University of Virginia Library

SDS: Society For
Disrupting Society

By John Kwapisz

"Yeah, world problems are near
an end," Quarrel Odorly, SDS national
chairman told this reporter in
an exclusive election day interview.
Mr. Odorly helped fashion the merger
which led to the foundation of
the new Society for Disrupting Society.
This organization, however, is
still an uneasy coalition between
the former Anti-Barber's Union and
the more militant Obscenity
League.

We were in the SDS headquarters
in Washington, a very
plush building on Constitutional
Avenue. I asked Mr. Odorly why he
thought world problems were near
an end.

"Why, our organization's existence
proves it." Odorly said. "You
see, we're all caught in this System,
and it's this System that leads to
injustice, intolerance, and regimentation.
Now you take those
Fascist barbers..." Odorly's eyes
blazed, "those bastards, out to get
people everywhere and clip away
their identity, their very soul."

"But how does your organization
fight all that?" I interrupted.

"Don't you see?" Odorly said.
"The whole System depends on
getting to the young, blinding their
critical insight, computerizing and
propagandizing them, so they see
everything in the one-dimensional
terms of the society. But we see
through it all, so we can fight it."

"But there's only a few of you,"
I pointed out.

Odorly clapped his head against
his forehead, "Haven't you read
Guevera, Debray, Mao-tse-tung?"
he demanded.

I confessed that I had not.
"If you had read them," Odorly
continued, "you would realize that
while to keep a society going requires
the efforts of many, disrupting
one only takes a few. Already,
we have key agents at many
of the power centers of the nation...
the Coca Cola company,
Play tax Inc., and the Ed Sullivan
show. One word from me," he drew
his forefinger across his throat,
"and this society is done for."

"But if destruction is your only
program, how will that improve
human existence?"

"Well, you see, our disruption,
or destruction as you put it, is very
selective. It is aimed only at the bad
institutions of human existence.
When you take away all that is bad
in the human condition, then obviously
all that's left is what's
good."

"Could you give me more of an
idea of the institutions you are
operating against?" I requested.

"Naturally I can't tell you any
of our ultimate goals at this time."
Odorly looked around cautiously,
"But our preliminary goals are to
destroy laws, government, and social
tradition." Odorly lowered his
voice to a whisper, "Maybe someday
we'll do away with pay
toilets."

I was astonished at the scope
and grandeur of these plans. Meanwhile,
in the office, SDS volunteers
were giving out sample blank ballots
to all who wanted them. I
asked Mr. Odorly what these ballots
were for.

"As you know, this year we
are actively campaigning not just
against one candidate, but against
all three. These sample blank ballots
are to remind our voters how
not to make their ballots when they
vote."

Mr. Odorly settled back in his
leather recliner and stared at me
from behind his granny glasses,
beard, beads and Indian blanket.

"But Mr. Odorly," I asked.
"Why do your people bother to
vote if they leave the ballots
blank?"

Mr. Odorly was shocked. "Why,
not to vote is un-American." He
looked at his watch, "Oh my goodness,"
he exclaimed, "It's after
three o'clock. I've got to be running.
We're having a riot in
Lafayette Park noon, you
know, and I promised to bring the
bull horns."

"What are bullhorns for?" I
asked.

"They're to shout our obscenities
into." Odorly answered.
"Otherwise, none of the newsmen
would hear them."

"Why do you care about newsmen?
Aren't they part of the system?"

"Silly," Odorly answered disdainfully.
"Where do you think we
get the money for this plush headquarters?
Or these beautiful calfskin
boots." Odorly pulled up his
blanket so I could see them. "We're
on contract to CBS."