in my last org we literally started or ended every actual real business meeting with a song and maybe 75% of the time it was restorative and community building and fun and felt great
and then 25% of the time it would be the founder enthusiastically casting around for someone to start a song while we all just begrudgingly got through it so we could go do our work
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 18 December 2017 22:06 (six years ago) link
lol yes no forced singing. And, my point, the songs should really be closer to something you'd listen to or sing for fun, not something you grind out for The Cause.
I mean look at churches. They're terrible, their whole schtick is terrible, most church organists and pianists are serviceable at best, and yet HYMNS. HYMNS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD. I can have a good 19th cent. hymn stuck in my head for a week and I don't even believe in that shit.
― Conic section rebellion 44 (in orbit), Monday, 18 December 2017 22:21 (six years ago) link
repetition is very powerful -- how many times had you heard those hymns? many times for many years. what other songs could you really say that about, esp at a formative age? i do agree about church/gospel songs for sure.
walking and singing for me pleasei'll take inspirational stuff but no popular music - i don't want to sing "we're not gonna take it" with feeling i could stand to have a marching band playing something coolmy dad took me to one of john lewis's walks across the edmund pettus bridge in selma and i will not deny that i cried (a lot, not just repressed constipated tears/throat lump) while singing
into this idea, would give me a reason to go because honestly i hate yelling
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Monday, 18 December 2017 22:30 (six years ago) link
Yeah now that you mention it there was one BLM protest when Selma, the movie, had just come out, and we walked through Harlem (iirc) while someone pulled speakers playing "Glory" and it was one of the most powerful moments I can remember having at a movement event. I also hate yelling and the performative anger & conviction that you're somehow supposed to telegraph for 5 hours straight in the cold.
Anyway a clean Dream Act, very important. One thing I don't get, maybe Hoos does, is people on my timeline saying "They called ICE :( :( :(" because once you purposefully make headlines as undocumented people getting arrested, doesn't ICE pretty much just know where to find you? Rally in support of the 7 tonight in Union Square.
― Conic section rebellion 44 (in orbit), Monday, 18 December 2017 22:46 (six years ago) link
i think there are a lot of people who don't enjoy yelling
it's not a future i hope for us, but i can imagine hilarious scenarios of thousands of people singing "war pigs" in unison
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Monday, 18 December 2017 22:51 (six years ago) link
yeah like man in the last year i have just fuckin lost it during songs happening at high-strung moments
right after the election we got up one morning and sang "eyes on the prize" and i was just a mess
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 18 December 2017 22:56 (six years ago) link
that's what this is all about imoit helps you gather strength and also express emotionsorry (not sorry) to be a cheese
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Monday, 18 December 2017 22:57 (six years ago) link
i'd be way into being in a drum corps with some horns playing some uplifting tuneseven in the cold! idk i have the wherewithal to organize it, but i would accept an invitation for sure
― weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Monday, 18 December 2017 22:59 (six years ago) link
once you purposefully make headlines as undocumented people getting arrested, doesn't ICE pretty much just know where to find you?
― Conic section rebellion 44 (in orbit), Monday, December 18, 2017 10:46 PM (nine minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
yes and no--jail solidarity is a way to stall that process out, as is deliberately planning actions in ostensible sanctuary cities that won't cooperate with ICE.
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 18 December 2017 23:05 (six years ago) link
pro-Dreamer action for NYC tonight
Event Name: #CleanDREAMActNow RallyWhat: RallyWhen: Tues., Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m.Where: Sen. Chuck Schumer's Home, 9 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, NY 11215
― ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 19 December 2017 18:12 (six years ago) link
This morning, ICE detained Ravi Ragbir, Executive Director of New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City, prominent immigrant rights activist and father, despite having pending legal challenges.
Call ICE: NYC ICE Field Office Director: 212-238-4530NYC ICE Field Office: 212-264-4213ICE Office of Policy: 202-732-4292
Script: “Hello, my name is_____, and I am requesting that ICE release Ravi Ragbir, A Number: 044-248-862. Ravi was detained today in New York City. Ravi is a husband, father, and cherished community leader, and we need him here in the United States. I respectfully ask you to release him from detention and grant him a new stay of removal. Thank you.”
