DUers Participation in May First General Strike/Boycott

[expatriot]

Sundays are slow on DU but let's see what kind of numbers we can get on this one.

[bluestateguy]

1. I just can't participate tomorrow

Nor can I support general amnesty for all illegal aliens, but otherwise I am sympathetic to the marchers. I just hope all of the other causes (anti-war, pro-choice, etc.) do not decide to piggy back along. They should have their own marches. In fact, I wish the anti-war movement could have mustered these kinds of numbers. I'm rather impressed and in awe of what the immigrant rights groups have done. It just goes to show you that when an issue has real world significance for people, the demonstrators will turn out. That is the case with immigration, but it's not the case with the war. Too many people don't have a relative in the war, and there is no draft (I oppose bringing back the draft, BTW).

Tomorrow happens to be a very important day for me at my place of work. I have a presentation to give that has been in the works for months now. It cannot be rescheduled.

[stray cat]

2. Mixed feelings

I am sympathetic but I also have friends who want to immigrate legally and can't. Should they get penalized for trying to do it legally?

[readmoreoften]

3. I'm already on strike. But I'm going to double strike.

I think that this tactic will be crucial to stopping the war on Iran. We need to begin to understand the meaning of "general strike."

1) Our voices don't count. Our votes don't matter. Even 500,000 people in the streets is a one-time buried news article.
2) Violence isn't an option. Not only is it unsavory and non-productive, it will only increase the surveillance against us.
3) "Buy Nothing" Days are difficult to effect on a mass scale. It is a lonely, individual act. You don't feel solidarity with others. And there is always the question, what about gas? what about food? how can I get to the rally without gas? do I just "stock up"? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?

Our best option is a general strike. We can start with one day. If enough people strike for one day, it becomes a "buy nothing" day anyhow.

Will a one day strike be risky? Yes. Will a handful of people lose employment? Probably.

But we might have to suffer a little inconvenience to stop this administration from killing 3 million people in 12 hours with a nuclear device. (according to well-touted pentagon analysis).

It will be time to "shut it down." We have to learn what this means. We are agents of history.

I hope that no matter where people stand on immigration, they take a hard look at this tactic.

[noamnety]

4. joining the boycott, but not striking

I get ten days a year. This year I've used 6 for activist stuff, and gave away 4 to coworkers with medical problems, so they wouldn't get docked pay.

I'll be there in spirit.

[quickesst]

5. Monday's....

A-OK with me. My unemployed workers comensation check won't be here until Tuesday anyway.:shrug: Thanks.
quickesst

[MelliMel]

6. A one day boycott is fairly useless

People who are boycotting will buy whatever they would not have bought today or later in the week. Economically, it'll even out. For boycotts to be truly successful, they need to be sustained over a period of time.

[readmoreoften]

7. Agreed.

Only the strike will be significant.

[teknomanzer]

8. I don't think the idea is to paralyze the economy...

or hold the economy hostage. I think the organizers realize that its too early in the game to do so, it might spark a serious backlash. However, a single day boycott would demonstrate on a large scale that such disruption is indeed possible. They are making the message clear... these people are out there making things happend that most of America takes for granted. i.e. Who is going to clean up the mess in the bathroom? Who is going to do the laundry? Who is going to harvest the crops? Who is going to change the bedding? Who going to process all these chickens? Who is going to assemble these parts? Who is going to wash all these dishes? Who is going to bus these tables? Who is going clean my house? Who is going to do the landscaping? and so on...

[expatriot]

10. exactly. nt

[Deja Q]

13. That too - well reasoned response.

Welcome to DU, BTW! :party: :bounce: :toast:

[RebelOne]

9. I am not in favor of this boycott and strike.

Why should illegal immigrants be granted amnesty when there are so many who are waiting to legally enter this country? Why should they be permitted to jump to the front of the line? Sorry, but I am against this illegal immigrant movement.

[Jim Warren]

11. The 1 hispanic/no support vote so far

is my wife who just sat down with me and is reading the board.
I'm anglo, she's hispanic and feels she worked hard, got no favors and played by the rules.

[Deja Q]

12. Not bothering.

It's just as empty as the whole of working class America not calling in for a week.

We have them exactly where they want us.

[readmoreoften]

14. Are you saying that a week long general strike would be a bad idea?

Do you really think that that's what the corporations and the GOP want?

[Raine]

15. Boycotting but

not joining any march or strike.