A Brief Overview of Arcane Magic

In the novel I am writing, there is a lot of mention of different forms of Magic. For funsies, I'm going to show you how much work I've put into it!

The Arcana is the most commonly known form of magic, and Magi (Male Magister or Mage, female Magistrix or Mage) , Wizards, Sorcerers, Binders, and other Arcanists are heavily trained in the proper, responsible usage of the Arcane.

Arcane magic draws its power from a specific kind of energy called Ley, that envelops and penetrates all things. When the Ley energy is drawn into the individual and stored there, it is then referred to as "mana". The amount of mana one can store can be increased through rigorous mental training and intense focus.

The Ley is everywhere, but certain areas contain a higher concentration than others. These create"Ley lines" that crawl all over, through, above, and below the terrain, ocean, and air of the world that pulse with intense amounts of energy, quite similar to blood vessels of an animal. Indeed, through the eyes of the Arcanist, the world is a living thing because of the Ley.

The Ley governs many, if not all, of the natural world's laws, including (but not limited to) gravity, time progression, color perception, and heat. For this express reason, because Magic bends (but not breaks) the laws of physics, it is VERY risky to cast arcane magic around a Ley line.

Contrary to popular belief, very few people are completely incapable of learning to perform Arcane magic. Although it is more than uttering a few words and waving your hands around, simple spells can be learned by just about anyone, given enough time (and, of course, access to the information). The average spellwork requires a spoken component, a magic Circle, and in some cases certain hand gestures.

Arcane Magic can be divided into 7 separate Classes of magic.

-Etymology
Etymology is the study of the phenomenon of Language. Equal parts spellwork, linguistics, and philosophy, Etymology examines how bindings can be made between certain words or phrases and energy in order to construct a spell. Etymology is the most convoluted and complex of all the Classes.

-Illusion
The sudden fog rolling in, the black cat that just crossed your path twice, the wall your hand passes through... All are the work of the Illusionist. Illusion seeks to trick the senses in any way possible. This said, it's also the most fragile Class of the arcane because as soon as the subject realizes that a certain item of spellery is Illusion magic, it begins to fall apart quickly. However, the more skilled an Illusionist (and the weaker the mind of his target), the more unlikely it is.

-Biomancy
The most mysterious and, without doubt, most controversial Class of magic, Biomancy is the manipulation of mysterious Life energy, called "Qi" or "Chakra" by some. Skilled Biomancers can pull life from an ancient, thriving tree and transfer all of that life energy into small saplings to ensure healthy growth, into himself to heal wounds and cure disease, or even into dead animals to rewind the mortal coil. Biomancy requires a source AND a destination-- One cannot simply kill (using Biomancy) without giving life to something else. It is a very live question and the subject of many debates whether or not Life energy is completely separate and independent from mana.

-Sealing
Sealing magic involves binding certain aspects of an object or target and making it so that if any of those aspects try to change, it is considerably more difficult. For example, am exceptionally skilled Sealer could bind a lake in winter so that it doesn't thaw and melt come Spring, or even partway into Summer. Because such magic bends the Ley into pretzels, the more complex a Seal is, the more mana must be spent and the less time said Seal will last. In addition, Sealing is also heavily regulated, partially because it's the most familiar Class to non-Arcanists as many Sealers make livings binding Candles that don't melt, axes that don't dull for some time, and in extreme cases, they handle what could be perceived by the common man as "demonic possession".

-Transmutation
Transmutation is the most difficult of all Classes because it seeks to change the base nature of an item into something else. Not just magic, but also a science (and in some hands, an art), Transmuters are able to change pencil graphite into diamond, but also to forge an entire weapon out of a stone floor they sit on. Transmutation is often used as an art form, because the skilled Transmuter can sculpt whatever material they want into whatever shape they want, within reason.

-Warding
Though by definition it means to protect, any spell that enchants, ensnares, or shields is Warding. Certain Warders may learn to fend off Illusions, others may grant a weapon an unnaturally keen edge, and still others may set traps of certain viciousness forseen by few. Warding is the most practical form of manipulation of Mana because it seeks to infuse the mundane with the Arcane.

