[F&R]After The Occupation

It had been 7 years since the Forgiveness And Reconciliation Act of 2012. Most of the former Occupy Wall Street participants had already died either during the prior rioting, or shortly after being incarcerated in the FEMA camps.

Of course, “incarcerated” was not what they originally thought it was. At first it was “humanitarian”. Businesses had stopped donating food and sundry items to the protesters, and most of the remaining protesters had either lost interest in working while they were so readily provided for, or had created a criminal background that pre-empted their ability to find gainful employment. So, in a cunning move, the TEA Party controlled government set up FEMA camps so that these protesters could continue protesting. Then they put up fences topped with razor wire, and armed guards. No….”prison” wasn’t what it started as. But it soon enough became an entire prison system, enforced under the auspices of The Department of Homeland Security and executed by FEMA, in partnership with the DoD. And due to the rioting seen, Uncle Sam had the impetus to begin criminalizing the Occupy Wall Street participation in the interest of National Security.

Immediately after the 4 year failure of the Obama administration, TEA Party loyalists managed to wrestle the reins of government, using promises of hawkish domestic policies in response to the riots seen in the winter of 2011, as the protesters grew colder, hungrier and more angry at the “injustice” of having to support oneself.

Grady Harris had found himself in a very precarious position in this newly minted police state, as the roundup of those videoed at OWS protests was still underway. The “Flea Party” protesters had somehow been turned into social pariahs, and the majority of America either supported the roundup, or stood silently by as they knew that somewhere there may be video of them at one of the protests, where they may have merely showed up out of curiosity. There were also those “agents provocateur” who worked for non-official agencies, such as the Evangelicals, that are afraid of being mistakenly swept up in the raids. This is the position that Grady finds himself in as he prepares to go to work in the grocery around the corner.

Grady had joined up with an Evangelical extremist militia in Missouri shortly after dropping out of Missouri State University in 2004. An ultra right wing conservative, he (like most of his brothers) had assumed that once the TEA party was voted into office, he would be “safe”, or on “the right side”. None of them expected the totalitarian power grab would have merely used them as pawns to achieve the goal of instituting a full fledged police state in America, where the Bill of Rights was no only suspended, but The People silently supported it in order to “keep them safe”.

As Grady reflected on the previous several years, and how his nation had ended up in the condition it was in, he laced up his boots. While putting on his left boot, his thoughts were interrupted when he noticed an old, faded blood stain. It immediately brought back the memory of the day his best friend, James, had been shot in the head with a rubber bullet. They were at the Occupy St. Louis event, when police on horseback assisted a Riot Team in moving the protesters out of Keiner Plaza in the downtown area. Of course, this is the risk of being an Agent Provocateur..you can be mistaken for being part of the group you are trying to provoke. This is what happened to Grady and James, as they were fired on by St. Louis police. Bean bags, tear gas canisters, and rubber bullets were fired in the general direction of the crowd. As Grady was following James out of the Plaza, an officer who was only a few feet away fired at them, hitting James in the front of the head. When he fell back, he spun and landed face down on Grady’s boot. He had tried to wash it, but it was set in already. Of course, had James not been shot, Grady would likely have been arrested and placed in Missouri FEMA Camp 3 with the other rioters. This gave him a very bittersweet feeling, to be honest, and he pushed the memory back down.

As he sat there sipping his coffee the sound of the clock advancing caught his attention, and he glanced over to check the time. 5:15am…almost time to get the store opened. Today would be a busy day, as it was All Patriots Day, September 11th, and people would be in to purchase their picnic items and beer. For a brief moment he considered calling in so that he could enjoy the brisket cookout with his other militia brothers at the training center, but quickly reminded himself that calling in sick was against the fabric of his southern upbringing.

Just as he was finishing his coffee, the front door burst open. Grady was obviously shocked by the commotion of this unexpectedly expected event, and he spun around to face the invaders. Just as he was able to completely turn, he felt a sharp blow on his forehead and he lost consciousness. He briefly faded back in as a bottle of vinegar was poured over his head. As he lay there looking up through profuse amounts of blood, the only thing he is able to make out is the gold glisten of an officers badge, then he loses consciousness once again.


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Story On Page 9 Of The September 18th, 2019 edition of The St. Louis American

Body Of St. Louis Man Found Near Missouri River

Yesterday St. Louis Police Department officers responded to a call of a body floating in the Missouri River. The body of Grady Harris, 34, was found near the banks, tangled in some grasses and reeds. While details are sketchy, police suspect foul play and are asking anyone with details surrounding Mr. Harris’ involvement with a local militia, The Son’s Of Christ, to contact them.

Pretty good snap shot of a possible future scenario there BFFT !

Well written again !

What songs were popular in the year 2019?

Originally posted by xuenchen
Pretty good snap shot of a possible future scenario there BFFT !

Well written again !

What songs were popular in the year 2019?

I don't know what songs are popular then, but I am sure that Cher is still on her farewell tour.

Uh huh.

You said you couldn't write. I perused your last entry in the [G&D] contest. Good stuff.

I must give you a flag, out of honor, in this contest. I have several entries in as well, and it's not beneficial for me to flag you. However, I have. I liking reading good writing.

reply to post by Druid42


;0 I didn't say i couldn't write, i don't think. I think it was more that i don't write. Of course, I have a blog, but often i just paste stuff there with my views on it. Occassionally I post something that I write. maybe I will post my "Difference Between Father And Dad" here one day, when the short story contest calls for it.

