In the spirit of the burning a candle for solidarity hoax, I recently received the following in my email. Thought I'd share it with everyone; though I have no idea how it would attract the government's attention.
turn your back on the economy!!! Please share this email with as many people as possible...we can protest with our spirit!!!
NOT ONE DAMN DIME DAY
Since our religious leaders will not speak out against the war in Iraq, since our political leaders don't have the moral courage to oppose it, Inauguration Day, Thursday, January 20th, 2005 is "Not One Damn Dime Day" in America.
On "Not One Damn Dime Day" those who oppose what is happening in our name in Iraq can speak up with a 24-hour national boycott of all forms of consumer spending.
During "Not One Damn Dime Day" please don't spend money. Not one damn dime for gasoline. Not one damn dime for necessities or for impulse purchases.
Not one damn dime for anything for 24 hours.
On "Not One Damn Dime Day," please boycott Walmart, KMart and Target. Please don't go to the mall or the local convenience store. Please don't buy any fast food (or any groceries at all for that matter).
For 24 hours, please do what you can to shut the retail economy down.
The object is simple. Remind the people in power that the war in Iraq is immoral and illegal; that they are responsible for starting it and that it is their responsibility to stop it.
"Not One Damn Dime Day" is to remind them, too, that they work for the people of the United States of America, not for the international corporations and K Street lobbyists who represent the corporations and funnel cash into American politics.
"Not One Damn Dime Day" is about supporting the troops. The politicians put the troops in harm's way. Now 1,200 brave young Americans and (some estimate) 100,000 Iraqis have died. The politicians owe our troops a plan -- a way to come home.
There's no rally to attend. No marching to do. No left or right wing agenda to rant about. On "Not One Damn Dime Day" you take action by doing nothing. You open your mouth by keeping your wallet closed.
For 24 hours, nothing gets spent, not one damn dime, to remind our religious leaders and our politicians of their moral responsibility to end the war in Iraq and give America back to the people.
It is pointless actually. People will either buy the stuff the day before or the day after.
Maegan
Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 | 10:32 AM
I participate in Not One Damn Dime Day all the time. I hardly ever have a buck, let alone one damn dime.
myst
Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 | 12:38 PM
I know the feeling Maegan.
Charybdis
Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 | 05:06 PM
Like myst says, this is a meaningless boycott. Just like the "Boycott gasoline to protest high prices" emails.
Nobody is actually suggesting you refrain from purchasing a product at all (which might actually mean something) but rather offset your purchases by one day.
One day wouldn't even be noticed by producers and manufactures of products as their production is generally geared towards a weeks product or more on hand.
Only the vendors would notice and it would mostly be meaningless to them as well (I didn't sell anything today but I will sell double tomorrow - big whoop).
Maegan
Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 | 08:07 AM
When I worked in retail...we only cared about bringing in more than we paid for employees to work. If it was really slow & I had 3 or 4 people on...I'm send everyone but a single person home, this way if things picked up I still had help, but if it stayed slow...we weren't paying 3 people $6/hr to stand around. Then...we would make sure we pushed as much as we could on our regular busy days.
Joe
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 | 08:57 PM
Well I think it's a great idea. I don't think it will change the world, but is a symbolic fart in church while they crown the king. This evil man has turned religious people into his unwitting pawns. Satan couldn't do better at deceiving people with good intentions.
Hairy Houdini
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 | 09:04 PM
I think Joe has a damn good idea... Let's send about e-mails calling for a Symbolic Fart In Church Day. We could save our gas for several days before, letting loose with a profusion of gaseous commentary during the benediction portion of the inauguration. Let us spray. Bless me Father, for I have wind.
Becca
Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 | 07:03 PM
Are you kidding me guys? I'm doing it! I've gotta stop participating in at least this one thing that supports George W; our economy, and exploitative corporations. It will be a sad day when we are so addicted to these things that we can't even withdraw our support for one day.
