Will Work for Change

By: Top Pun - April 5th, 2012  Filed under: About Top Pun, Top Pun Design Commentaries Add Comment

Will Work for Change-POLITICAL BUTTON

Will Work for Change Will Work for Change

Will Work for Change-POLITICAL BUTTON

This cool design is linked to a button, but other great Top Pun products like T-shirts, bumper stickers, mugs, caps, key chains, magnets, posters, and sticker sheets can be accessed by scrolling down the product page.

View more Political Buttons.

I like this simple design because it has two meanings for the price of one.  Hopefully, the obvious meaning is that one will work for social change.  However, the other meaning, that one will work for a mere pittance, is a backhanded commentary on low wages and the all too common inability to earn a living wage for one’s labors.  What may be less obvious, is how I combine these two things in my own life.  First, I will gladly work for social change and social justice.  Secondly, living my life in a simple fashion, which I typically call living low to the ground, allows me the freedom of working for social change, while minimizing the worries of wage slavery, the difficulty of earning enough money for a decent living.  The simple fact is that the less money you spend and the less you consume, the less money you need to live.  Friends occasionally ask me, “How’s the button business.”  I am likely to respond something like, “it depends on what metric you might measure that by.”  The most important metric, the one that I judge my success and my business’ success is “I LOVE MY LIFE!”  The rest is details.

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Mock Funeral – Occupy Toledo

By: Top Pun - April 2nd, 2012  Filed under: About Top Pun, Free Stuff, News, Political Action Add Comment

Yesterday, April 1st, April Fool’s Day, was the one and only performance of Occupy Toledo‘s Mock Funeral — in life (and death) there are no rehearsals, this is it!  If you missed it, I truly hope that you were doing something else as fun and inspiring!  Thanks to all the players, readers, eulogizers, ushers, HOMElessLAND SECURITY, providers of food, and all who helped make Occupy Toledo’s RE-BIRTHDAY possible.  We rose like a phoenix from the ashes!!  Occupy Toledo will re-start the physical re-occupation of Toledo on May1, May Day, the day of a worldwide general strike!  Join us May 1 in Levi’s Square, downtown Toledo, St. Clair at Madison.  In the meantime you can come help plan the occupation of Toledo at our General Assembly meeting every Wednesday at 6:30 pm at Third Space.

Below is a picture of our own Rev. Ed Heilman serving as mock preacher (note the dollar sign on his bishop’s hat and the dollar sign cross on the altar)

preacher rev ed heilman Will Work for ChangeHere is Occupy Toledo’s Obituary from the Mock Funeral:

“Occupy Toledo was born October 10, 2011, to it’s parents, the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street. Born of hope, Occupy Toledo burst onto the scene in its own charmingly childish way. However, from the birth of Occupy Toledo, few people could understand what it wanted. Onlookers mumbled again and again: “What do they want?” “I don’t get it.” Occupy Toledo flailed around for about 6 months until it realized that it was too small to succeed. After scrutinizing corporate behavior, Occupy Toledo in due course discovered that the nobility of American corporations was unparalleled. The dearly departed realized that in these great United States of America, injustices are so few and far between, that it could no longer even occupy itself. Unavoidably, Occupy Toledo came to its senses, recognized its irrelevancy, and accepted that resistance to corporate rule is futile. Fortunately, in the end, Occupy Toledo had gained at least the good sense to crawl into a coroner’s office and die. Occupy Toledo died on April 1, 2012, due to apathy. Protesters were the Time Magazine Person of the Year in 2011. Gracefully, protesters like Occupy Toledo are stepping aside to make room for the inevitable Time Magazine Person of the Year for 2012: the Corporate Person, born of Citizens United, the true will of human persons across America. Occupy Toledo is survived by countless cousins around the country, many of whom have not achieved enlightenment, so they have not yet abandoned their vain struggles against corporate America, which is obviously too big too fail. The bad news is that Occupy Toledo is dead. The good news is that its condition is stable.”

Below is a picture of our own local activist doctor, Johnathon Ross, M.D., reading Occupy Toledo’s Death Certificate and pronouncing its death.

mock funeral doctor Will Work for ChangeHere is Occupy Toledo’s Death Certificate from yesterday’s Mock Funeral:

“I hereby certify that Occupy Toledo, born October 10, 2011, has died on this day, April 1, 2012. The immediate cause of death was apathy. The underlying causes of death included: 1) an atrophied brain due to an overexposure to TV news and infotainment, talk radio, and so-called “reality” TV; 2) learned helplessness, due to an enlarged gullibility, making it susceptible to corporate propaganda and so-called political pundits; 3) a weakened constitution due to lack of exercising freedoms and widespread metastases of planetary consumption; and lastly, 4) pure exhaustion from running on the treadmills of trying to earn enough to maintain a decent household and fend off crushing debt.”