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 11 January 2018 22:08 (six years ago) link
Sunrise is a group of good young people doing some of the most important work going this year. This speaking tour is intended to absorb new members that will be the footsoldiers first in bird-dogging efforts through the summer town halls, and then form part of the volunteer base for climate champion candidates across the country. Having a Sunrise leader speak in your community--at your church, your campus, your community center--is just the first step in their longer haul plan, and I'm really excited to be a part of it. You can sign up at the link below.
Sunrise is building an army of young people to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. We unite to make climate change an urgent priority across this country, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and wellbeing of all people. In February, we’re sending teams of Sunrise Speakers on tour to host community events about climate change, why it’s happening, and what we can do together right now to make 2018 a watershed moment in the fight to stop climate change.Our presentation covers the impacts of climate change today, why it’s happening, and share what young people across the United States are doing to stop climate change and strengthen our communities in the process. For high school audiences, our presentation meets Next Generation Science Standards and will leave students with tangible next steps to make climate change a visible and urgent issue in their community.If you are interested in hosting an event, fill out the form below and we will be in touch!
Our presentation covers the impacts of climate change today, why it’s happening, and share what young people across the United States are doing to stop climate change and strengthen our communities in the process. For high school audiences, our presentation meets Next Generation Science Standards and will leave students with tangible next steps to make climate change a visible and urgent issue in their community.
If you are interested in hosting an event, fill out the form below and we will be in touch!
https://actionnetwork.org/forms/host-a-sunrise-event-this-spring-2?link_id=1&can_id=c92e434a820194b0a5d86c4da21346cf&source=email-9-speakers-5-states-12000-young-people-2&email_referrer=email_288097&email_subject=9-speakers-5-states-12000-young-people
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 18 January 2018 19:05 (six years ago) link
Women ‘s marches and events this weekend
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 18 January 2018 19:38 (six years ago) link
The right hates politically active college students—especially those of color—above all b/c it’s the only time in many peoples lives they’re not 60k in debt and arent paranoid of their bosses and can ask deeper questions about society e.g. the ultimate sin in capitalism.— Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) February 20, 2018
― ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 20 February 2018 15:56 (six years ago) link
DSA Refoundation makes their pitch for not endorsing Nixon and co.
https://medium.com/@NBKNoOnNixon/the-case-against-endorsing-cynthia-nixon-and-jumaane-williams-21a94bbb7b18
― wayne trotsky (Simon H.), Tuesday, 24 July 2018 18:39 (five years ago) link
imo this is good
*reflexively tightens message board armor*
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Tuesday, 24 July 2018 21:08 (five years ago) link
The Medium piece makes many extremely good arguments -- agree.
― There's more Italy than necessary. (in orbit), Tuesday, 24 July 2018 22:39 (five years ago) link
Even more in-depth stuff from Ackerman on electoral strategy and the peculiarities of US electoral politics
https://jacobinmag.com/2018/07/electoral-rules-third-party-ballot-line-ocasio-cortez-dsa
― wayne trotsky (Simon H.), Thursday, 26 July 2018 15:09 (five years ago) link
I really appreciate Ackerman contending with the realities of first past the post voting and the degree to which the two parties have a structurally enforced monopoly on power at the federal level--not enough people who think about the viability of "third parties" take these structural problems into account. I also think he's right that we need a party-like structure, but I'm with Refoundation in believing it's got to be a party in the "mass" sense of the term; what he describes here for his (uh) party-like sounds more like Corbyn's Momentum or even Bernie's Our Rev, a membership org with a line whose main political gesture is working to hold its ostensible elected champions to account. As my gf likes to say "that's what Our Rev is for."
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 26 July 2018 16:27 (five years ago) link
Do you know of any existing models to base such a party on (or at least derive inspiration)?
― wayne trotsky (Simon H.), Thursday, 26 July 2018 16:31 (five years ago) link
The Labor Party in the US provides an interesting and relatively recent example:
https://socialistrevolution.org/the-fight-for-socialism-and-the-lessons-of-the-labor-party
Ultimately what I think is to be done is build an organization capable of doing what Ackerman describes _along with_ a primary capacity of mass action, study, agitation, and organizing--which is to say, something like a fusion of DSA and Our Rev, whether through a strategic popular front alliance or a literal fusion.