-Evocation
Some faerie tales speak of Arcanists able to breathe fire, call down Lightning, freeze a lake so cleanly it reflects as a mirror, and even screech like banshees. All of those tales are true-- At least in theory. They refer to Evocation, which is manipulation of raw energy to a form that comes most naturally to Ley energy: Natural disasters, phenomena of weather and elemental forces. Because the Ley pours energy into such things without being manipulated by the hands of arcanists, Evocation is either the cleanest or the messiest spells you can learn to cast. Because this Class has the capacity for the most destruction, Evokers have much lower life expectancies than other Arcanists.

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V

Good evening, London. Allow me first to apologize for this interruption. I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of the everyday routine, the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them as much sas any bloke. But in the spirit of commemoration - whereby those important events of the past, usually associated with someone's death or the end of some awful bloody struggle, are celebrated with a nice holiday - I thought we could mark this November the fifth, a day that is sadly no longer remembered, by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat.

There are, of course, those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now orders are being shouted into telephones and men with guns will soon be on their way. Why? Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there?

Cruelty and injustice...intolerance and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance, coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those who are more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable. But again, truth be told...if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.

I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War. Terror. Disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you and in your panic, you turned to the now High Chancellor Adam Sutler. He promised you order. He promised you peace. And all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent.

Last night, I sought to end that silence. Last night, I destroyed the Old Bailey to remind this country of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago, a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice and freedom are more than words - they are perspectives. So if you've seen nothing, if the crimes of this government remain unknown to you, then I would suggest that you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek...then I ask you to stand beside me, one year from tonight, outside the gates of Parliament. And together, we shall give them a fifth of November that shall never, ever, be forgot!

Credit for the monologue goes wholly to Alan Moore. I in no way own V for Vendetta or any of its characters, London, Old Bailey, or any part of Britain, despite my desperate prayers.

 
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NaNoWriMo

November is one of my favorite months. Despite being the coldest month in Autumn, it always makes me feel warm with holidays like Thanksgiving and how much I get to see my family. However, every November something happens that I just can't bring myself to partake in...

"What the hell's a NaNoWriMo?"

That's a good question. NaNoWriMo is a little word for a big event: National Novel Writing Month. Basically, what it boils down to is that a bunch of writers from all over the States (and a handful from other countries) get together to encourage each other to write a legitimate, 50,000-word novel. Each November past since its beginning, I've thought "That's a great chance for me to squeeze out some good writing, but... I'm really busy. I'll do it next year." Well, I've done that for far too many years. This NaNoWriMo, I'm going to write a novel.

..Well, maybe not an ENTIRE novel. That's almost suicidal and the novel will almost certainly end up being utter shit. I am not suicidal, nor do I want anything I write to end up being utter shit. No, I decided I will START a novel and I will LOVE it.

So, the question arose. What shall I write of? I need a tale, I need a conflict, I need characters, I need a plot, I need an outline... I'm going to need a lot of coffee. I racked my brains for hours trying to think of something new, something I had never written before, when it hit me.

I've been writing Dungeons and Dragons shit for YEARS. I've come up with almost a hundred characters, my own complete setting, cultures, races, everything. It's all there. All I have to do is put it into novel form! So, with my newfound pool of inspiration to draw off of, I have finalized my decision.

I am participating in the Minneapolis branch of NaNoWriMo, and through this program I will write a Fantasy novel. Once I have a worthy excerpt, I will post it up here for everyone to see, and I will continue to write it. I don't have a title, and I only kind of have a working plot, so I'm kind of flying by the seat of my pants. It's the best way to do it, in my opinion.

So, wish me luck! I've never tried anything like this, so it's gonna be a huge challenge.

If you like my writing, you can join the site to the right of the page, like Speaking with Storms on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+ . If you have questions or just want to chat, I'm on Formspring too!

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The Way and The Awake

On my Formspring Account, I quite recently received a series of questions about the differences between Buddhism and Daoism. I didn't want to take the time to answer them on Formspring (where my thoughts would result in an unwarranted wall of text), so the inquirer suggested I post it on my blog (where a wall of text is completely warranted).

Daoism and Buddhism get along well. Laozi and Siddhartha would have been good friends had they ever met! Despite this, they have their differences, because they tackle different social and spiritual issues.

The world-known Taijitu, or the symbol of yin and yang.

Daoism (also spelled Taoism) comes from the Chinese word 道 (dào), which literally means "road", "way", or "path". The (arguably) earliest known work that speaks of the Dao is the 道德经 (Dào​dé​jīng), which literally means "The Classic Text of the Way and Virtue". The other text that I rely on most heavily, second to the Daodejing, is the 庄子 (Zhuāng​zǐ), named for Zhuangzi who wrote it.

