Positive protests

think positive, shop elsewhere

like here

This was up on Atrios this morning and the pointlessness of this was amazing.

All I Want for Xmas Is Fair and Verifiable Elections

......

So, if there’s a big protest march, I’ll be there, just because I like to put my body where it may do some good and be counted. But I also think we need to consider other ways to make our displeasure known. And that’s where economics come in.

I don’t know for sure if this last election was stolen, although I know what my gut tells me. This study certainly gives me pause. However, the point of this thread isn’t to restart the why-did-Kerry-concede-why-isn’t-Atrios-screaming-about-Diebold debate. Here’s what I do know for sure and think everyone can agree upon: it’s important for all Americans, including those whose candidate didn’t prevail, to be able to have faith that our elections are carried out fairly and honestly. And the current situation doesn’t allow us to have that faith. Instead, what we have is a patchwork of fallible systems that appears designed more for the purpose of allowing skullduggery than for the purpose of ensuring fair elections. And that, I believe, is worth an economic protest.

This year, I’m urging everyone I know to refuse to spend money for Xmas as a protest. Stay out of the stores. For Goddess sake, don’t run up credit card debt. Give your family and friends the gift of your time and attention rather than a new sweater that they won’t wear or some object to clutter-up an already over-cluttered life. But just not buying isn’t enough. You’ve got to contact the retailers and credit card companies and tell them: I’m not going to be buying Xmas stuff and I’m not going to be charging Xmas stuff until this country has a system in place that ensures fair and verifiable elections. Reader Kate has done the research and discovered that The National Retail Federation “is the world’s largest retail trade association . . . .” Write to Their Vice President for Legislative and Political Affairs, Katherine Lugar. Here’s her contact info:

National Retail Federation
325 7th Street, N.W.
Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20004
Phone: 1-800-NRF-HOW2
Fax (202) 727-2849

Write to your credit card companies and tell them the same thing. You can find the address on the back of your latest bill. And, heck if you’re really angry about this last election, write to the large department stores that you patronize, or at least cc them on your letter to the National Retail Federation. CC your Senators and Congressman or Congresswoman as well.

Do it for my friend Arlo, who reminded us that there’s strength in numbers:

You know, if one person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick and they won't take him. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony, they may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them. And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out. They may think it's an organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day, I said fifty people a day walking in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out. And friends they may think it's a movement. And that's what it is, the Alice's Restaurant Anti-Massacre Movement, and all you got to do to join is sing it the next time it comes around on the guitar.

And pass the idea on to everyone you know. Merry Xmas.

Thanks, Kate!

This is like smacking you sister because the dog bit you.

Excuse me, but unless they also have the Secretary of States as charter members, how exactly will this insane protest idea help change state law?

Why?

First of all, eight year olds don't care about elections and do care about Game Boy Advance SP. I haven't a sane parent yet who has the balls to do this. Like spiteful donations, this is negative, loser thinking. Like a tanturm over peas, most people won't care. So even if a million people do this, they will just shrug and Wal Mart will make their numbers.

Exactly what positive action are retailers supposed to take? Are they going to endorse new candidates for secretary of state, are they going to sponsor transparent election laws and paper ballots? I just don't see the point. It's like not going to see the Cowboys because of Tom Craddock messing with an election.

I've seen this crap before and it doesn't work. Black nationalists used to do this every year and people nodded their heads, agreed with them, and went shopping.

People think that the Montgomery Bus Boycott worked because of a negative action. Well, in reality, what happened was that black people went back on their secondary systems of personal transport, ones they used when they needed a lift before. It's not like white cabs stopped for them. They had alternate systems.

Jesus, people have to think this through. I don't want retailers and credit card companies demanding election law reform. Because their lobbies do as much damage as possible NOW.

Don't let your frustration be your guide, because it leads you down blind alleys.

You want to make a statement, don't act like a spoiled child, do something positive. Don't shop at Wal-Mart. Just don't do it. Shop at Costco and Target, places which treat their workers a lot better than Wal-Mart does. That's an affirmative statement. You don't need to ask the irrelevant to do the impossible, do the relevant and right thing.

If sending a message is your concern, make sure Wal-Mart has a shitty Christmas and Target, Costo and Toys 'R Us have good one. Make a positive market decision, not a negative one.

I won't buy anything sounds great, but to a six year old, it's pretty mean. To your parents, it's mean. To people who care about you, it's mean.

We can decry consumerism, and I have gotten and given homemade gifts. Jen made me two bottles of preserved lemons and I made her spice rub. Cute, right. I also bought her a gift. Food gifts are nice.

But this? No. Let's not be negative for once. Let's not whine and go after the wrong people. Let's be positive and make an affirmative statement. And all you have to do is not shop at Wal-Mart and avoid their American job-killing low, low prices.

You want election law reform, you target the legislators who run the committees in your state and the people who give them money. You get good candidates for Secretary of State. You propose new laws. You don't do this. Even if they could do something, would you want them to? I wouldn't.

posted by Steve @ 10:24:00 AM