I got to meet her back in college! What's wild is she was not an activist at all, prior to doing the tree sit. She showed up to one meeting and was like, "WTF they want to cut down a 1000-year old tree?!"
This is fascinating stuff. I think you are on to something, Karma, but alas, it's even bigger that direct action. It's systemic. Democracy is broken -- from election interference and voter suppression, to campaign finance, to polarization, to the breakdown of our systems checks and balances. We can no longer treat the symptoms of a malignant democracy. We need to focus on the root -- like bad genes, the wrong diet or lead poisoning.. As America has been seduced by the narcissism of capitalism, the threads of community and greater good that hold us together as a society have frayed -- we can no longer function. (e.g. Govt shutdown). Throw in the toxic hypnosis of algorithms and political polarization, and we have lost the heart of humanity. Sitting in front of tree that's about to be chopped down might prevent a micro-aggression here and there, but I'm afraid it's like rearranging deck chairs on the Project 2025 oceanliner that's been careening our way for decades. I don't have the answer, but I agree, it's not marching around with signs. That train has already left the station. 💙❤️
This is a beautiful phrase, fellow writer. I want to hold onto it.
I agree 100%. That's one reason I think direct action is so important right now--we can't rely on political leaders to listen or care. We can't trust that legislative tools will help us. But you know what blew my mind? I was reading up on the Birmingham campaign (that led to the Civl Rights Act) last week. At the beginning of April they were nearly broke and the campaign was in total crisis. By May 8th, they had shut down the city, thousands had been arrested, and their actions had inspired JFK to write the Civil Rights Act. That really made me think. But we can't get there without strategy.
It all seems really bleak, no doubt. The comfort I take in living through collapse is the more wrong things go, the more there is a need for caring, compassionate people to set things right. I have thought a lot about what I can personally do to have an impact. And that's why I started writing about organizing, and putting together the training course. They say those who can't do, teach. I am not an organizer... I can barely organize my sock drawer. I am a communicator. Even back when I was involved in nationwide movements, I would write press releases and media kits for the campaign. But that's the beauty of organizing. It takes all kinds of skills, not just bodies holding signs.
If protests are so great, how come the right never does them? If protests are so great, how come the Democrats have lost 2000 state house seats since 2008? If protests are so great, why couldn't do the Democrats beat the world's worst person in 2016 and 2024? If protests are so great, why are we in this mess?
They're rhetorical questions and I post them with all due respect.
The great Jane McAlevey believed that awareness campaigns didn't work. I agree.
The great Notorious RBG said this about protests: "Protests are important. But changing the culture means nothing if the law doesn't change". Laws are made by legislators. Legislators are elected by the people. It’s how it works. Electing lawmakers means organizing.
You mentioned the civil rights movement. What so many forget (I'm not saying you have) is that every freedom march was about an ask - voting rights. So yes, they marched. But it was crystal clear what they were marching about.
Tomorrow, look around. See how many different messages you see on signs. If it's like the last one, and the one before that one, and the one before that, etc., you'll see a million different messages. This isn't organizing, this is complaining. And as the shithead and swine Jeff Bezos says, "Complaining isn't a strategy".
No, I'm not bagging on the protests. Far from it. I'll be there tomorrow, I was at the last one. And the one before that, the one before that one, etc. I'm there to meet others, to rally people to organize around a simple platform that's popular with millions of Americans.
Tell me if you disagree with any of these:
1. A good paying job, good education, good and affordable housing
2. Clean and healthy environment - clean air, food, and water
3. Medicare For All
4. Free speech
5. Publicly funded elections
6. Public banking
7. Freedom from unfair competition and monopolies
8. Economic protection during sickness, accident, old age, or unemployment
9. Department of Peace
10. Fighting climate violence and pandemics
I believe everything we're facing today is covered if we elect Democratic politicians that'd run on this platform and only this platform. Leave identity politics out. Name me one issue that's important to the left and I'll tell you how it's solved in this platform.
BTW. Nothing here is an original idea and I'm not looking to be famous. Steal this platform, please. The platform is simply and updated version of FDR's Economic Bill of Rights.
