of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism (501(c)3)
do hereby pre-ambulate this slightly silly declaration of our futile aspiration to insert into the vulgate these following clauses containing ideas and tenets which seem beneficial, self-evidently!
Ideas and tenets which have somehow been ignored, muddled, and buggered by those very parties, lobbies, troupes, tropes, churches, klatches, clubs, gangs and governments that were supposed to be taking this stuff seriously in the first place!
So now WE have to take stuff seriously?!?!?!?!
SHEEESH!
Help save our Republic
with silly art!
We need YOU to contribute your own ~1 minute Conditional Clause Videos!
Our romantic, quixotic goal is to get people talking about what they love about democracy and freedom and America! A discussion absent of mundanity and hatred. Our art and comedy saves the country and the world.
Our more realistic goals are to generate content for an associated video sculpture, to at least feel like we’re contributing something positive to the zeitgeist, and to have some creative fun!
The Premise:
A “viral load” of creators will make ~1 minute videos reading the text of our clauses in their own style, interspersed with unique “bits” of silliness, comedy, music, art, &cet.
We’ll roll out these videos on social media, encouraging viewers to make their own versions and eventually even submitting their own conditional clauses.
The clauses will be debated and ratified at a live (or hybrid) “convention” event in NYC in the spring or summer of 2024 (TBD).
SSP4PP Manifesto Clauses (Conditional)
Click HERE to see these clauses with sample videos
& Click HERE to see all the videos we’ve compiled so far
0.50 Preamble
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism (501(c)3)
do hereby pre-ambulate this slightly silly declaration of our futile aspiration to insert into the vulgate.
(If you know what I mean!)
These following clauses.
[BITZ]
Clauses containing ideas and tenets which seem beneficial self-evidently
[BITZ]
Ideas and tenets which have somehow been ignored, muddled, and buggered by those very
Parties, Lobbies
Troupes, Tropes,
Churches, Klatches,
Clubs, Gangs
and Governments
that were supposed to be taking this stuff seriously in the first place!
So now WE have to take stuff seriously?!?!?!?!
SHEEESH!
0.75 Post-Preamble
(but still ante-amble)
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism (501(c)3)
do sincerely submit these conditional clauses of this Provisional Manifesto!
[BITZ]
We hereby sincerely submit these conditional clauses into the public record
[You, know, we’re making these little tic tocks or whatever the kids are calling this stuff.]
[BITZ]
We sincerely submit these clauses for discussion, debate, voting, and ratification at the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism NATIONAL CONVENTION to be held in New York City
[BITZ]
At a venue and date to be announced at a later date and venue by the Slightly Silly Party Conventions Committee.
[BITZ]
01 Positive
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism (501(c)3)
do declare our sincere aspiration to declare what we are for, and declare NOT what we are for not!
For
[BITZ]
With one mundane exception at the end of this manifesto.
[BITZ]
“I am that I am”
[BITZ]
“I yam what I yam”
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There are many, many things in this world to be against!
And being against some of those things is very important!
That’s just not what we’re doing here!
[BITZ]
02 Patriotism
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism, (501(c)3)
do declare a sincere celebration of positive patriotism!
[BITZ]
We celebrate patriotism FREE of the belligerent nationalism with which it is sometimes associated.
[BITZ]
We celebrate patriotism INDEPENDENT of the militaristic jingoism with which it is sometimes associated.
[BITZ]
We celebrate patriotism LIBERATED from the chauvinism, exceptionalism, and imperialism with which it is sometimes associated
[BITZ]
For remember that when we are associated,
we make an ass of society, and of Ted!
[BITZ]
03 Pride
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism, (501(c)3)
do declare our sincere gratitude that our government was founded upon the revolutionary principle of a nation ruled by elected representatives of the citizen body and NOT by a king, emperor, dictator, autocrat, theocrat, dictator or khan.
Khaaaaaaaann!
We declare our pride in the creativity and bravery it took to devise this citizen’s government in a world composed,
Almost entirely by aristocrats ruling through divine right and hereditary claim.
[BITZ]
By aristocrats ruling by their own particular version of god.
[BITZ]
By aristocrats ruling through their own narrow, parochial view of the infinite.
[BITZ]
The Aristocrats!
[BITZ]
04 Recognition
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism, (501(c)3)
do hereby recognize that our founding fathers-s’ view of who should stand free was incomplete, insufficient, even terrible.
[BITZ]
We recognize that true horrors have been perpetrated in the history of this country, and in the name of this country.
[BITZ]
In loving this country for the good things it is and the better things it can be,
We do NOT pretend these horrors do not exist.
[BITZ]
Our positive patriotism stems from recognizing our country’s shortcomings.
[BITZ]
Our positive patriotism stems from the aspiration to be better than we have been.