Daoism is predominantly Chinese in origin, but has spread very indirectly and very subtly to influence Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, as well as a handful of other countries in smaller varieties.

The primary principles of Daoism include the concepts of the dao, qi, wuwei, the wu xing or 5 "elements" or "stages", Feng Shui, and perhaps the most famous aspects, the concepts of yin and yang. Daoism stresses health, longevity, compassion, moderation, and humility.

So, the most popular question I get is, "What is the Dao?" The Dao is described as being indescribable. "Well, shit." I know, I know, it seems like a copout on Laozi's part, but the Dao is deeper than that. It's the source of all being. The way to inner peace and outer strength. The binding connectivity of all that is. We are the Dao, and the Dao is in us. But it is possible to stray from the Dao, by straying from nature, from peace, and from simplicity.

I mentioned 無爲 (wúwéi), and I realize that's probably an unfamiliar term. It means, roughly, "non-action" or "non-doing". Wuwei is best described as being patient, mindful, and willing to ask yourself , "Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear?" Chapter 15 of the Daodejing is my favorite example of describing wuwei. Through wuwei, you get closer to the Dao. Wuwei always leads to the path of least resistance-- The metaphor Laozi uses is water. Nothing is softer than water, yet through its softness it overcomes rock, steel, humankind, and animals. It gives life and nourishes all things, but knows how to kill. It always takes the lowest path, the most humble Way, and through that humility it is brought to power. Through this knowledge, it's easy to see that the purpose a Daoist takes on is to align himself harmoniously with the Dao.

Daoism arose as a clear response to Confucianism, which placed certain things above others. That, by nature, resulted in a large amount of inequality in ancient China. Laozi and Zhuangzi say in response to that basic inequality, "Hey, man, listen. Money, fame, filial piety, power, those things are all fine... But we only know what "low" is because we assign value to "high". We only know "beauty" because we know "ugliness"." By getting rid of the comparison, they get rid of the inequality. Besides, in the end, we all come from the Dao, so we all are equal in nature because the Dao does not take sides.

A lot of Daoism-influenced countries worship Laozi and Zhuangzi (knowingly or unknowingly) as gods or idols, but I sincerely doubt either of them would have cared much. Maybe they might have even reprimanded those who do so?

So, what does a Daoist expect in death? Daoists believe that the soul is eternal. Instead of true death, that soul, that qi, is transferred or reappropriated somewhere else; maybe to a tree, an animal, maybe another human. So, Daoism believes in a form of reincarnation.

Buddhism is a few centuries earlier than Daoism. The word "Buddha" isn't a name-- It's a title. "Buddha" literally means "one who is Awake". Unlike many other religions and beliefs, the works that reference the Buddha and his teachings didn't start showing up until hundreds of years after Siddartha Gautama Buddha's death.

Siddhartha Gautama was an Indian official or prince; the son of a cleric. He grew up in a world full of Hinduism, and Hinduism's consequent caste system. Buddhism is completely Indian in origin, but it has spread wildly throughout not only Asia, but the entire world.

The primary teachings of Buddhism include the concept of reincarnation, the nonexistence of the human soul, the importance of compassion, and stresses many of the same values as Daoism.

I mentioned the caste system earlier. At the heart of the caste system, similarly to Confucianism, lies inequality. Siddhartha Gautama witnessed this inequality at a young age, and set out to find out the core reason for all of this suffering. He came to the conclusion that to live means you will suffer, without doubt. At the root of this suffering is desire. By getting rid of the desire, you can alleviate the suffering.

Buddhism arose as a clear attack on the caste system that was riddled with social, monetary, and (according to the Hindus) spiritual inequality.The Hindus were all about advancing to the next level, because of the transmigration of the soul. The Buddha, however, saw all of the inequality and social suffering this system of beliefs created, and went ahead to say "Fuck it! You don't have a soul. What transmigrates is the mind, not the soul."

In some countries (mainly southeast Asia), Gautama Buddha is revered as a God. However, he stated numerous times to his disciples that he did not want that at all. Funny how things work out.

A Buddhist believes in reincarnation after death, similar to Daoists. The goal of a Buddhist is to be reincarnated enough times through samsara, or existence, to emerge into Nirvana, the popular grunge band escape from reincarnation into a state of being-nonbeing.