How do we get there? By forming a citizens group that's millions strong. With about 15 million members, we'd now control the Democratic Party. The Democrats would have to work for us, instead of their donor class. The Tea Party did it and we can do it too.
So yes, I'll be there. But I'm not about protesting. I'm about organizing. Because nothing will change unless we organize.
"Take a sweeping look at our history and you will discover that almost all movements that mattered started with just one or two people - from the fight to abolish slavery, to the creations of the environmental, trade union, consumer protection and civil rights movements. One voice becomes two, and then ten, and then thousands.”— Ralph Nader
"This isn't organizing, this is complaining." Ah ha ha ha I love that.
So originally this post was going to be about the two kinds of actions most Americans do: symbolic and legislative. But I talk too much so I decided to make each a separate post. I will be thinking of you when I polish the legislative post.
Think of it like this: legislative change enshrines our values into law. But protest clarifies *what those values are.* I hope i have made pretty clear that I am in agreement that disorganized protests aren't going to move the needle. Protest is not just one kind of tactic and tactics can't be defended out of context.
But change does not come from the top down. Or at least, sometimes those in power need a bit of a nudge. The Civil Rights Act is a perfect example. JFK supported it in theory but was afraid to move forward because he barely won the South. It was only because of the Birmingham Campaign that he finally decided to write the legislation. But I will stop talking about this before I start writing another whole blog post in the comments. More to come on this topic!
Form a citizens group of at least 15 million people. The citizens group would only vote for Democratic candidates who back all 10 points of this platform.
OK, but what do you do after you vote? Voting is the least we can do as citizens. Direct action empowers you to act now, rather than waiting for your next turn at the ballot box.
Great to see the mention of Julia Butterfly! She was a big inspiration to me as a teen in the '90s.
I got to meet her back in college! What's wild is she was not an activist at all, prior to doing the tree sit. She showed up to one meeting and was like, "WTF they want to cut down a 1000-year old tree?!"
Howdy Karma,
I’m seeing irrational exuberance from Saturday’s protest. So I wrote this.
https://townhallcitizen.substack.com/p/ill-believe-that-change-is-happening?r=6ota4n
What say you?
This is fascinating stuff. I think you are on to something, Karma, but alas, it's even bigger that direct action. It's systemic. Democracy is broken -- from election interference and voter suppression, to campaign finance, to polarization, to the breakdown of our systems checks and balances. We can no longer treat the symptoms of a malignant democracy. We need to focus on the root -- like bad genes, the wrong diet or lead poisoning.. As America has been seduced by the narcissism of capitalism, the threads of community and greater good that hold us together as a society have frayed -- we can no longer function. (e.g. Govt shutdown). Throw in the toxic hypnosis of algorithms and political polarization, and we have lost the heart of humanity. Sitting in front of tree that's about to be chopped down might prevent a micro-aggression here and there, but I'm afraid it's like rearranging deck chairs on the Project 2025 oceanliner that's been careening our way for decades. I don't have the answer, but I agree, it's not marching around with signs. That train has already left the station. 💙❤️
"seduced by the narcissism of capitalism"
This is a beautiful phrase, fellow writer. I want to hold onto it.
I agree 100%. That's one reason I think direct action is so important right now--we can't rely on political leaders to listen or care. We can't trust that legislative tools will help us. But you know what blew my mind? I was reading up on the Birmingham campaign (that led to the Civl Rights Act) last week. At the beginning of April they were nearly broke and the campaign was in total crisis. By May 8th, they had shut down the city, thousands had been arrested, and their actions had inspired JFK to write the Civil Rights Act. That really made me think. But we can't get there without strategy.
It all seems really bleak, no doubt. The comfort I take in living through collapse is the more wrong things go, the more there is a need for caring, compassionate people to set things right. I have thought a lot about what I can personally do to have an impact. And that's why I started writing about organizing, and putting together the training course. They say those who can't do, teach. I am not an organizer... I can barely organize my sock drawer. I am a communicator. Even back when I was involved in nationwide movements, I would write press releases and media kits for the campaign. But that's the beauty of organizing. It takes all kinds of skills, not just bodies holding signs.
