Realm of the InterNutter

I had one of those ideas that can only get better the more you share it, so I thought I’d throw this out there. I hereby give it free and clear to the world. Just please, if you implement it, keep it honest and transparent.

What is Open Source Freedom?

Open Source Freedom, or OSF, is an organisation and system by which citizens help other citizens help each other out of debt. Not for any kind of profit, but for the simple notion that debt is a form of legalised slavery.

The money you put in stays that amount of money. At any time it is not working, you can have that money back.

OSF is not a new system of handouts. It is citizens giving citizens a hand.

How Does Open Source Freedom Work?

People in debt sign up for a hand and state honestly how they got into debt and how they plan to repay the citizens who help them out. People who have a little money to spare pool it through OSF to help out a citizen in need.

When your money is given to OSF, you can check on its status by logging in and seeing how it’s doing. You can browse through the stories of people in need and check a tick box saying “I would like to help free this person”. You can check as many tick boxes as you like. There are no limits to the good you can do.

Once you sign up for help from OSF, you can log in to check the progress of help coming to you. You can see how much is pledged to help you out, and how many people are helping you. Once the pledges meet your debt, the money you need becomes yours to borrow!

Remember, it’s never yours to keep. You can pay off the debt you owe to the interest-charging corporation, and pay back OSF at your own speed. Just the amount you owe. No interest charged. Ever.

You can pay your debt back at a dollar a week if you want to, but remember, it is other people’s money. The sooner it’s back to OSF, the better for everyone!

We want to help everyone get out of debt, not just you.

What if I Can’t Afford to Give Open Source Freedom Money?

If you don’t have any money to spare, maybe you have time to spare. You can become an OSF volunteer! Based on your skill set, you can help represent OSF in numerous fields.

OSF needs people to run it. People to maintain the website, people to keep tabs on whose money is doing what. People to check up on people taking a long time to pay OSF back and see how they’re doing. People to make certain that nobody is doing anything unethical. Even people to create advertising or awareness art for OSF.

What if it Turns Out I Paid for a Bad Debt?

Not everyone is honest. There are some people who will try to take advantage of a system like OSF.

Since this is a system geared towards freedom, some serious decisions have to be made. You, and the other citizens who have lost your money to a bad debtor have a say! You can vote together on whether or not to declare the debtor as “lost”.

Once a debtor is “lost”, OSF takes out a loan in that debtor’s name, with the information they provided, and returns the money to the people who lost it. The “lost” debtor no longer receives any help from OSF, and is back on the treadmill with all the other debt slaves.

I know, it’s not nice. But neither is taking people’s money, given in good faith, and never giving it back.

Who is in Charge of My Money?

You are. If money is speech, then you should have a say about what gets done with it. All OSF does is bring it together to help people.

What Can I Do Once I’m Free?

It’s your choice. OSF would like to see you give a little towards helping another citizen get free, but if you want to walk away, we won’t make pests of ourselves.

The most you’d see from us is an email on the anniversary of your freedom, congratulating you and asking politely for you to share a little for someone else who is in the same trouble you once were.

What if There are No More Debts to Pay?

Wouldn’t that be wonderful? OSF would love to see that day arrive. However, there are still lots of good things to be done with your money.

OSF can take on Green Projects, to help free the entire planet from its dependency on petrochemicals! Fund local factories to produce products for the people and by the people! Subsidise organic farming or fund some research. Perhaps even create some Open Source Medical Care!

Wouldn’t it be nice?

I live in Australia, so the 17th is still happening in the US as I write this. There’s plans currently in motion that will come to a close before this article ever reaches anyone else’s eyes.

I can’t help feeling that I’m watching an empire collapse.

All the signs are there. Demagoguery, fascism, numerous attempts to silence the increasingly pissed off masses and trained ditto heads claiming, in spite of all evidence to the

Congress signed into being a constitutional amendment that allowed the President to take complete control - dictatorship, if you will - without the approval of congress.

I think it’s Rule 52 or something of the ilk. I remember seeing it in the OWS-tagged entries via Tumblr.

The President needs to use that rule. Take command. And then tell the armies to arrest every last 1% douchebag currently in the United States. Seize their property, their wealth and use it to

I know you like having it. Money. Power. Fame.

Everyone wants it. People usually want to earn it.

Most of you have inherited it. Or manipulated things so you can keep it.

There’s just one thing.

If you succeed in obtaining all the money - money then becomes worthless.

The majority, those “unwashed masses” you sneer and jeer at from your balconies as they struggle for a slice of justice beneath you… they’re going to

thepenguinpress:

They live!

Mass reclaiming of books on Wednesday, right? And live streaming thereof, of course :)

…the more I think it’s code for “undercover cop inciting violence”.

If you’re in a camp or protest and you see someone getting violent, encourage those around you to push them towards the police.

Then see what happens next.

I’m betting it’ll be like this:

OWS: “Here’s the guy that threw the brick.”

Cops: “Er… Hi Dave.”

Dave: “Crap.”

Awkwaaaarrrrrd….