Of course, after the 1% overstepped their hand with their crass compulsions (by bidding on the Phoenix egg for their breakfast), the Phoenix’s prophecy was fulfilled:

“Hear this prophecy: The crass compulsion of the few to buy anything and everything is complete. The few dare to literally buy and consume the HOPE of the many. Because of this abomination of the few, the Phoenix’s prophecy is complete. The many, the 99%, Occupy Toledo, will be re-born one month from today in this same place. HAPPY RE-BIRTHDAY OCCUPY TOLEDO. Join us on May 1, May Day, a world-wide general strike, for the re-occupation of Toledo. Thus speaks the Phoenix, ‘You, the many, the 99%, shall arise again and be free. Join together with the peoples of this land and from around the world, and the few, the 1%, will be vanquished.’ “

Below pictured is yours truly, Dan Rutt, alias “Top Pun” (it’s just, my pun name), with the HAPPY RE-BIRTHDAY card placed over the tombstone announcing the re-occupation of Toledo.

mock funeral re birthday1 Will Work for Change

Here is some Toledo Blade coverage for the Mock Funeral.

If you’d like to read the Occupy Toledo Mock Funeral script, you can re-live the event, or get a greater taste of the drama of the day.  Here is a printer-friendly PDF version of the Mock Funeral of Occupy Toledo.

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Post Office Not Broke

By: Top Pun - February 12th, 2012  Filed under: About Top Pun, Health, News, Political Action Add Comment

Nation magazine blogger John Nichols (a former Toledoan for my Toledo friends) reports in The Post Office Is Not Broke about all of the hype about the post office and how it is supposedly going bankrupt, an antiquated institution, etc.  I personally and professionally have an interest in the state of the post office, since I run a mail-order business, and I have a local branch of the post office only about a mile from my house, which is walking distance in nice weather.  My local branch of the post office is on the chopping block to be eliminated, along with several others in Toledo.  It would be a sad day for our inner city neighborhood to lose its post office.  I am more than willing to deal with changes that might be necessary, even if that means closing some branches or reducing mail delivery to five days a week.  However, such changes, at least at the scale that is being proposed, are unnecessary.  The U.S. Postal Service has had a requirement to fully pre-fund its retirees health care benefits.  No other government agency or private company bears the same burden, which costs over $5 billion each year, roughly the amount that the post office is in financial trouble over.  The U.S. Postal Service cannot compete, or run well, with this onerous burden.  The U.S. Postal Service should be relieved of this burden.  This will not endanger retirees, and will assure continued excellent service to the American people. Go here to help America’s postal employees press Congress to Save America’s Postal Service.  Long live the U.S Postal Service!

 

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Occupy Wall Street Poetry Anthology Adds Top Pun’s Epic Poem

By: Top Pun - February 11th, 2012  Filed under: About Top Pun, Poems Add Comment

The eleventh update of the Occupy Wall Street Poetry Anthology now includes Top Pun’s epic poem: Christmas on Wall Street – Occupying Humanity.  Top Pun made the cut, thanks to the rule that all poetry is accepted!  You have to love such a movement, the people’s movement.  You can download this mammoth anthology here: Occupy Wall Street Poetry Anthology (WARNING: this is a large file, 12.59 Mb).  You don’t necessarily have to read the first 795 pages before you read my poem, although you are welcome too!  Would like to submit an Occupy Wall Street related poem?  Poets of the world unite!

 

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No War in Iran – Toledo and Defiance Protests

By: Top Pun - February 6th, 2012  Filed under: About Top Pun, Anti-War, Peace, Peace Signs, Political Action Add Comment
Top Pun No War Iran Signs Toledo Protest 291x300 Will Work for Change

Top Pun at Toledo "No War in Iran" Protest

This last weekend I participated in two protests as part of the national Day of Mass Action to Stop War on Iran – February 4, 2012.  On Saturday afternoon, about 15 to 20 people gathered outside the Defiance County Courthouse in Defiance, Ohio.  This anti-war protest was sponsored by the Defiance County Citizens for Change and Occupy Defiance.  It was certainly difficult for me to resist participating in an act of defiance of war in a city literally named Defiance! On Sunday afternoon, about 30-some protesters gathered at the corner of Secor Road and Central Avenue.  This no war in Iran protest was a special edition of the Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition’s weekly protests against war has been going on since the beginning of the Iraq war in 2003.  A call to action and endorsement by Occupy Toledo helped bolster the usual numbers of the unusual suspects.