Daoism and Buddhism obviously get along very well, but the key differences are in the details. The Daoist way of life is focused on aligning oneself to the natural way of the cosmos, while the Buddhist is trying to understand and surpass pain and suffering through leading a moral life. If you have any more questions about the differences, similarities, or anything about these two belief systems, you can ask about it in the comments or by way of any of my social networks listed below.

If you like my writing, you can join the site to the right of the page, like Speaking with Storms on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+ . If you have questions or just want to chat, I'm on Formspring too!

Thanks for reading. Stay human, my friends.

Sharing is Caring: Part 1

Music has always been a big part of my life, from my own dabbling in piano, guitar, trumpet, djembe, and other instruments, to voice, and even just listening to many different genres. Music is in my blood, too--Everyone in my family (even my extended family) has some degree of musical talent, whether they utilize it or not.

I think the best thing you can do with music is share it. Therefore, I've decided to share with you my favorite album (of each genre that I like) of all time! Now, I want to break it up into five groups of three so that I can go somewhat in depth regarding my favorite tracks and favorite lyrics, as well as a general overview of what I think of the whole album.

1. Indie: Bon Iver's Bon Iver

 What I love about Bon Iver is mainly the uniformity of this album. The songs sound deeply related without getting superfluous or repetitive. It is easy to listen to, as well. It's relevant and poignant, but never loses that feel of soul. It's a good nighttime album, if you just want to have a quiet, reflective evening. Bon Iver never gets too loud or too fast, and most importantly, it doesn't pull any punches with its lyrics (no matter if they seem nonsensical or not). Bon Iver's made a large impact on the Indie music scene, and I have a feeling these cats aren't done yet.

Favorite Tracks:

• Minnesota, WI
• Calgary
• Beth/Rest

My Favorite Lyrics:
From Beth/Rest, this single line always jumps out at me more than the others because unlike all the other lines, this is straightforward and strong.

"I ainʼt living in the dark no more
it's not a promise, Iʼm just gonna call it"

2. Alternative: Linkin Park's 1000 Suns

  When I tell people I'm a fan of Linkin Park, I sometimes get a weird look in return. They get a bad rap for their angst-ridden lyricism in their early music, but I grew up with them and have watched them mature. Linkin Park's first two albums were good and fine, but I always had the feeling that the band could do more than down-tuned rap-metal. Then they released Minutes to Midnight and showed that they had some real diversity and skill in their musicmaking. A few years later, 1000 Suns hit and I was certain I had made the right decision in staying with them. 1000 Suns is one of my favorite albums of all time, because it tackles themes of American Exceptionalism, the danger of nuclear warfare, brotherhood, and standing up for what is truly right, coupled expertly with memorable quotes from J. Robert Oppenheimer, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mario Savio. 1000 Suns is as political as it is creative, and it does both quite subtly and powerfully.

Favorite Tracks:

• When They Come For Me
• Waiting For The End
• Iridescent
• The Catalyst

My Favorite Lyrics:
Oh, God, I have so many from this album, but my favorite come from Jornada del Muerto (Spanish for Journey of the Dead), which simply repeats two Japanese words:

"持ち上げて、解放して"

They read "Mochiagete, Tokihanashite" and translate to "Lift me up, let me go." The lyrics are then repeated in English in the song The Catalyst.


3. Metal: Mastodon's Crack the Skye

 When Mastodon's drummer, Brann Dailor, was interviewed about the album, he gave this description:

 "There is a paraplegic and the only way that he can go anywhere is if he astral travels. He goes out of his body, into outer space and a bit like Icarus, he goes too close to the sun, burning off the golden umbilical cord that is attached to his solar plexus. So he is in outer space and he is lost, he gets sucked into a wormhole, he ends up in the spirit realm and he talks to spirits telling them that he is not really dead. So they send him to the Russian cult, they use him in a divination and they find out his problem. They decide they are going to help him. They put his soul inside Rasputin's body. Rasputin goes to usurp the czar and he is murdered. The two souls fly out of Rasputin's body through the crack in the sky(e) and Rasputin is the wise man that is trying to lead the child home to his body because his parents have discovered him by now and think that he is dead. Rasputin needs to get him back into his body before it's too late. But they end up running into the Devil along the way and the Devil tries to steal their souls and bring them down…there are some obstacles along the way."