BugbearSloth
Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 | 12:12 AM
Sorry, Hairy. That girl I sometimes (ahem) spend the night with says there is no way I would be able to save my gas for several days. This dude I work with has one of those remote control fart machines, though.
Julie
Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 | 03:49 AM
That lone man standing in front of the tank in Tianammen Square didn't exactly bring the repressive Chinese government to its knees, either, but there is a lot of symbolic power in what he did, isn't there? Ask yourself if you have that kind of courage. Start small - baby steps, one day boycotts. You can do it. Or is America a place filled with self-satisfied, cynical & lazy uber-consumers? Come on, people, spread the word! The Ukranians knew what to do when an election was stolen from them, in a way the Americans didn't seem to know how to do when Bush stole the 2000 election (and who knows, maybe he and Karl Rove and those Diebold voting machines did it again in 2004!) In the 60's, we knew how to get out into the streets and protest things we thought were wrong. It started slow, but it built up, and eventually, yes, we made the government rethink its policy in Vietnam. I for one am going to participate in this boycott, and I urge others not to be so cynical and to understand the power of symbolic gestures.
Hairy Houdini
Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 | 07:16 AM
I would prefer a symbolic gesture more along the lines of the response by the frat brothers from the movie Animal House. Disrupt the inaugural parade with a modified Lincoln in a parade cake float. RRRRRRRRamming Speed! See my thumb? GW's dumb.
Hairy Houdini
Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 | 10:11 AM
The question on this thread (I never divert from the thread subject. That's very important. So is regular dental checkups. And toast. Toast is essential for large gums.) is whether or not the call for a one-day boycott on Jan. 20th is/was a hoax. I've begun to think that it is a hoax, for this reason: If we all agree to sit it out on Jan. 20th, no driving, no shopping, no take-out, doesn't that sort of lessen and take away from the efforts by many to rally a mass demonstration in Washington, DC on that day? Is this just a plot to keep us from lining the parade route and showing GWB our Asses of Evil? Trust Noone Over Thirty Pounds, that's my motto. And "Toast is essential for large gums". That's my other motto. Next to "Please don't throw cigarette butts in the urinal." That's a good one, too.
Mike
Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 | 10:41 AM
Whether intended as a hoax or not, if enough people participate it automatically becomes real. For the cynics who say it won't matter because people will just buy a day earlier or day later - Duh! That is not the point. Of course people will eventually buy things - either that or die of starvation, thirst, or gum disease once they run out of toothpaste. The point is that if everyone participates on the same day those in power will be able to observe the boycott - just as a single fart in church may go undetected (depending on one's diet, of course), but 1,000 farts are sure to be noticed, especially if the stained glass windows don't open.
Hairy Houdini
Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 | 01:06 PM
But, won't they also watch us gas up before and after like lemmings? I've often thought that the whole "Buy duct tape and plastic" scare was a marketing test, to see what areas of the country showed a spike in duct tape and plastic sheeting, realize that that's where the fools are, and then market the war, and then the election, tailored with the knowledge of what areas will be most likely to see "red"? I'm all for a day of boycott, if it takes the form of a general strike. Call in sick- no work, no shopping, no consuming of any kind. No TV, no internet sales, no 1-900 numbers, nada. Zippo. Zero. Let's call it "Do Nothing To Do Something Day", or "NOT IN MY NAME, YOU VISCIOUS BASTARDS DAY", "No Means No, A-hole, Day", or my favorite: "Sex, Drugs, and Rock-and-Roll Day", just to make GW jealous.
Mike
Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 | 01:30 PM
Whether or not we gas up before or after is irrelevant, unless we are talking about a gas boycott or something of that magnitude, which is not likely to happen as long we are still in the midst of the national "buy an SUV orgy." What is important is that if no one participates, we know we are all just lone farts in scattered churches, synagogues and/or mosques, but if millions participate then we know that people are still paying attention.
On a positive note, it was reported in todays news that Bush's approval rating is down below 50 percent again. It was up for a while, probably because people tried to convince themselves that our president is not really an incompetent boob, but the strain of living in denial eventually became too great and they it up.
