By Bob Boldt

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“Anonymous is not a group or entity. It is not you, nor me or any single individual. Anonymous is an idea. Those who identify themselves with Anonymous share the common idea of freedom and a world free of oppression. Anything that stands between the people and these freedoms becomes a target to severe scrutiny and protest.” - Anonymous

I plan on wearing a Guy Fawkes mask at my Wednesday stand-in primarily to enforce solidarity with Anonymous, the mythic character associated with the wave of protests sweeping the country. I also have a secondary motive.  In the past, I have been deprived of employment and substantially harassed (by both the Right and what passes for the Left) here in Jefferson City, MO for my very visible, vocal activism and beliefs. I have no desire to subject myself to further intimidation for my actions.
 
I am not unconcerned for my safety. The popular and official support for the excessive force the police are using these days has given officers a confidence to use violence with impunity.

This will be my last public protest.  In 1965, Phil Ochs protested war with his, “I ain’t a marching anymore.” In the future I will be withdrawing from the peace movement, the anti war movement and other children’s crusades by staying home.

I will be standing on Wednesday in solidarity with the Wall Street movement for old time sake. I am willing to be surprised by the Wall Street movement. After all who could have anticipated Wikileaks or the massive repudiation of US’ brutal puppets and policies in the Arab Spring in Egypt, Yemen Syria and Libya?

And the Internet remains a big wild card. I do wish Anonymous gods-speed. I will be standing this Wednesday to help him amplify his message with which generally I agree. But I predict the Wall Street movement will be ultimately as ineffective in stopping the juggernaut as was the Madison protests. Boy, would I like to be wrong on this one.   After a life of walking the picket lines, the sit-ins, the protests and signing all those damn petitions, I am hanging it up.

If we ever had “democracy” in this country we are witnessing its last gasp. (Ask people in the third world, black people, ex-Yippies, American Indians, gays and the old Wobblies about US “Democracy”) What makes today different is the denial of “Democracy” is no longer happening only to the despised and the dispossessed, it is happening to the middle class—formally untouchable, privileged white people. So far they seem to be taking their dressing down in stride.There is always the wife and kids available to vent frustrations. The President can even execute any of us at his will, extra-legally, only on his say-so. We are all Troy Davis now—guilty until proven dead.

The kind of marshalling of public outrage that in the 60s supported the fight for voter registration in the South and ended the Vietnam War is impossible today. After Wednesday I ain’t marching for anything anymore. I have cast my last vote in a national election (unfortunately that vote was for Obama).

All I will be doing in the future will be looking for ways to develop sustainable life-style options for myself and my community—options that will make these last days as livable as possible in the small breathing space left under the boot of Big Brother.  In short, I am looking for a lifeboat. 

This ship is sinking fast!  The best mass actions, for those who still give a shit for the future of humanity, will be to hasten our ship of state on its way.  There will be blood. Our duly purchased President and the corporate rent-a-Congress will try to call it terrorism.

I call it Revolution. Either name will do…Whatever sinks your boat!