Both days were beautiful February days thanks to global climate change.  In an unrelated observations, there were large numbers of internal combustion vehicles passing by at both locations.  There was an overwhelming friendliness to our antiwar message, maintaining a very positive ratio of at least 10 to 1 of honks for peace versus middle fingers and angry screams out of the window.  Of course, there were plenty of blank stares and averted gazes amongst the silent majority.  Hopefully, those people who were not even looking outside the car window, busily texting, were telling their friends and enemies to come down and join the protest.  I would note that this is a big change from the beginning of the Iraq war in 2003 when the NWOPC weekly protests began.  At that time, with the run-up to the Iraq war and the shock and awe beginning of the so-called war, the American people seemed patriotically supportive or oblivious to our wars and their implications.  At these weekly protests, at the beginning of the Iraq war, there were a large number of motorists hurling angry epitaphs at us for protesting the war.

Will Work for ChangeA few days before the Iraq war started, a couple dozen or so of us were arrested protesting in front of the Toledo U.S. Army recruitment center.  Eight or nine of us went on trial a few weeks later, and during jury selection I was amazed to witness that the majority of jurors could not even state an opinion regarding the war.  Obviously, most Toledoans, probably fairly representative of Americans, were either not paying attention and/or didn’t really care.  I hope that today, after a decade of drumming up and fighting what is openly billed as an endless war against terrorism, that the American people are beginning to realize that the so-called new war against terrorism is really just the same old war that has been fought since the beginning of humankind, or human unkind as the case may be!  One of my favorite quotes shown in the peace sign design to the right, demonstrates the futility of war: “You can no more win a war than win an earthquake!” May we truly take this to heart and not fight merely to end a particular war but to end war itself.

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TopPun.com Celebrates 10 years, Launches TP Paper

By: Top Pun - January 23rd, 2012  Filed under: About Top Pun, Free Stuff, Web Specials Add Comment

Soul Proprietor Will Work for ChangeTopPun.com Celebrates 10 years, Launches TP Paper

Ten years ago I had little idea exactly what I would be doing in 10 years.  Fortunately, TopPun.com – Maximizing Prophets has turned out to be too small to fail.  And while General Motors and pretty much the entire banking system have had to be bailed out, apparently, what is good for TopPun.com is good for America.  While I continue to make too little money to pay federal taxes (not unlike many corporations), this could just as well be the most effective way to not support war and imperialism by the US.  Reality has played neatly into my hand to live simply and justly.  How does one celebrate such an auspicious anniversary?  I am the 99 percent Will Work for ChangeWell, the way that I’m celebrating is by launching a new monthly e-newsletter, affectionately known as the TP paper, because I prefer it over the top.  This newsletter will feature monthly web specials and free downloadable posters, among other things.  The first Web special, hopefully appropriately and timely, celebrates the Occupy Wall Street movement by offering 100 assorted Occupy Wall Street buttons for a mere $29.95, featuring dozens of new Occupy Wall Street themed designs that are not even available yet elsewhere on the website.  FREE POLITICAL POSTER Class War I Thought We Won That When Corporations Were Declared People and Money Is Free Speech 280 Will Work for ChangeAlso to honor the Occupy Wall Street movement, the first free downloadable poster, “Class War” parodies the ridiculous attitudes of the 1%, corporate personhood, and money as free speech.  To receive the TP paper regularly, just complete the e- newsletter sign-up form.  THANKS!