[BITZ]
We have hope
Hope diamond
Hope Davis
Hoola hope
Hope to see you soon
Episode IV A New Hope
[Kazoo Star Wars theme or just hum it!]
05 Empathy
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism (501(c)3)
do celebrate transcendence in the ekstasis of empathy!
[BITZ]
For what is every political party,
Every church?
What is every gathering for theater, music, art?
[BITZ]
What if not a diluted cosplay reenactment of our ancestors circled around a fire, laughing and singing,
[BITZ]
circled around a fire, warming ourselves in mutual safety and care,
[BITZ]
circled around a fire, basking in our shared adventures.
Empathy Empathy Empathy Empathy!
[BITZ]
Grab a Marshmallow!
[BITZ]
Make a S’more!
[BITZ]
Remember to care!
[BITZ]
*mmmmmmmmmmsmoooooores!*
06 Nuance
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism (501(c)3)
do hereby declare a sincere celebration of nuance!
[BITZ]
As one example we loudly laud the difference in meaning between NEVER and RARELY!
[BITZ]
We trippingly toast the contrasting tenor twixt RARELY and SOMETIMES!
[BITZ]
We glory at the gulf between SOMETIMES and OFTEN!
[BITZ]
We venerate the variation between OFTEN and USUALLY!
[BITZ]
We are delirious at the difference between USUALLY and ALWAYS.
[BITZ]
And we bask in the warm embrace of EVER.
A heavy comforting shroud of most but not all.
For, ever covers all but never.
[BITZ]
07 Art
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism (501(c)3)
do hereby declare a sincere celebration of the art, the music, the poetry, the dance endowed upon every individual as the natural gift of our humanity.
[BITZ]
We hereby declare our need and right to express ourselves in any medium, even if it’s rare that it’s well done!
[BITZ]
We believe some of the divisions and conflicts battering society today result from the channeling of our natural creative gifts away from art,
[BITZ]
and towards the assumption of enemies,
[BITZ]
the conjuring of conspiracies,
[BITZ]
the presupposition of plots
[BITZ]
and of deep, deep mundanity.
[BITZ]
We evoke and invoke our silly artsyness in order to dilute these entrenched, wretched, toxic certainties.
[BITZ]
The world is silly and absurd.
*I know you are but what am I?*
Forget what you thought you knew!
[BITZ]
08 Symbolism
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism (501(c)3)
do hereby declare a sincere celebration of our American Flag and other symbols of American Patriotism.
Old Glory!
The Star Spangled Banner!
Stripes so broad!
Stars So Bright!
Though it shouldn’t, generally, be flown at night!
Or worn as clothing!
[BITZ]
Get That American Flag off your nasty ass!!!!!
[BITZ]
WHEREAS attempts have been made by fanatics, bigots, and schmucks to co-opt these symbols of freedom, liberty, and democracy,
[BITZ]
we denounce their claim!
Denounced!
We denounce thee!
J’accuse!
[BITZ]
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party fly the flag in sincere symbolism of the freedom, the opportunity, and the hope to which our country aspires!
[BITZ]
Or at least for which we aspire for it to aspire.
[BITZ]
09 Inclusivity
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism (501(c)3)
Do declare that membership in or dedication to any other Parties, Lobbies, Troupes, Tropes, Churches, Klatches, Clubs, Gangs and Governments
shall not exclude any individual from participation in the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism, no matter how stupid that other group is.
Stupid, stupid!
[BITZ]
The Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism shall not exclude you for also participating in parties that are less empathetic, less nuanced, or less patriotic, than ours.
Even if that’s dumb!
[BITZ]
For organizing in organizations dedicated to systems of arbitrary power,
Even though they suck!
[BITZ]
For playing in parties whose primary purpose is purely to perpetuate themselves!
Even if that’s awful!
[BITZ]
For supporting assemblies which strengthen their circles by the mere excitement of a superficial communal pride and baseless self esteem!
Even though that’s the freaking WORST!
[BITZ]
Even if your other
Parties, Lobbies
Troupes, Tropes,
Churches, Klatches, Clubs,
Gangs and Governments
are filled with every type of asshole, you may still be a member of The Slightly Silly Party, as long as you’re not most kinds of asshole around us.
Many kinds of asshole will be expelled from the Slightly Silly Party and mocked.
Some kinds of asshole will be exalted and celebrated.
[BITZ]
What kind of asshole are you?
[BITZ]
10 Sanity
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism (501(c)3)
do sincerely declare that we shall make no aspersions, judgements, or diagnoses suggesting another person or party not be of average, neurotypical, sensible, sane, standing.
[BITZ]
It’s all right, this is in every manifesto, it’s what they call a Sanity Clause.
RIMSHOT!
That’s right Virginia, there IS a Sanity Clause!
[BITZ]
Cam-corders $899!
VCR’s $599!
It’s Christmas in July with the Crazy Eddie President’s Day Sale!
