Congress overwhelmingly passes Veto-proof Anti-Occupy Bill. Chicago? Forget it.

[JDPriestly]

1. So, Occupy will have to become more creative.

The American people want to hear the message that Occupy is delivering. There will be no stopping it in the end. It is natural that established corporate interests want to silence the movement.

Occupy does not have to occupy government spaces or be present at events involving the president or major events of the sort mentioned in the bill.

Occupy can be wherever it needs to be for ordinary people. Certain areas are designated as public areas open to free speech according to law. It is there where Occupiers should be and it is from those spaces that Occupy should video its activities and place them on the internet for all to see.

The teach-ins and personal testimony at Occupy events are the most compelling aspects of the movement and the protests -- not the Occupiers at speeches or the mall. Those Occupy actions were appropriate for phase I of the movement. But they are no longer needed. The public knows Occupy is active. The public knows what Occupy stands for.

I think the next goal for Occupy should be to become more inclusive, to convey its message very coherently. Confrontation is not a good way to convey a message that will lead to real change. We learned that in the 1960s. Being inclusive, reaching out to people who do not feel comfortable with confrontation is the key to starting real change.

This does not mean that Occupiers should not organize marches and public events, but they should not become huge, dramatic confrontations. They should be conducted in ways that attract the working people who are underpaid and suffering, that attract people who cannot get health care, who cannot afford education or get jobs. Getting arrested is not the thing to do if you are in need of health care or a job and can't get what you need. Feeling that people have your back is what you need. A large but legal demonstration on these issues that ordinary people are facing will be more useful at this point than purposely trying to confront authorities.

The challenges to the limitations on free speech have been made and should be in the legal pipeline by this time. It is now appropriate to challenge the economic unfairness in our nation at this time.

This is my opinion about where Occupy should go next.