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October 17, 2007 SHUT IT DOWN!
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You may have read about the idea here or in an article by Garret Keizer a contributing editor for HARPER’’s Magazine. In the October 2007 issue of the magazine Keizer makes the suggestion, one we believe is an excellent one, to hold a general strike to express our displeasure with the present administration, the congress and its policies.
Sick of it all are you? Iraq, Afghanistan where our young men and womane are dying to fill the pockets of those who already have too much? New Orleans where established families have been displaced and insurance companies cry, “I’m sorry you were not covered for those damages.” Incredulous about Jena Louisiana and the fact the town seems caught in a time warp remeniscent of 1937 Dixie?
Do you feel helpless to affect change in policies? There is something You can do. Express your disapproval of the system. Get the attention of the powers that be. All of us. Black white, Latino, Asian, Native Americans, immigrants legal and illegal. Workers, middle management, blue collar, white collar, laborers, low level executives. ALL OF US! You do not need to go anywhere to participate you can do this from you hometown, or your place of work.
SHUT IT DOWN OCTOBER 17, 2007!
We are plagued with unjust sentencing of juveniles and adults regardless of ethnicity. Our elderly face declining healthcare services with exorbitant prices for treatment and necessary drugs. Corporations no longer are beholding to the people who make it possible for executives to make 500 or 600 times what the average working stiff earns annually. Our children are in need of health insurance coverage as well as a decent education in order to perform basic reading and math to get them through a lifetime. If you are dissatisfied with restrictive laws, police brutality and security guards gone rabid, with so called security to provide the illusion of homeland security….you need to SHUT IT DOWN OCTOBER 17, 2007!
As fate would have it, Keizer’s idea has taken hold in the blogesphere. Here is the message. STAY HOME. Don’t shop. Don’t attend school. Don’t watch television. Do not drive. Do not go to work. Plan to participate in a general strike just like the Polish people did in 1980. They changed their society. They stand as ashining stalwart example of what the people can do when they decide to do it…to get it done!
No human being has anymore power than any other human being, except such as may willingly be delegated to him. The real interest of democracy is to exalt, emancipate and recognize the divinity of the human spirit. The institutionalized doctrine of Divine election is fatalistic. It is the social crime of every form of privilege and personal inequality.
If you believe in justice for all then you need to
SHUT IT DOWN OCTOBER 17, 2007!
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October 14th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Thank you for such an excellent article! We’re trying as hard as we can to raise awareness. If not this time, then the next. Soon enough, the critical mass of awareness will take hold, and then we can start taking our country back.
Over the past six years, we’ve had several enormous mass demonstrations, where millions of Americans were out on the streets across the Nation. these protests were under-reported by the Media, and dismissed by the President as, “a focus group.” So what else do we have in our kit bag? What is the next course on the menu of non-violent actions? Well, General Strike. In the past, they have been terrible confrontations, wrought with violence, arrests, and militaristic response.
We feel that our “Stay At Home” approach is the best because it requires no conflict, no travel, not sign-making, no permits, nobody gets arrested or tear gassed, and above all, we get rewarded with a day of leisure with our families, friends and pets. Throw in the “Buy Nothing” aspect involved with staying home, and we’ll accomplish a two-fer.
As soon as October 17th is done, we’ll set our sights on a new day, and keep organizing, publicizing, and pushing for solidarity.
New contributers to the Shut It Down Blog are always welcomed.
Thank you again for your support– I look forward to taking the day off with you!
Sincerely yours,
Monkeyfister