These times...
I have had a hard time lately with the world at large and my country in particular. These are not normal times. We have devolved into a fascist state, and I feel powerless and helpless. And angry and scared and anxious. I can't be all business as normal. I just can't.
But, I can't be angry all the time.
I'm playing with what I want to say and how I want to say it. Because to remain silent in these times is to side with the oppressor. And I won't comply in advance.
No one cares what I think, though. I won't change any minds.
So, this week I'm passing along some info that some of you might find helpful.
I don't know if you heard of the no buy February 28th. I did, and I participated (or didn't participate, whatever the proper terminology for not buying anything that day was).
The Amazon blackout (no buy from Amazon) is next week, from the 7th to the 14th. I don't buy a lot from them, so that won't be hard. The Nestle... That one is going to be a challenge. I'll have to sit down and figure out what is Nestle, because that company owns a lot of things.
I don't know what day of the week April 18th is. I'll keep this on my radar, I hope.
This is a protest I can actually participate in. Now to find other ways I can help. Because I don't want to give in to the fascists. Make no mistake, that's where we are now.
I did not purchase anything that day, online or in store. I don't purchase much of anything from Amazon cuase I found that I can get basically the same thing through Wally World, and since I have an account with them, I go that way.
ReplyDeleteI did purchase food from a local supermarket chain that day but otherwise participated. I have become somewhat dependent on Amazon, sadly, because our brick and mortar stores here keep closing, and what is the alternative? WalMart? Target? But, we the people must make our anguish known. I do wonder how successful last Friday's blackout was.
ReplyDeleteWhat is being protested? Is there a reason those particular companies were chosen? I did buy groceries on the 28th, as well as gas for my car. Had to have that! I only use Amazon at Christmas time when they offer deals on Prime. I rarely go to Walmart. Nestles makes my cats' Fancy Feast. They eat the canned and the dry. If I don't buy it March 21-28, I still buy it before and after, so it really doesn't do much good as far as I see! As far as it saying, "Shop Local," those big companies employ hundreds of workers in my area. Maybe thousands, there are quite a few Walmarts and a big new Amazon distribution center.
ReplyDeleteI believe Amazon is being targeted as its CEO is supporting the regime. And support for those who are trying to unionize. Nestle has a really bad record with regards to labor practices. (Memory is failing me on what, but internationally they're not good. Either child labor or slavery with regards to where they get their chocolate.)
Delete"...Amazon is being targeted as its CEO is supporting the regime."
DeleteYes, Bezos treats his employees inhumanely; donated a million dollars to Trump's election festivities; and muzzled his editorial department at the Washington Post leading to the speedy resignation of its manager. Specifically (in regard to his newspaper policy), he banned all editorials that are critical of capitalism or the importance of individual freedom--except for the freedom to disagree with him about either capitalism or individual freedom.
I did the total blackout on Feb 28 and will do the next one as well.
ReplyDelete"... to remain silent in these times is to side with the oppressor... No one cares what I think, though. I won't change any minds."
ReplyDeleteYou are hardly alone, but of course it seems like doing almost anything is better than doing absolutely nothing even if the few people who hear us are agree with us.
Speaking for myself, though, I really don't want to communicate with Trumpers because if his behavior isn't enough to worry them, they're well beyond being influenced by rational argument.
Yeah, it's hard to hold a conversation about the chaos when they seem oblivious to it.
DeleteMost certainly there are people who care what you think. And you can always change minds. They want us to feel overwhelmed and defeated, because then we're less likely to fight. Never stop yelling.
ReplyDeleteThe people in my immediate vicinity either agree with me or are so completely enthralled to the idiot that I'll never convince them. (Specifically, she doesn't believe anything I say, so it's a lost cause.) Online, at least, I find more people who agree with me.
DeleteIt is unnerving and scary especially since he placed the tariffs on now and will blame Canada even though he started it. He was abusive to Zelensky just like an abusive man is to his spouse. We can only do our part and you are doing it. I wish we would tell Rump to stay away from the G7 Summit especially after he treated Zelensky so horribly. Funny, he's only been in power for 6 weeks
ReplyDeleteCan you all convince your leaders to shun him? Or treat him like a joke to his face? We here would love to have him melt down. He's not going to put forth any serious ideas anyway.
DeleteThank you for sharing this. I also participated (or didn't, like you said) in the 2/28 one. Did you make the graphic? I'd like to use it, too, but I don't want to take someone's work without permission. All of the dates are on the calendars to make sure we don't forget.
ReplyDeleteHave you heard about the postcard campaign (some people are calling it the Ides of Trump)?
Ooh, yeah, I should have checked that more closely. I found it on Bluesky, and it was specifically there as a reminder.
DeleteI have not heard of the postcard campaign. That's one I would love to participate in as well.
The postcard thing is all over Facebook in various resistance groups. There's also a movement to send them to Congress, etc. to ask them to impeach/stand up to what's happening.
DeleteThis is basically the post:
Next assignment (Not my original post but someone else's great idea!):
Activism On March 15th, many people will mail Donald Trump a postcard publicly expressing our opposition to him. And we, in vast numbers from all corners of the world, will overwhelm the man with his unpopularity and failure. We will show the media and the politicians what standing with him — and against us — means. And most importantly, we will bury the White House post office in pink slips, all informing Donnie that he’s fired. Each of us — every protester from every march, each congress calling citizen, every boycotter, volunteer, donor, and petition signer — if each of us writes even a single postcard and we put them all in the mail on the same day, March 15th, well: you do the math.
No alternative fact or Russian translation will explain away our record-breaking, officially verifiable, warehouse-filling flood of fury.
Hank Aaron currently holds the record for fan mail, having received 900,000 pieces in a year. We’re setting a new record: over a million pieces in a day, with not a single nice thing to say.
So sharpen your wit, unsheathe your writing implements, and see if your sincerest ill wishes can pierce Donald’s famously thin skin. Prepare for March 15th, 2025, a day hereafter to be known as #TheIdesOfTrump
Write one postcard. Write a dozen! Take a picture and post it on social media tagged with #TheIdesOfTrump ! Spread the word!
Everyone on Earth should let Donnie know how he’s doing. They can’t build a wall high enough to stop the mail.
Then, on March 15th, mail your messages to:
President (for now) Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
It might just be enough to make him crack or at least stress him out. Not my original post but someone else's great idea! Copy and repost.
Thanks. I don't really do FB, so I did not see this.
DeleteI have no desire to comply in advance, either.
ReplyDeleteWe participated on the 28th and am trying to keep up with upcoming blackout dates so we can participate in those, too. We're also doing our very best to eliminate as many of the big corporations in favor of shopping local as much as possible.
Hi Liz - good for you ... there's so much disinformation out there - I do hope things can improve - it's horrifying. Take care - Hilary
ReplyDelete