Finally, "Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll" will probably not make GW jealous because I am sure that he has indulged freely in whichever combination he enjoys most - although as a Republican his appreciation of the first is likely to involve some kinks, and the last to involve no.. well... Kinks...
Code
Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 | 12:20 AM
I feel quite strongly that there is a significant problem with this form of "protest". I believe it is tremendously misguided. I see no logical correlation between the cessation of consumer spending and an opinion against the war. While it may grab some brief media attention, I cannot see how it would directly affect our religious and political leaders opinions one way or the other. A reduction of consumer spending is exactly the opposite of what our fragile economy needs. Local governments, small businesses and churches are all largely facing a reduction in positive cash flow and are cutting back their spending and services. I fail to see how further reducing the income of our local business owners could equate with protesting the war in Iraq.
I suggest that anyone who wants to make a difference should do what they can to voice their opinion directly to the politicians responsible. Our president, our congressmen, our state senators and representatives-- these are the people who have the ability to stop the war. If they are overwhelmed by letters, phone calls and emails expressing our anti-war sentiments, they just might get motivated to work for the public opinion and stop it.
This is a lazy persons approach to political activism. Expressing oneself and being heard in a public forum requires energy, forethought and commitment. "There's no rally to attend. No marching to do."-- why not? Worldwide it has been proven again and again that coming out in large numbers in favor of a cause contrary to current government policy can shift that policy. Providing politicians with visible evidence that there is a majority of their constituents in favor of social change can be the motivation for social change. It would be wonderful if something as easy and anonymous as not spending anything for a day would have a similar effect. Do you really think it would? Who is going to let our leaders know that this is actually a protest if all involved do nothing, as we are being asked to do?
K
Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 | 07:09 PM
If your ultimate goal with this the withdrawal of troops from Iraq (despite the facts that there is further reconstruction to do, this would cause instability, and is counter the opinion of a majority of the troops) just know that you are at odds with the majority of the US population. Trying to screw up the economy partially to satisfy your half-assed qualms with our great capitalist system won't sway that public opinion, even if your plan is somehow successful. So have fun going without your necessities for a day. really. enjoy, maybe it'll lessen your guilt. Just remember, your protest isn't worth shit in the end.
Hairy Houdini Member
Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 | 08:05 PM
You're right. we need something really helpful like "Hands Across America". Was that to raise money or awareness or what? It's 15 years or more back, and I really don't remember. Truthfully, even if people were doing some of the things youse guys have suggested like contacting lawmakers and all the rational measures any good citizen probably knows to do anyway, it is still fun to entertain the thought of a mass symbolic action in addition to the logical. The folks who occupied Tiananmen Square in China used direct action in a symbolic way. We all love a theatrical response to absurdity, so let's keep the suggestions rolling. "Hands Across Our Asses Of Evil", or "Take Your Daughter To Washington Day", or "Stay Home and Drink Day". That one would be very popular
Citizen Premier
in San Diego
Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 | 09:28 PM
Add busters has their own anti-commerce day. The whole point is just to get people to realize how much of our lives is based on materialism.
Rex D.
in Milwaukee, WI Member
Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 | 06:08 PM
I'm totally down with the whole "Stay Home and Drink Day" thing. If thats what protestings all about, I've been doing the wrong thing all along. But really, even if in some cosmic catastrophy where everyone, and I mean everyone did absolutely nothing for a day, the government would think we were being rebelious, which they will not stand for. They will make sure we understand their authority in one way or another. What's to say they won't declare marshall law on the citizens of the good ol'U.S. of A.? It sure would be an effective way and excuse to bring about a new world order and do away with the constitution and the declaration of independence so as to give themselves free reign on America and it's citizens. Besides, one day, start small, whoever said that earlier in the thread, it's not like we're going to move on up to week long demonstrations. It won't happen. And one day won't really solve much of anything. <--What is this smiley looking at? I still say we do the "Stay Home and Drink Day" thing.
<--What is this smiley looking at? I still say we do the "Stay Home and Drink Day" thing.