C’mon in!
Our Patriotism is
SLIGHTLY SILLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
How to participate:
1- Read the conditional clauses HERE and pick the one(s) you’d like to shoot!
2- (optional) Look at some other video versions of the clauses HERE for some silly inspiration.
3- (optional) Look at this section of tips and guidelines, or ignore it and shoot what you want!
4- Shoot your video in VERTICAL FORMAT (for tik-tok & insta-cetera) .
5- Save as .mov and title EG: #07 Nuance RobR.MOV
6- Upload to THIS same folder linked in step 2.
7- (optional) draft more people you think would have fun with this project and send them these links to contribute!
8- Sit back and watch our Republic save itself through slightly silly patriotism, nuance, and empathy!
Tips, hints, guidelines, links:
- Don’t worry if you’re not used to shooting and editing video. Everyone doing this so far is learning as we go. We’re encouraging a loose, rough, fun aesthetic.
(I used lots of big, super-obvious jump cuts in my videos, which is much easier than trying to make it all look smooth and slick) - I shot with my phone using a free TELEPROMPTER app which I’m linking HERE, there are dozens of them and they all look easy enough to use with a small learning curve.
- HERE is a folder of .txt files for each of the clauses. These can be uploaded directly into your teleprompter app.
- I found it easiest to shoot the text of a few clauses in a row and then shoot a whole batch of bits.
- I generally had a few bits in mind when I started that batch but then allowed myself to tangent, riff, and improvise.
- It generally looks best to mount your camera a little above your eye level.
- Editing hint: it’s easy to end up with waaaaay too much raw footage, causing an organizational PITA later.
- You’ll see some of us are having lots of fun with costumes, props, scenery, lighting, &cet. There is NO PRESSURE to match any of that! Play with the elements that are FUN FOR YOU!
- The use of American Flags and other patriotic symbolism is strongly encouraged!
- There aren’t many restrictions on what to include, we are trying to keep the project positive and avoid mundanity. Our use of patriotic symbolism is meant to be respectful and non-ironic.
Literal flags as clothing is discouraged.
What’s all this about Mundanity?
The SSP4PP Manifesto Committee composed this clause but voted to keep it out of the initial roll-out for its lack of positivity.
Listed here as a guideline of things we shall NOT reference (like Trump or Republicans or Democrats &Cetera):
We the people of the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism (501(c)3) [LOCAL] Chapter
while preferring positivity
do hereby make a special point to denounce the thing we call MUNDANITY!
[BITZ]
The Slightly Silly Party categorizes as MUNDANITY:
Any label, phrase, slogan, or person which is regularly referred to in mundane, common, everyday social or political discourse.
It is mundanity!
[BITZ]
We aspire to be rarified!
We aspire to be special!
We aspire to be interesting!
We forsake and denounce all thought terminating cliches!
THOUGHT TERMINATING CLICHES BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
[BITZ]
We refuse to conform to your manufacture of mundane outrage!
[BITZ]
If it is “fascism” or “communism”
or a “proud boy” or “antifa”
or a “millennial” or a “centurion”
Or a “boomer” or an “influencer”
It is mundanity!
MUNDANITY!
[BITZ]
If it has been in the mouth of
a Carlson, a Maddow,
a Rogan, or an Olberman.
IT IS MUNDANITY
MUNDANITY!
[BITZ]
Even in mentioning these names this Manifesto is committing the transgression we call MUNDANITY!
MUNDANITY!
In talking about MUNDANITY we commit MUNDANITY!!!!!!!
[BITZ]
BAD BAD BAD MANIFESTO!!!!
NO!
DROP IT!
Use your words! Like a good manifesto!
Good manifesto.
[BITZ]
Project Schedule
(subject to adjustment)
Phase I
(Complete)
SSP4PP Manifesto Committee / Core Corps drafts preliminary clauses and shoots sample videos.
Phase II
(now -> Late February 2024)
We reach out to artsy friends and colleagues to shoot their own manifesto videos, not yet releasing them to social media.
Phase III
(February / March 2024)
Strategic roll-out of manifesto vids on Amnesia Wars’ and individuals’ Tik-Tok, instagram, & other social media.
The general public is encouraged to create their own manifesto videos.
Phase IV
(Spring / Summer 2024)
Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism Live (or hybrid) Convention Event!
Including a video sculpture utilizing all of the manifesto videos.
These conditional clauses will be debated and ratified into the SSP4PP Manifesto as the climax of the event.
We plan to hold additional live or hybrid events through 2024, (TBD)
Phase V
(November 2024 -> Ongoing)
Bask in the satisfaction of having helped save the American Republic through silly art and shift to non-political art projects.
OR
Utilize the framework created by the Slightly Silly Party for Positive Patriotism as a revolutionary movement fighting the onset of American Authoritarian Fascism.