian Peacemaker Teams, etc); another
one will work with the nations work force and labor unions; another
one will work with
community and regional leaders to engage artists, musicians, actors,
poets, playwrights, scholars of many fields; another one
will work as a liaison to
establish a consortium of legal experts and groups already dedicated
to serving human rights (such as the Center for Constitutional
Rights). Anything I left out will appear in the revised version of
this text.

Allegro: A
bi-coastal ‘perpetual’ national strike is mounted by all of those
listed in the adagio. In addition to this bi-coastal national strike
there will be 197 forms of non-cooperation, civil disobedience,
protests and demonstrations around the country including the
occupation of the offices of members of the US Senate and the House
of Representatives, theatrical and musical events around the country,
walk outs of workers beyond the bi-coastal zones of strikes,
workshops in non-violence, protests, demonstrations, sit ins, and so
on. This bi-coastal strike/national protest and demonstration will
take place until the government is no longer able to function, until
the major thoroughfares are shut down, public transportation ceases,
shops close, and, in general the six pillars and fulcrums of
government can no longer operate. All of this will be done, of
course, with the compliance/acquiescence of the police and military
who have not only been informed that this is a ‘universal’
non-violent movement, but that their livelihoods are also at stake
here – that is to say that they have been peaceably coerced to
pivot to the side of peace, reformation and transformation.

This phase takes place
at about 108 (heart) beats per minute and will last about eighteen
days until the government can no longer function properly, or at all.

Andante:
A Second Constitutional Convention is called for and agreed upon by
the Peoples, and the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of
government as the only appropriate means to redress the grievances of
the people subjected to a long history of occupation of their
identities, and a long chain of abuses from early imperialism, the
Native American genocide, slavery, and other human rights abuses
domestically and abroad.

The results of the
Second Constitutional Convention will eradicate the US Senate and the
US House of Representatives and replace them with a parliamentary
system. This, in and of itself, will shut down the super highway
(formerly called the revolving door) between politics and corporate
interests (i.e. it will abolish – at least for the while –
the corporate fascist state the US has become (and fought since its
inception)).

Finale and
Fanfare: With the realization of the power of non-violent
resistance and peace building on the national scale in the United
States, US legitimacy is restored. There is no danger of a tyrannical
regime filling a political vacuum because there is no vacuum to fill
– effectiveness is the measure of truth and Ring Theory is an
effective means of personal spiritual transformation leading, as a
precursor, to national political transformation.

The world parties for a
few days and then a few days more.

The US Government
formalizes the creation of a new Department of Peace with the name
“OTПOP”
- which works with regions of conflict around the world to help
establish equality, justice and peace.

The theme for the next
movement is laid down: the many voices of many cultures singing and
playing in unison each with their own stylistic inflection reflecting
on their history as a peoples. The next target and goal is the
reformation of the United Nations.

Reflections and
References:

The ideas for this reflection paper come from speeches, writings, interviews and
interactions with Native American Pow Wau (the one who dreams it)
Kirouana Paddaquahum (thundering hawkspirit, Lenape/Algonquian),
Mongolian Shamaness Sarangerel, Tibetan Bhuddism, The Polish Book of
the Dead, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Gandhi, Rev Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr., Henry David Thoreau, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Johann Sebastian
Bach, Johan Galtung, Gene Sharp, Albert Einstein, Edward Roufberg,
Michael Annis, Dennis Kucinich, Head-Roc, Jan Olberg, Jorgen
Johanson, Victoria Guardino, Tom Brown Jr, Bertrand Russel, Professor
Francis Boyle, David Swanson, Richard Falk, Derrick Jensen and
numerous others.