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Move To Amend Protest in Toledo, Ohio

By: Top Pun - January 20th, 2012  Filed under: About Top Pun, Political Action Add Comment

Move To Amend Protest in Toledo, Ohio

This afternoon, protesters gathered outside the federal courthouse in Toledo Ohio as one of hundreds of protests Across the United States to bring awareness to the travesty of corporate personhood.  The nationwide protests were sponsored by MoveToAmend.org.  Move to Amend seeks a constitutional amendment which bans corporate personhood and reserves First Amendment rights for human beings.   Most of the Toledo protesters were from Occupy Toledo, which cosponsored the protest.  While the temperatures were in the teens, the protesters received warm responses from passersby in automobiles and trucks.  There was an explanation of the purposes of Move to Amend as well as Mic checks and singing.  Pictured below is me, the one and only Top Pun, holding my hand made signs — made by a human, not a corporation.Top Pun Abolish Corporate Personhood 600 Will Work for Change

Top Pun in front of federal courhouse in Toledo, Ohio, at Move To Amend protest sponsored by Occupy Toledo

Below you can see a group of the protesters who braved the cold on a January Friday afternoon with a winter storm warning in effect.Move to Amend Protest Occupy Toledo 600 Will Work for Change

Move to Amend Protesters

Please join us at Move to Amend Toledo or Occupy Toledo, or your own local or regional chapters of these groups, to bring an end to corporate personhood and reestablish humans as the appropriate and preeminent power in this nation.  Thanks!

 

 

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“PUNS NOT GUNS” Manifesto by Top Pun

By: Top Pun - January 18th, 2012  Filed under: About Top Pun, Peace Add Comment

“PUNS NOT GUNS” Manifesto

“Some claim that puns are the lowest form of comedy. Dan, rather, says, “Guns are the lowest form of community.” Choose your weepin’! I prefer to hit ‘em in the groan. Though puns and untrained minds can produce a “Not see,” puns and arms go hand in hand when used as a righting instrument. Mixing puns with peacework puts you in the dis’armament business; and though rhyme doesn’t pay, the prophets are good. With puns, and sharing a little peace of mine, we can realize that one side fits all. In truth, it’s guns that have too “meanings” for the price of won. Sometimes it takes everything we’ve got to see the blight (as they say, “sinner takes all”). While some may feel it’s an impossible play on wars (a mortality play for sure), all it takes is a sick sense (no relation to paranormal parents). Let’s have some serious fun (a free for all). Justice is no yoke. Think good that the pun is mightier than the sword!”

I wrote this manifesto early on in my career as Top Pun.  I have been a terrible punster as long as I can remember, and I have been interested in a wide range of social justice issues since I was a young adult.  I remember that my parents, recognizing my propensity towards puns, gave me a dictionary of puns as a present one year for my birthday.  In this pun dictionary, it was stated that there are an infinite number of puns.  At first, and actually for a very long time, I thought that this could not be possible.  Now, after cementing my vocation as the best punster for peace in the English-speaking world, I have little difficulty recognizing that there aren’t infinite number of puns.  I am a little surprised that this “Puns Not Guns” manifesto has held up so well for me over the years. I think that maybe I’m onto something with this punning thing.

As you can tell from the manifesto, much of my early inspiration comes from involvement in the peace movement.  Nonviolence seems to be the thread that ties together all of the many issues that I’m interested in.  Of course, perhaps conveniently, I define nonviolence very broadly (that’s non-broadly if you’re a woman).  Actually, while my first foray into nonviolence was in the late 70s when my mom took me to a peace conference at our church, Central United Methodist Church in Detroit.  This is the most salient event that I can identify as far as my consciousness raising around peace issues.  Back to the whole issue of nonviolence, I defined world hunger and extreme poverty as violence.  World hunger has continued to be the defining issue for me in relation to the world.  The interface between great affluence and extreme poverty has always challenged and perplexed me.  It is very difficult for me to reconcile these cruel and destructive differences in a world with so much.  The fact that such issues are deep and central to me really comes as no surprise.  In fact, I was literally born into it.  I was born in Haiti while my parents were serving as medical missionaries with the Mennonite Central Committee.  My father was a physician at the time, and my mother was a nurse at the time.  Mennonites have a tradition of encouraging their young folks after high school or college to perform some service to others.  Also, while I have been a lifelong United Methodist, I come from a very long line of Mennonites.  This Mennonite influence has been very strong, with predictable outcomes, in the sense, that peace and justice and simple living are powerful themes in my life.  Little did I realize early in my life that I was a good candidate for being a hippie.  My parents never really spoke that much about their experiences in Haiti, and when they did speak of their experiences in Haiti, they spoke rather nonchalantly.  Perhaps paradoxically, this more casual exceptions of what is hardly typical service, instilled in me that such commitment and service should be normal; and for me it was normal.

View Top Pun’s PUNS DESIGNS

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