If protests are so great, how come the right never does them? If protests are so great, how come the Democrats have lost 2000 state house seats since 2008? If protests are so great, why couldn't do the Democrats beat the world's worst person in 2016 and 2024? If protests are so great, why are we in this mess?
They're rhetorical questions and I post them with all due respect.
The great Jane McAlevey believed that awareness campaigns didn't work. I agree.
The great Notorious RBG said this about protests: "Protests are important. But changing the culture means nothing if the law doesn't change". Laws are made by legislators. Legislators are elected by the people. It’s how it works. Electing lawmakers means organizing.
You mentioned the civil rights movement. What so many forget (I'm not saying you have) is that every freedom march was about an ask - voting rights. So yes, they marched. But it was crystal clear what they were marching about.
Tomorrow, look around. See how many different messages you see on signs. If it's like the last one, and the one before that one, and the one before that, etc., you'll see a million different messages. This isn't organizing, this is complaining. And as the shithead and swine Jeff Bezos says, "Complaining isn't a strategy".
No, I'm not bagging on the protests. Far from it. I'll be there tomorrow, I was at the last one. And the one before that, the one before that one, etc. I'm there to meet others, to rally people to organize around a simple platform that's popular with millions of Americans.
Tell me if you disagree with any of these:
1. A good paying job, good education, good and affordable housing
2. Clean and healthy environment - clean air, food, and water
3. Medicare For All
4. Free speech
5. Publicly funded elections
6. Public banking
7. Freedom from unfair competition and monopolies
8. Economic protection during sickness, accident, old age, or unemployment
9. Department of Peace
10. Fighting climate violence and pandemics
I believe everything we're facing today is covered if we elect Democratic politicians that'd run on this platform and only this platform. Leave identity politics out. Name me one issue that's important to the left and I'll tell you how it's solved in this platform.
BTW. Nothing here is an original idea and I'm not looking to be famous. Steal this platform, please. The platform is simply and updated version of FDR's Economic Bill of Rights.
How do we get there? By forming a citizens group that's millions strong. With about 15 million members, we'd now control the Democratic Party. The Democrats would have to work for us, instead of their donor class. The Tea Party did it and we can do it too.
So yes, I'll be there. But I'm not about protesting. I'm about organizing. Because nothing will change unless we organize.
"Take a sweeping look at our history and you will discover that almost all movements that mattered started with just one or two people - from the fight to abolish slavery, to the creations of the environmental, trade union, consumer protection and civil rights movements. One voice becomes two, and then ten, and then thousands.”— Ralph Nader
Thanks for your work, I'm grateful,
"This isn't organizing, this is complaining." Ah ha ha ha I love that.
So originally this post was going to be about the two kinds of actions most Americans do: symbolic and legislative. But I talk too much so I decided to make each a separate post. I will be thinking of you when I polish the legislative post.
Think of it like this: legislative change enshrines our values into law. But protest clarifies *what those values are.* I hope i have made pretty clear that I am in agreement that disorganized protests aren't going to move the needle. Protest is not just one kind of tactic and tactics can't be defended out of context.
But change does not come from the top down. Or at least, sometimes those in power need a bit of a nudge. The Civil Rights Act is a perfect example. JFK supported it in theory but was afraid to move forward because he barely won the South. It was only because of the Birmingham Campaign that he finally decided to write the legislation. But I will stop talking about this before I start writing another whole blog post in the comments. More to come on this topic!
All love, sister
We the people can do it. How?
Form a citizens group of at least 15 million people. The citizens group would only vote for Democratic candidates who back all 10 points of this platform.
OK, but what do you do after you vote? Voting is the least we can do as citizens. Direct action empowers you to act now, rather than waiting for your next turn at the ballot box.
"Direct action"
Organizing to get behind behind the idea of taking over the Democratic Party. Then, making sure representatives keep their promise.
And, holding representatives accountable; did they vote for a bill that contradicts the platform, etc.