I do appreciate the kind feedback, and I will make sure to swing by yours as well. I just like artistic outlets. Seems i found the motivation to utilize another one.

That was very well written bfft ... excellent structure and creativity.

You are a born raconteur.

Originally posted by schrodingers dog
That was very well written bfft ... excellent structure and creativity.

You are a born raconteur.

Thank you my friend.

I watched some of your videos made with your friend. Interesting conversations.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Thank you, my good friend, for sharing this with us. What a scary story to follow dark tales of doom and gloom, no?

I am more than proud of you for your accelerated growth as a writer. Great things are expected from you. No pressure, though.

reply to post by Jean Paul Zodeaux


Thanks my friend. I enjoy the outlet. Usually my artistic expression is done in the kitchen, on photoshop, or in my house (design, etc....i painted my sons room blue camoflauge, for example). Especially in the kitchen lately, where my low carb diet has driven me to become highly proficient with low carb desserts (or risk losing the families interest). Last night i made this killer brownie with a sugar free chocolate ganache (4g carb/large serving).

But that digression aside, I appreciate your feedback. I will most certainly continue working on it. Most on weekends, though, as my work requires a slightly different frame of mind during the week.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


When I first started to write my initial reply, I was tempted to begin sarcastically that such a thing would never happen, but the more I got to thinking about it, and not that I believe it could never happen, but that I do cling to a faith and hope that such a thing will not happen. I have been quite verbal with my criticisms of the Occupy movement, but was far less verbal with my criticisms of the Tea Party. I was not much of a supporter of the Tea Party because I am ultimately anti-political party, and even the Libertarian Party of which I think has a sound platform and one that I can support, is problematic as a party simply because any ascendancy to power would inevitably and radically change that party.

For whatever reasons, and in spite of the deep, deep, dark abyss of my subconscious fears where apocalyptic dread and angst permeate the air, I remain hopeful and keep strong faith in humanity, and fiercely believe that many individuals across the planet will do what must be done as individuals to help bring once sane people out of the insane system and into a more reasonable way of living, where we all just simply live and let live, and all that we do causes no harm so all that we do we do by right.

I do not imagine such a world for my children and grandchildren, or even later where finally my great grandchildren enjoy the freedom that is the unity of individuals who profoundly respect each others right to existence and to flourish and prosper, I imagine such a world is possible in our lifetime!

I understand, that if such a thing were to happen in our lifetime it would be limited in its scope, and those who have adopted such a creed of mutual respect for others and sacred reverence for their rights, as well as your own will have to face a world filled with people who disagree and even despise the idea of self government. There will be, most likely, people insistent on denying and disparaging your rights and for this reason a continued effort to establish justice will be necessary, but therein lies the rub, no?

I guess what I am saying is that I generally do not have many paranoid feelings that this clear and present police state that is years past encroachment will flourish, but when I read story's such as yours it scares the crap out of me. I would like to think your tale a cautionary tale instead of some prophetic message. People tend to present Orwell's 1984 as a cautionary tale, or prophetic, but when 1984 came and went many seemed to want to sigh a collective sigh of relief assuring themselves that the prophecy of 1984 was just a silly fear and that all was well within the Land of Oz.

Orwell's book, in my opinion, was not a prophecy of what was to come, nor was it even a cautionary tale as much as it was an expose, and even then when he wrote it he was revealing the monster behind the make-up. He carefully stripped off layer after layer of the society we lived in then, and increasingly now and showed us what we have become. in some ways, you've done the same with your story.

I think maybe BFFT could have a gift.

The first story seemed to anticipate his 25th anniversary.

This story seems to "see" something that may end up being true.

I wonder what BFFT thinks about writing a story that takes place in November 2012 !!!

I can "see" it now ..........

Originally posted by xuenchen
I think maybe BFFT could have a gift.

The first story seemed to anticipate his 25th anniversary.

This story seems to "see" something that may end up being true.

I wonder what BFFT thinks about writing a story that takes place in November 2012 !!!

I can "see" it now ..........

Let's try this:

It was an unusually cold birthday for Bigfatfurrytexan on that morning of November 24, 2013. He rolled over in bed and tapped the mousepad on his laptop, only to find that it was still 4:36 am. Noting that his wife was still asleep, he rolled over, placed his arm softly over her, and reflected on the hectic prior year. Politics had remained politics, with a new Republican president taking office and continuing the legacy of mismanagement for that prestigious office. He was due a hefty bonus exceeding the prior years by at least 25%. Oil and wind are booming in West Texas, and it is good for the hospitality industry. As he begins to once again entertain thoughts of a run for city council, he drifts back off to sleep.....

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Ahhh...

I knew it !

Sounds like a plan my friend.

See, and it looks like ya didn't really have to put a lot of effort into the idea.

Some things come in a natural, easy way.

The "Resistance Factor" always lets you know if you are the wrong road.

Many writers have that gift.

I think Sarah Palin started out in a city council ?

Let's see .... Hmmmm ...

I know, BFFT for President in 2020.

Main platform issues ......

1. Dismantle the FEMA program.

2. Issue bi-annual individual tax refunds based on treasury surpluses.
(corporate taxpayers do not get refunds)

3. U.S. withdrawl from the United Nations.

4. Initiate a 10 year plan to construct high speed rail lines along the entire Interstate highway system.

good work my boy.