PUT UP OR SHUT UP!!

[Career Prole]

Do I have your attention? Good. That's a start.

This coming Friday...December 10, 2004...I am beseeching you all to do absolutely nothing.

I know it sounds like a lot of work on short notice with incredible logistical hurdles to overcome but it's absolutely imperative we have a large turnout for this.

The biggest problem with activism in my experience is simply getting there. Many of us have beloved kids, beloved pets, or beloved whatevers we are reluctant to leave behind.

Transportation is often a problem. You may have no vehicle or you're driving a nickel rocket you pray every day will make it through until tomorrow.

Lodging at the protest site for many of us is out of the question. We can't really afford the rent at home.
In essence, "in person" activism is priced out of our range.

That's why I'm asking for your help not doing a damned thing this coming Friday.

We can...every single one of us...accomplish nothing at all without a terrible strain on our pocketbooks.
We can all tailor our participation to suit our situation.

Here are some suggestions for some "damned things you shouldn't do" this Friday:

The biggest sacrifice you should make is treat yourself to a three-day weekend. Don't work.

Many DUers have been out of work for a heck of a lot longer than a day through no choice of their own and are surviving, so I want you to really look inside yourself and honestly assess your situation before saying you can't sit out a day.

If you've had attendance problems and have been warned that you're skating on thin ice, skip this step.
If, however, you're just trying to pick up that Perfect Attendance plaque keep your butt home. Many have made greater sacrifices.

If a day off Friday means no food for the kids Saturday, don't do it.
If all it means is having to "eat in" Saturday night, you've no excuse. Folks all around the world have done without much more than that with no lasting ill effects.

Just use your common sense for this step regarding your personal participation and let your conscience be your guide.

Another thing I highly encourage not doing on "Don't Do A Damned Thing Day" is getting out and about if it's going to mean buying gas...because quite frankly you shouldn'y buy a damned thing Friday either.

Don't buy gas.
Don't buy groceries.
Don't buy a Big Mac.
Don't Christmas shop.
You can do all this stuff Thursday or Saturday if necessary...but don't spend, don't consume...this Friday.

Don't go to a movie, or even rent a movie. Go to the park or the beach or any other activity which doesn't require financial participation. You might find out you like it if you haven't done it in a while due to your unstintinting participation in the rat-race.

The neocon machine runs on your money, and they are so confident that you will cheerfully hand them your money they already have this Friday's money spent.

If you want them to see the power of 57,000,000 angry voters don't give them Friday's money!
If each of us withheld just twenty bucks on Friday from whatever we'd planned to spend it on that's a billion dollar message in one day!
For comparison's sake, the war in Iraq costs 4 billion per month...think about it.
Does anyone think they'd be able to ignore that like they've ignored our rallies?

If you agree then please get on your e-mail lists, get on your message boards and blogs, get on your speed-dial list...and get the word out now. Time is of the essence. Tell every person you know to tell every person they know.

Nothing would make me happier than to see this message show up in my e-mail inbox a couple of hundred times by Thursday.
Please...it makes too much sense not to not do a damned thing.

It's only one day...you can do it.

[liberal N proud]

1. Not a problem for me!

We need to spread the work far and wide!

[SudieJD]

2. No Problem With This!

I don't have any money to do any of the above. Thanks to the shrub.

Sudie in MN

[Career Prole]

5. Then help me return the favor to the chimp, Sudie!

Help put the word out quickly. :hi:

[Not_Giving_Up]

3. I like it

I have two kids that I'm the main support for, and while I would love to go March on Austin, I just don't see it being possible. This I can do.

Oh yeah, and I don't have any money either, so the likelihood of me spending much wasn't real high anyway.

[Career Prole]

7. That's exactly what I'd hoped for!

Thank you so much. Please help get the word out...e-mail buddies, maybe a letter to the editor, whatever you can do to help is all you should do. :hi:

[InvisibleBallots]

4. the Italians just did this last week

My friend was over there on business. Her hosts explained to her that they were striking just "on general principle" - just to let the government and the corporations know they could do it.

Damn, that is a lesson we need to learn here.

[Career Prole]

8. The Italian general strike is what gave me the idea.

That and my wife's kitchen plaque which says "Nobody notices what I do around here...until I don't do it!"
Help pass the word, okay? It won't cost but the couple of minutes to copy, paste, and send. :)

[Penguin31]

6. Not a problem...Chapter-based Exams ALL DAY Friday (n/t)

[Career Prole]

11. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

Relatively painless for us yet if done well, frightening for them.
Do all you can to get the word out, my penguin friend...and good luck with the tests! :)

[DoBotherMe]

9. correction: 57,000,000 votes for JK

48% of the votes cast

[Career Prole]

13. Damn!!

That's better still. Thanks!
Just fixed it...we only have to hold on to twenty bucks now. :toast:

[DoBotherMe]

16. I've been boycotting the using urge one day a week

for four years now, usually a Saturday or Sunday ... I don't leave the house and try not to use any gas and to reduce electricity consumption. It's akin to overcoming an addiction ... gotta work the steps!

[Career Prole]

18. It's more bang for the buck

when you realize just how much you can cut their allowance.
"Not using" is good for the environment as well. Thanks for the suggestion!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

10. friday will be spent with the grandchildren....teaching them to use sewing

machine :) we will be in the house having fun all day

[Career Prole]

20. I'll bet a little new nothing to pin on your sleeve

that they'll remember that day a lot longer than a trip to the mall.
What a great way to spend a protest! :)

[karlrschneider]

12. Count me in!

:kick:

[Lorien]

14. There's a whole forum devoted to such actions (or inactions)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

Maybe a similar post there would get some additional notice?

