- They help individuals channel their frustration, isolation and desperation
- They are a show of strength
- They typically lead to more political involvement
- They have already produced wins
- They must remain nonviolent to be effective
- They must be in small towns in the heartland, not just big coastal cities
Find one near you at nokings.org
This post uses a gift link, but some people do seem to be prompted to register. I can’t change SF Chronicle policy about that. They also have a history of sending lawyers after people who post archive.today links to their articles, so whatever you do, don’t plug the URL into that site.
Bible-thumping Christianity is a huge obstacle to any solution, that’s true. But because I know MAGA is not popular on here, but rather the kind of liberal Christian sensibility that was forgiving to slaveowners despite posturing as abolitionist (if you read Liberalism: A Counter-History you would be shocked how little has changed ideologically), my criticism is aimed towards, unfortunately as much as I used to like his stuff, that kind of Gen X George Carlin snarkiness about Bush and now Trump, which is well past its expiration date. For sure there is tremendous ignorance, but half-measures against ignorance aren’t solutions.
Picket line is the best place to educate. I don’t think most US workers in the most strategic positions are interested in the kind of action I am talking about, even compared to Euro libs sometimes. For instance the longshoremen make accomodations for weapons shipments to Israel and their only collective action is for maintaining the salaries of their practically hereditary membership. So-called worker action in the US is invariably isolated and has no relationship to declassed workers who cannot get employment or sufficient hours or are prison slaves. Here its marooning of uncitizen immigrant workers from the movement is starker than ever. “We promise not to do anything about your fascism, so please stop!”
Ugh, yes, mass picketing (unless/until everything has entirely broken down) I don’t see as a US possibility. As you said, those with the stratigic positions don’t seem interested. Way more of the country has people working in restaurants, fast food, retail, call centers, all kinds of “essential” but severely underpaid work. Factory labor being replaced by prison labor, folks terrified of losing their healthcare, because it’s tied to your employer, losing their homes as most are 1 paycheck away from homelessness.
It’s been decades in the making to remove our abilities to feel enabled to fight back. So many accepted for so long the “We’re the best!” while distracted with their sports and shiny baubles with their decreasing free time for thinking and learning and real socializing.
I will take all sparks of hope. I will believe that more than one pair of people will meet, and have ideas ignited that could bring energy and spirit back to fight against the growing tyranny.
I am often called a pessimist, I always say realist. HOPE for the best, even better than expected! Plan for the worst, it’s often inevitable.
From the blurb, I feel I am familiar with material related. I remember being very young in Sunday school and being taught the whole “turn the other cheek” and forgiveness unconditionally, and the confusion when I asked “no matter how many times?” - I had gotten “picked” on a lot, real early (I now know the word nuerodivergent, didn’t exist then or at least there). They were adamant, everytime, all the time. Then their disgust and horror when I said that “was stupid. That won’t make them stop.” …Babbling about riches in heaven, heathens in hell or some shit, as they removed me so we could “have a talk with my parents”. …With suuuch a far spread, fast (or I’m old and everything just seems fast anymore?) soo far right, I’ll fight the liberals again once the fascist are squashed back in their stank hole.
It’s really approachable imo because a lot of USonians at least remember some of the history classes they took on the failed reconstruction. WEB Dubois has a good ass book on the reconstruction good complement to Losurdo’s book, anywyas, if anything stumps you ask Lemmygrad. I’m putting a cork in ths arguing abt No Kings bc I promised to write up shit abt why I think that Mangione guy is innocent + the journalist who put his manifesto out is really suspicious + the relationship between the CIA and alt media. Read Doug Valentine’s CIA As Organized Crime (just search it on that same site) he’s a huge liberal but the book still rips a pretty big hole in the facade of the alt media
I will be back in like 4 days im looking at my notes in 2021 and i think i was able to See It