Thursday, August 18, 2005
More on Cockroaches and Vermin
There’s been a lot of talk about my mention of “cockroach people” and how to reach them.
Principles of cockroach people:
1. Avoid the Man. If the light shines on you, scatter.
2. Survive. Some of you will be stomped and gassed. Make sure the rest survive.
3. Don’t believe what you hear or read. Promises are just words.
4. There are more of you than there are of them who would destroy you.
5. Very few people like cockroaches. Beware of those who claim they do.
6. Gather what you need to survive.
7. The cockroaches have survived every attempt to eradicate them; they will prevail.
8. When the chance comes, move in a mass to secure food and territory.
The analogy is Oscar Zeta Acosta’s (of blessed memory, unless he’s hiding somewhere in a dark corner awaiting the right moment). I'd quote from it, but gave my copy away to a Navajo guy who did actually read it, pass it on, and is now calling himself Che, organizing on the rez. It isn’t a perfect analogy, but consider:
Blogs, newspapers and rallies can at best motivate the more visible vermin (as in the eyes of the Partei) to bring the others into the light. In a sense, we are all cockroach people, pests, vermin, the sworn enemies of the bugman and his exterminators. And proud, too. But it is up to those of us who are coming into the light to meet with the others at every chance. In the cities there are bars, jails, fairs, churches. It takes time. Just remember:
We are all outlaws, vermin in the eyes of the Partei. When outlaws organize, peacefully and en masse, and declare the legitimacy of their existence and their views, one person, one block, one neighborhood, one county at a time, the bugman and his crew quickly discover they can’t spray us all.
I recall a somewhat cheesy but provocative book called The Hephaestus Plague, where the cockroaches actually do take over.
Look, everybody can visit a jail, a peace and justice church, and neighborhood association, yard sale etc. One person at a time.
And if you don’t like the term cockroach people, try another. Whatever works for you. But there is a vast underground waiting to be tapped. Tap it however you can. '06 approaches.
Principles of cockroach people:
1. Avoid the Man. If the light shines on you, scatter.
2. Survive. Some of you will be stomped and gassed. Make sure the rest survive.
3. Don’t believe what you hear or read. Promises are just words.
4. There are more of you than there are of them who would destroy you.
5. Very few people like cockroaches. Beware of those who claim they do.
6. Gather what you need to survive.
7. The cockroaches have survived every attempt to eradicate them; they will prevail.
8. When the chance comes, move in a mass to secure food and territory.
The analogy is Oscar Zeta Acosta’s (of blessed memory, unless he’s hiding somewhere in a dark corner awaiting the right moment). I'd quote from it, but gave my copy away to a Navajo guy who did actually read it, pass it on, and is now calling himself Che, organizing on the rez. It isn’t a perfect analogy, but consider:
Blogs, newspapers and rallies can at best motivate the more visible vermin (as in the eyes of the Partei) to bring the others into the light. In a sense, we are all cockroach people, pests, vermin, the sworn enemies of the bugman and his exterminators. And proud, too. But it is up to those of us who are coming into the light to meet with the others at every chance. In the cities there are bars, jails, fairs, churches. It takes time. Just remember:
We are all outlaws, vermin in the eyes of the Partei. When outlaws organize, peacefully and en masse, and declare the legitimacy of their existence and their views, one person, one block, one neighborhood, one county at a time, the bugman and his crew quickly discover they can’t spray us all.
I recall a somewhat cheesy but provocative book called The Hephaestus Plague, where the cockroaches actually do take over.
Look, everybody can visit a jail, a peace and justice church, and neighborhood association, yard sale etc. One person at a time.
And if you don’t like the term cockroach people, try another. Whatever works for you. But there is a vast underground waiting to be tapped. Tap it however you can. '06 approaches.