[HEAVYHEART]

19. Cool.

Thanks for the link. I never knew about that forum before!

[Career Prole]

22. Good idea...thank you!

I'm sure we've all forsworn consumerism in one way or another, but if we can also do a focused boycott on one day they won't be able to pass it off as "sales being down because consumer confidence has dipped" over some car bomb in Iraq.

[212demop]

15. Can we get Randi Rhodes on board with this? That would have an effect

Anyone got a connection to a producer on her show?

Also, just curious, why this Friday specifically?

[InvisibleBallots]

17. yeah, get Randi Rhodes to publicize it!

Randi Rhodes is awesome.

[212demop]

21. When she asked everyone to give $1 to Bev Bev got what she needed

This thing won't work if it's just DUers skipping work and not shopping- no offense DUers

[Career Prole]

24. I'm PO'ed...I want all 57 million voters!

I just sent Randi an e-mail to the address on her page at AA...I hope she reads it and will help. :)

[Career Prole]

23. Does anyone have Randi's ear?

She won't know me from Kris Kringle and as a result might not do it.
As for why Friday, why not get a three day weekend out of it?
Another consideration is I don't want it getting lost in the hubbub of Christmas week.
Most all of us here are doing some form of boycott, but I'd like to give them a focused slap too in the form of a one day, general strike/boycott which would utilize every angry voter/disenfranchised voter, and I don't want the economic message lost in the haze of the holiday week.

[LeftHander]

25. I'm with you!! - nt

[Zorra]

26. Done. n/t

[PsychoDad]

27. OK

I'm in

[Career Prole]

30. Thanks, P.D.! n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

28. I'm in!

:-)

[Career Prole]

31. I'm a Texas blue eyes myself!

And a blue state native! We kin? :D

[SammyWinstonJack]

43. Are you from Cali?

:-)

[Career Prole]

45. Dang! Nope. I'm from the other coast initially.

A Rhode Islander born and bred. I speak Californian, though! :D

[SammyWinstonJack]

47. My mom is from Rhode Island

:-)

[Career Prole]

48. Sis!

Where the heck ya been? :D
I lived about 16 years in Cali and never sent a Christmas card.
I'll put you on the list posthaste!
I'd put you in my will too but I'm bettin' you don't want your share of the fire ant patch. ;)

[Career Prole]

50. Kiiiiiick!

:kick:
Ante up...it's pretty much free of charge. Just need to shed consumerism for one day and encourage others to do the same.
All aboooarrrd!

[SammyWinstonJack]

51. LOL

Thank you, but I have my very own fire ant patch! And your Christmas card must've got lost in the mail. I know mine did to you. I understand. ;-)

[Career Prole]

52. The forgotten Christmas cards...

It's genetic, and not our fault at all. :bounce:

[SammyWinstonJack]

54. That works for me

:silly:

[American Tragedy]

29. Doing nothing is what I do best

I do this for at least one or two days of each week, so this is the easiest thing in the world for me.

[Career Prole]

32. That's the beauty part!

It only needs coordination one time so they know where it came from, and more importantly that we can pull the plug at will.
"The will" is the crucial part.

[Career Prole]

33. Kicking because I need you all to see this.

Every last one of you...and your friends, and your families.
:kick:

[Career Prole]

34. Kick!

:kick:

[mike_c]

35. I'm in.

eom

[Not_Giving_Up]

36. kick

[Career Prole]

37. kuh-kuh-kick!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[quaker bill]

38. I was wondering which day to take off this week - -

Thanks.

[Career Prole]

40. Friday, quaker bill.

The quest is to not give them our money or our time for just one day.
We've been giving them both far too cheaply for too many years, and now they've come to think of us as disposable.
They need that notion knocked out of their collective consciousness right now.
They think we can't hurt them, but we can and not only that we can strike their most tender spot...their wallet.

[New Democrat]

39. No thanks.

My brother gets out of jail on Friday and he would be quite disappointed in me if I didn't pick him up because it's "do nothing Friday"

[Career Prole]

41. So pick him up take him home and just hang out until Saturday.

The same beast that starts the wars also builds the prisons.

[Career Prole]

42. And where's my manners, anyway?

Welcome to DU, New Democrat! :hi:

[New Democrat]

44. Thanks for welcoming me

I'm sure I'll enjoy this board.


Anyways my brother's jail is far away so I will have buy gas. Also my borther will probably want to eat out because he has been eating crappy jail food for the past 45 days. Sorry, I just can't participate.

[Career Prole]

46. You're granted dispensation.

So help spread the word, then. :)

[rainbow4321]

49. No problem here...

I work the night shift on Thursday so I will BE ASLEEP all day Friday, anyway!!! ZZzzzzzzzzz.

[Career Prole]

53. See folks? You see how easy this can be?

We can hijack a cool billion from the neocon coffers sittin' on our duffs. Talk about a return on investment!
Sweet dreams, Rainbow! :D

[Career Prole]

55. Kick

Because I'm not giving up. If you think it's pointless tell me why.
Don't sleep for four years...and don't say "I'm not sleeping, I'm wearing a bracelet" because it's not enough and you know it.
If you have a better idea, let's hear it.
I never thought for a second it'd be such a hard sell getting people to sign on to do nothing for one damned day, for chrissake.
:kick:

[Kenneth ken]

56. I can and will do this.

my family is a lost cause though. I reminded them a good two weeks before T-day that the Friday after was world buy nothing day, and all day Thursday all the conversation was about which stores opened when, and who was having the best sales. :think:

"Ooh, we're getting up at 4:00 AM to be there by 5:00 when they open."

[Alex146]

57. I'll do it

of course i don't buy much anyhow but I'll try to buy nothing on friday.