By now, you probably have some feelings, one way or the other, about these terms. They do provide some mental pictures that may inflame some, or make others feel a sense of pride, accomplishment, or even hope.

Now. If you have those thoughts in your brain, I'd like you to use your eyes for a moment. This is a visual that I believe every citizen in this country must see. Ready?

My friend, and Occupy Nashville member Jason Steen

Saturday. This past Saturday. On Legislative Plaza, the site of Occupy Nashville. Following a GA.

As much as this is a criminal assault on a person, a citizen of the State of Tennessee, it was, to be quite honest with you, a much more personal attack on a person who represents something that many Nashvilleans, and even most Tennesseans do truly hate. Occupy. Occupy Nashville specifically. Right now.

Fractured orbit. Fractured skull, to the tunes of hateful laughter.

The Tennessee Legislature today passed a piece of legislation which is specifically, and uniquely purposed to disband Occupy Nashville, and to remove it from the one place of guaranteed free speech in our State. The Tennessee Legislature today passed the "Anti-Occupy" Bill, HB2638. There are a few really interesting things this bill, and it's companion Bill, SB 2508.

The bills make "camping" a Class A misdemeanor in our State. It would also make homelessness a Class A misdemeanor in our State. It also requires the State to take into possession those things which constitute, according to the Bill, camping.

Class A misdeaors (The highest class of misdemeanor, just below a felony) in the State of Tennessee are punishable by:

* incarceration in jail of up to 11 months, 29 days, and

* a fine of not more than $2,500.00. Per occurrence. It also requires:

* A permanent Criminal Record

* A permanent entry into the Tennessee Criminal Records online database, including all "required" personal information of the offender. (Unless you successfully, at some point in the future, pay for the costs of petitioning for having your public record expunged of the conviction(s) against you--which is not guaranteed, regardless of the circumstance).

Per Occurrence.

Second, and subsequent convictions may not be expunged in the State of Tennessee, under any circumstances.

Tennessee's Governor has the legislation on his desk. My friend has a fractured skull. This did not occur involuntarily. The perpetrator targeted this man, purposely. This is a known fact, with witness statements notarized which prove it.

The only recognition was his participation in Occupy Nashville. Often. The hatred goes well beyond one man, however. It has been prevalent from the legislature of Tennessee, and it's Republican leadership, and it's Republican Governor since the Occupy began, in October, 2011. Arrests have been made, with Judges ordering all persons arrested immediately released--several times, to the point that the Judiciary has informed the law authorities in the City of Nashville, and at the State Capitol that no further arrests are to be made on the occupiers.

It should be said, loudly here, that the Nashville Police Department has done NOTHING but respect the occupiers. The occupiers have done nothing but show peaceful assembly, and the utmost respect for the members of the Nashville Police Department. Citizens, journalists, and many other types of folks have been arrested at Occupy Nashville. In each case, the occupy has, largely due to the perseverance of those citizens such as my friend, continued non-stop since its inception.

There have been countless agents provacateur, such as the thug that created this hell for my friend. There have been those paid to disrupt, those who have disrupted the Occupy, the process, and the occupiers at every possible moment. Yet, none of the many homeless, known to camp on the outskirts of the Plaza have been arrested. Not one. They have, however, been fed by the occupiers.

This Bill has but one purpose. Our Governor intends to sign the Bill into law, or let it become law without his signature. He can back away from his convictions. Governor Haslem can very easily ignore the consequences of his absolute hatred of the Occupy movement, and the occupiers.

My friend cannot. His is the pain, and the injury. His is the recognition that there are people in the State of Tennessee who do truly hate him, and what he stands for. My friend knows that there are those who would do all within their power to stop him from his constitutionally (both Tennessee and the US Constitutions have this guarantee) guaranteed rights as a citizen of the State, and of the nation.

They just don't want him to do what he has been doing, and especially where he and so many others have been doing it. He offends them. What he stands for offends them. Those with him offend them, too.

Now, the Legislature has passed a bill to make what he, and Occupy Nashville are doing each, and every day, a crime. Theirs would be a crime that rises to the same level as DUI, criminal mischief, domestic violence, and simple "Hit and Run" in our State.

There is a gritty determination at play here. Unfortunately for my friend, there is also pure hatred living itself out here. This is Tennessee, today. Right now.

Given what I have come to know about the occupiers of Nashville, and given what I can tell you I have personally witnessed in the State Legislature during the continuing hue and cry from the Republican-led bodies of our Legislature, and the unequaled fervor of our Governor to "deal with this mess", there is another picture which forms in my brain. It's not a pretty one, but it is a real one.

You assholes really wanna take on the entire citizenry of the Volunteer State? Really?

My friend would tell you he is not a hero. He would tell you that his name is Jason, and he is an occupier in Nashville. Well, he IS a hero, to me. Given what I have very proudly come to know about the Nashville Occupation?

I know who my money's on.

Thank you Jason. Thank you, ON. This is a matter of democracy, in our town, and in our State. I'm betting on democracy. Spring is coming, Jason. November is coming, too. Governor, you might well want to remember that.

To those who say they are representing the people of Tennessee? By allowing such legislation as this to even clear a Committee is a crime against your constituents. But, given the events of this past weekend, I'm sure that won't bother you one bit, either. Perhaps, January, 2013 will give you the time and opportunity to reflect on what citizenship is really all about.

If you need a lesson, just look out of your office windows. Permits? You couldn't do it. Arrests? You couldn't do it. Legislation won't do it, either. What it WILL do is to ignite a few million citizens in the State against you. Congratulations.

We ARE the 99%. You attack one of us, you attack every one of us. Ours is a peaceful and peaceable purpose. Sanitation is not the issue here, and we know it. You are fools, engaged in a fool's errand, legislators. Your Governor is a fool if he truly believes this will "deal with this mess". You have ignited, with your spark of ignorance, a flame.

This is the face of democracy, in Tennessee, today. This IS what democracy looks like. Get used to it. This is the face of a hero, of a just cause, and a citizenry primed to take back democracy. The face has a name, but his is the face of many, many people where we live.

You want to make my friends a criminal? Really?

Bring it.