Acts of civil disobedience...

[Skidmore]

Gandhi brought the British Empire to its heels with them.
Martin Luther King dealt a stunning blow to Jim Crow with them.

A little salt or walking to work were both simple nonviolent ways to throw wrenches in the system.

We keep talking about boycotting these giant corporations and the will of the people isn't there for it yet. Is there something really basic and simple, though, that we can do to get people's attention? What do we all do or use in this nation which is basic? I keep coming back to oil and oil products. Cut down on using transportation, keep your thermostats low and wear extra clothing, quit buying plastics.

Any other ideas?

[slackmaster]

1. Plastics?

<flashback to The Graduate>

Boycotting plastics would be quite a feat.

[Cleita]

2. I have been toying with this idea for a long time,

What if we formed cooperatives to produce goods that we would ordinarily buy in places like Walmart like household goods and clothes. Then we could sell them over the internet or from catalogs.

Stay at home mothers and anyone who is unemployed could make these things at home or part of them anyway. This could keep our overhead low so that we could sell competively.

Well, this idea needs a lot of work and some hard figures for a proposal. What do you think?

[Skidmore]

4. Yeah, that's a good idea.

And for more complicated products, you could identify US made products which are produced with environment and fair labor practices in mind. Those companies could be invited to expand their marketing to include coops.

[HughBeaumont]

3. January 20th comes to mind

People who aren't physically in D.C. to disrupt the inauguration parade could hold mock parades/swearing in of their own. Either that or boycott businesses, picket Repuke-favorite businesses, etc. on that day. January 20th should serve as a National Civil Disobedience day.

[donsu]

5. Good Idea! - Jan. 20th as National Civil Disobedience Day

and like the mothers of the disappeared who protested one day each week, day in and day out, year in and year out.


we could protest every Sun. morning.

[Skidmore]

6. Sunday morning would be an interesting choice

since it competes with most church services. If progressive Christians joined protests instead of congregations it would begin to make a point. Create a democratic fellowship instead--ecumenical.