In a social media post sent late on Thanksgiving, US president said he would ‘end all federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens’ following Washington DC shooting
What does any of that have to do with the issues in question? How does suing help when he ignores the courts? How does pestering your congressperson help if they don’t, or can’t, do anything?
This kind of “Just rise up!” thinking downplays the very real hurdles to effective mass organization. We need specific, scheduled actions with points of contact and well-defined scopes.
Why can’t your congress person do anything? Of course they can. If nothing else they wield power through influence, and at present they are not using that power to push back against these actions in any meaningful way. Clearly they are not being pressured enough by their constituents. And yes, you do need specific scheduled actions. Be part of that change and push back against the government who ultimately answers to you, the people.
edit: like c’mon, the response to your president enacting illegal & fascist orders is not to say “well who is going to do anything?”, it’s to speak out and act up. Are y’all really that defeatist?
That’s not what I’m saying at all. I think you’ve lost the context here. Let me summarize the exchange:
“Who is going to hold him accountable when Congress and the courts won’t?”
“The people should rise up”
“How?”
“By using the courts and Congress”
This is where I’m confused. I’m not saying those aren’t things we should do, but this was explicitly a question about what to do when those methods are failing.
No, I don’t think enough people are doing that, and I think that organization and advocation is needed rather than going on social media to spread defeatism.
I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree. Like it or not, saying “Who is going to stop him?” is promoting a defeatist attitude amongst anyone who reads it. Why not say, “Fuck this, I’m writing to my congress person and taking to the streets again with everyone who I can possibly convince.” No one person is going to solve this alone, but a whole lot of people saying “Well what now 🤷” isn’t actually helpful.
What does any of that have to do with the issues in question? How does suing help when he ignores the courts? How does pestering your congressperson help if they don’t, or can’t, do anything?
This kind of “Just rise up!” thinking downplays the very real hurdles to effective mass organization. We need specific, scheduled actions with points of contact and well-defined scopes.
Why can’t your congress person do anything? Of course they can. If nothing else they wield power through influence, and at present they are not using that power to push back against these actions in any meaningful way. Clearly they are not being pressured enough by their constituents. And yes, you do need specific scheduled actions. Be part of that change and push back against the government who ultimately answers to you, the people.
edit: like c’mon, the response to your president enacting illegal & fascist orders is not to say “well who is going to do anything?”, it’s to speak out and act up. Are y’all really that defeatist?
That’s not what I’m saying at all. I think you’ve lost the context here. Let me summarize the exchange:
“Who is going to hold him accountable when Congress and the courts won’t?”
“The people should rise up”
“How?”
“By using the courts and Congress”
This is where I’m confused. I’m not saying those aren’t things we should do, but this was explicitly a question about what to do when those methods are failing.
I’m afraid I don’t understand. If Congress won’t hold him accountable, make them.
How though? You think people aren’t already calling, emailing, literally writing letters? How do we make them?
No, I don’t think enough people are doing that, and I think that organization and advocation is needed rather than going on social media to spread defeatism.
No one is promoting defeatism, I think you might have a habit of assuming questions are rhetorical when they aren’t.
The question is that of organization. Just saying to organize isn’t an answer. How do you organize millions of people?
I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree. Like it or not, saying “Who is going to stop him?” is promoting a defeatist attitude amongst anyone who reads it. Why not say, “Fuck this, I’m writing to my congress person and taking to the streets again with everyone who I can possibly convince.” No one person is going to solve this alone, but a whole lot of people saying “Well what now 🤷” isn’t actually helpful.
Again, only if you assume “What now?” is a rhetorical question.
Because that requires organization.