So, I was checking my seemingly endless Twitter streams the other day when I came across some tweets from a well-meaning, very passionate young man. He was talking about the Occupy movement, and explaining how they would under no circumstances be corralled into helping get out the vote efforts. He explained that the Occupy movement had spent the last year showing folks how there really was no difference between Republicans and Democrats, and that helping in voter registration efforts would be doing the movement and the country a disservice. I considered his point of view, and for he and the other goodhearted, well meaning folk who share his point of view, I have seven words.

Pull your head out of your ass.

Seriously people, did 2010 not teach you ANYTHING? Do you honestly believe there is no difference between these candidates? That a vote for Obama would produce exactly the same results as a vote for Romney? More importantly, if you do not cast a vote, and Romney wins, do you truly believe there would be no difference in the future of this country?

You know, I liked the Occupy movement when it first cranked up. It had great potential. It had a message that resonated, that there is a small group of people that benefits from the hard work of the vast majority, and that the income and opportunity inequality needs to be corrected. I get all that, and I still believe it. The problem is, the Occupy movement started to believe their own press. It became more about holding ground in public parks than actually creating change in the system. Why? Because they refused to understand a basic tenet of change – to be effective, you have to change the system from within. And that’s the failure of telling people their vote doesn’t matter.

Unless you are within the system, you cannot effect change. Period. Are you planning armed revolution? Let me know how that goes. If not, you have no real method of effecting change from outside of the system. Breaking into buildings does not endear you to the masses, my misguided friends. It only confirms the label of “hoodlum” the media and conservatives have slapped on you. Breaking the law as an act of civil disobedience sounds great, but unless you can get the masses to follow you, it’s just your ass in jail and nothing more.

You want to create change in the system? Pick the candidate that most closely follows the path you prefer. That doesn’t mean they follow closely. It means the one that begins to approximate your goals. Even if just a little. Then vote for them. And then next time a vote comes up, find a candidate that most closely follows your goals again. Can’t find one? Be that candidate. And work to get yourself in office to make those changes. Work from within. Make the system work, instead of complaining about it. You don’t want to be that candidate, and you don’t want to work to find one? Then when the votes are counted, if things actually get worse, it’s on you. No one else. Suck it up and STFU.

In the meantime, don’t get in the way of people who are trying to make a change. You want to call them deluded sheep – you go ahead. At least they are working at making a difference. Until you figure out how to get “the 99%” to actually follow you rather than look at you with disdain, you’ve got nothing more than tweets.

I believed in the Occupy movement. But they have failed to make the transition from idea to true action. And that’s OK, not every movement can do it. But trying to undermine what other folks are doing by willingly working against voting is unacceptable. Go back to the park and figure out how to actually cause change. Until then, have a nice day.