 So, pretty much, Mastodon does a lot of drugs. But, on top of that, this album has a lot of underlying themes. It's meant to signify the Greek element, aether, symbolized in the transmigration of spirits. Dailor explained the alternative spelling in the title, a reference to his sister who committed suicide at the age of 14:

 "Her name was Skye, so Crack the Skye means a lot of different things. For me personally, it means the moment of being told you lost someone dear to you, [that moment] is enough to crack the sky."

Favorite Tracks:
I seriously love every one of these songs, but certain ones that always stick out are

• Oblivion
• Divinations
• Ghost of Karelia
• Crack the Skye

Favorite Lyrics:
From Crack the Skye, I think these lyrics are really strong and tell of Dailor's love for his sister.

"Desperate heathens flock to sirens; guard your heartache well.
Mama, don't let them take her. Don't let them take her down!
Please tell Lucifer he can't have this one. Her spirit's too strong!"

To be continued in Sharing is Caring: Part 2!

If you like my writing, you can join the site to the right of the page, like Speaking with Storms on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+ . If you have questions or just want to chat, I'm on Formspring too!

Thanks for reading. Stay human, my friends.

Mists of Pandaria

As many of my readers know, I am a huge fan (some might say fanatic) of the Warcraft fantasy universe. I've played World of Warcraft for a total of about 4.5 years, and it actually moved me to create my own fantasy universe that I use for writing a novel (but don't hold your breath on reading it) and basic DnD campaigns. Warcraft has inspired me and given me a lot of creative energy.

Anyway, I haven't played WoW for a few months because I've wised up and begun to focus more on my studies. However, at this year's BlizzCon, Blizzard unveiled an amazing preview of their latest expansion, titled "World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria".

The first time I saw this preview, I had to leave the room because I was geeking out so hard, I was making some squawking noise like a strangled turkey. I am deeply interested in Chinese culture and folklore, so I'm ecstatic that Blizzard is integrating that into a new expansion. As I told a few of my friends, "It's as though Blizzard made an entire expansion just for me." The expansion adds a lot of new content, and based on the preview and the live tests they had available at BlizzCon, I can tell they have already put a lot of work into it.

The first major change is the addition of a new playable race: The Pandaren. The Pandaren actually started out in Warcraft III as an April Fool's joke for Reign of Chaos, and had actually made it into the game as an Easter egg that was a common joke for players. However, the surprising result was that a lot of players had expressed great interest in the Pandaren. So, as a result, subtle references to the race found their ways into Warcraft, World of Warcraft, and its subsequent expansions. Blizzard even made available a small non-combat pet called the Pandaren Monk! A lot of players had been pushing for Pandaren as a playable race (including yours truly) and now we finally have the chance!

Because, really, he's too cute NOT to let him kick your ass.

Pandaren are unique in many ways. Perhaps the most prominent way is that they are the game's first race that starts off neutral between the Alliance and the Horde, and the player will choose which faction to devote themselves to at level 10. This, politically speaking, will have huge repercussions on the World of Warcraft. The Pandaren nation themselves will be torn into pieces, with half being pitted against the others. The Alliance and Horde will compete over the allegiance of as many Pandaren as possible, because they are powerful-- Oh, boy, are they powerful.

"Take THAT, asshole!"

Another new feature is a new playable class, the Monk, pictured above. This makes Mists of Pandaria the only expansion thus far to include both a new class and a new race. The Monk will be able to perform all three of the necessary roles to raid successfully: the Tank, the Healer and the Damage. The roles even have spazzy names-- The Brewmaster, Mistweaver and Windwalker. The Monk will utilize a new resource system called "chi" (I'm a stickler and still say it should be spelled qi), along with dark force and light force (presumably meant to represent yin and yang energy, respectively).

"Your cup's too full."

A whole new continent will open up, called (you guess it) Pandaria and it, as you could probably tell from the preview, has a very heavy Eastern influence, specifically taking lots and lots of inspiration from ancient China. It will place more emphasis on exploring the environment, which was prevalent when WoW first began but has dwindled in past years. It seems like if Cataclysm brought people back to WoW's roots in terms of what areas they play in, Mists of Pandaria is going to do that in terms of how they interact with the world around them.

I haven't played WoW for a long time, but as Michael Corleone said, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!" Once the play is over with and my classes become my number one priority again (as opposed to everything having to be my top priority), I'll be able to get back into WoW to get my bearings just in time to sit back and enjoy the ride into Pandaria.




If you like my writing, you can join the site to the right of the page, like Speaking with Storms on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+ . If you have questions or just want to chat, I'm on Formspring too!