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 26 July 2018 16:56 (five years ago) link
Also a good historical dive on the distinctions between the two here: https://rtuc.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/the-concept-of-a-mass-party/
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 26 July 2018 17:04 (five years ago) link
oh duh also Syriza
they and others are favorably cited here: http://socialistnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Socialists-and-the-Mass-Organisations-Ver-2.pdf
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 26 July 2018 17:05 (five years ago) link
cheers HOOS
― wayne trotsky (Simon H.), Thursday, 26 July 2018 17:19 (five years ago) link
Last pushes?
― ヽ(´ー`)┌ (CompuPost), Sunday, 4 November 2018 22:03 (five years ago) link
Really shocked to canvass for Max Rose yesterday in Bay Ridge and see literally zero Donovan canvassers in the area (and heard that it was similar in Staten Island), and equally as shocked to get so many enthusiastic responses while textbanking for Indiana today.
Have to say, textbanking has been really gratifying, esp. as someone who haaaaaaates phonebanking and generally talking on the phone to strangers. Folks have been really responsive, and have already had a few long texts helping random people figure out where they need to be or what they'll need.
― ヽ(´ー`)┌ (CompuPost), Sunday, 4 November 2018 22:08 (five years ago) link
The GOTV push will not end until Tuesday evening, so if you can contact a local campaign you support, they ought to be able to slot you in still.
This year has been too crazy at home to do any volunteering. We did increase our donations to nine different politically active organizations in 2017 and maintained that level again this year. We also gave $100 to the Blue Wave PAC founded by Sen. Merkeley and another $100 to the Oregon's Democratic governor's campaign. It's what we could do.
― A is for (Aimless), Sunday, 4 November 2018 22:11 (five years ago) link
We went out (with kids!) to Tracy, CA (~1.5hrs from our home in SF) to support Josh Harder for the House yesterday. The volunteer office was buzzing, I saw a former co-worker. We went to a Democrat-friendly neighborhood in Tracy proper. Probably didn't help that much but good to do something.
In retrospect I wish we had driven further and gone to help out Jessica Morse, who we also like but who has less of a supply of volunteers to draw from.
― fajita seas, Monday, 5 November 2018 21:48 (five years ago) link
VOTE HARDER
― Οὖτις, Monday, 5 November 2018 21:50 (five years ago) link
Contacting Iowa Dems this morning out of pure spite, very encouraging amount of responses. Less than a day left to vengefully GOTV!
― ヽ(´ー`)┌ (CompuPost), Tuesday, 6 November 2018 14:12 (five years ago) link
I recommend this program to support people in ICE detention, if you're in California: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MOIfwwLrGcgJf15sv_eqW_38FCKfv4Pgdq4UOhA2Fnk/edit#
― Οὖτις, Friday, 14 February 2020 22:39 (four years ago) link
in light of recent Border Patrol/ICE coordination threat, worth bearing in mind:
Many ICE agents say their jobs have become increasingly difficult, three years into Trump’s presidency, because of robust campaigns by immigrant advocacy organizations seeking to safeguard immigrants living in the country illegally by educating them on the legal limitations that ICE officers face. As a result, in many communities where immigrants living in the country illegally reside, when ICE agents are spotted, people now turn immediately to their phones to alert neighbors that they should stay inside.
support/participate in these types of activities, people
― Οὖτις, Friday, 14 February 2020 22:49 (four years ago) link
Gee, ICE agents say their jobs are more "difficult" when immigrants know the "legal limitations ICE officers face". Fuck them. Fuck them royally, for being nostalgic for when they were more easily able to exceed their fucking legal limitations.
― A is for (Aimless), Friday, 14 February 2020 23:03 (four years ago) link
as far as I can tell a lot of those limitations are because they are enforcing *civil* infractions with these sweeps, which places significant restraints on what level of force/tactics they are allowed to use
― Οὖτις, Friday, 14 February 2020 23:05 (four years ago) link
did some canvassing for jessica cisneros again (progressive house candidate running against conservative dem henry cuellar) and her stafffer told me today that their polls show a tied race, so here's hoping she pulls off the upset
― majority whip, majority nae nae (m bison), Sunday, 23 February 2020 23:18 (four years ago) link
So - admitting I'm far too much of a coward to throw myself in front of bullets - what can be done to fight the inherent dead-ender shitstorm that's coming this week?
― Nhex, Monday, 11 January 2021 20:29 (three years ago) link