Thanks for reading. Stay human, my friends.

The 99%

When the Occupy Wall Street protests started, I scoffed and said, "It'll never pick up."

It did.

When I saw the pictures and heard testimonials, I shook my head and said, "It won't spread."

It did.

When I saw the videos of the local protests in Government Plaza in Minneapolis, I turned the other way and I said, "I won't get involved."

I did.

Yesterday I paid a visit to the Occupy Minneapolis protests in Government Plaza. Granted, I was there later in the evening when there weren't very many people there, but seeing some of the things these people were talking about actually showed me things I didn't expect to see.

Ashley Cope, the artist and writer of one of my all-time favorite comics, Unsounded, responded to a question about it on Formspring. She and I share initial reactions.

I'm not there so I can't speak definitively, but they are somewhat short-sighted. They are all brimming with youthful enthusiasm and hippy sentiment, but is anyone planning for the long-term? Wealth disparity, a collapsing middle class, a thoroughly dirty and defunct government; one-thousand and one issues that add up to the proverbial red, white, and blue dick up the ass. This protest cannot be like the Arab Spring. We don't have a single dictator or even army to rally against. We have a whole class, an entire financial system, entire branches of government that are against us. There's no one person to throw rocks at.

Change is either going to come bloodily - and I mean that literally - or it's going to come via a long term hijacking and renewal of the system. That means establishing a new political party and finding new, truly Progressive candidates to represent it. It's a lot of hard work, planning, and sacrifice. It's not just setting up tents on Wall Street.

That being said, these protests are a good start. They need to go national, grow in scale, and try to establish a few solid demands. It'll be exciting to see if it bears fruit. Roll out Mademoiselle Guillotine!

 I still think that way for the most part, but I'm slowly growing more optimistic.  They're starting to go national, even international. There are 5 separate protest efforts in Minnesota alone, and Canada (where the protests originated), Australia, Japan, and all over Europe people are rising up. Most of these protests are adopting the Declaration of the Occupation of New York City, which follows as such:


As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice, we must not lose sight of what brought us together. We write so that all people who feel wronged by the corporate forces of the world can know that we are your allies.
As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known.
They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.
They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give Executives exorbitant bonuses.
They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in the workplace based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation.
They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.
They have profited off of the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless animals, and actively hide these practices.
They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions.
They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is itself a human right.
They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut workers’ healthcare and pay.
They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people, with none of the culpability or responsibility.
They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams that look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance.
They have sold our privacy as a commodity.
They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press. They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products endangering lives in pursuit of profit.
They determine economic policy, despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce.
They have donated large sums of money to politicians, who are responsible for regulating them.
They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.
They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people’s lives or provide relief in order to protect investments that have already turned a substantial profit.
They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.
They purposefully keep people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media.
They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.
They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad. They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas.
They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts.
To the people of the world,
We, the New York City General Assembly occupying Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert your power.
Exercise your right to peaceably assemble; occupy public space; create a process to address the problems we face, and generate solutions accessible to everyone.
To all communities that take action and form groups in the spirit of direct democracy, we offer support, documentation, and all of the resources at our disposal.
Join us and make your voices heard!

These are really strong words, inspiring words, well-written words. But these words alone, though powerful, will not make the change happen. We need to make change happen, through our words, yes, but also through our actions. I think the 99% need to band together, to unify even more tightly, and to set completely clear goals and demands. If we do this, the protesters can do this! We can do this!

For those who are unaware, "the 99%" refers to the statistic that at any given time, anywhere from 85 to 90 percent of the wealth is in the hands of the top 1% wealthiest of the population.  Chances are, you are part of the 99%. I am too. I want the protesters to know, that I am with them.

I came from a pretty lucky household: Middle-class,with both parents having a college degree, good income, my parents raising me with love and respect into a pretty good education system, and they never once told me that I couldn't do something. I'm transferring to an expensive university soon to get a degree that may not right away give me a job (unless the gods themselves smile upon me) and thus will rack up tons of debt while working at a supermarket's bakery. I am definitely one of the luckier of the 99%, but I am still the 99%.

My name is David. I am a writer, a poet, a student, a thinker, a lover, a fighter, and I am the 99%.

If you like my writing, you can join the site to the right of the page, like Speaking with Storms on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Google+ . If you have questions or just want to chat, I'm on Formspring too!

Thanks for reading. Stay human, my friends.