THE BASICS
What Is A Strike?
A strike places economic sanctions on a government; by refusing to work or spend money, production slows and corporate leaders, sensitive to negative changes in productivity and under pressure to satisfy shareholders put pressure on the government to make changes demanded by the striking body
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What Do We Hope to Accomplish?
At this stage, we will progress to the next step. In combination with reducing spending to necessities only and limiting spending as much as possible, we encourage everyone to work-to-rule or to slow their pace discreetly, so as not to risk serious repercussions. Eventually, we will hold a sustained, peaceful strike action when we will be in a position to make demands with confidence they will be met. We may in the meantime progress to rolling strikes. We need to remind our lawmakers that The Resistance has drawn a line in the sand and we are prepared to defend it. A traditional march-as-usual is symbolic of solidarity, but accomplishes little else
Why Are We Using A Strike Action?
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It will take more than a march-as-usual to stop the cruelty
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A traditional march is an easily ignored, and quickly forgotten annoyance
Who are we and what motivates us?
We have been advocating for a strike action for almost a year; this is a grassroots group in every sense of the word; we do not collect donations. We are encouraging the growth of an organic movement to fight against extreme republican policies and actions:
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to undermine the rule of law
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that are cruel and inhumane
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to systematically eradicate the weak & vulnerable
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that threaten our democracy
The tax bill combined with this administration's continued efforts to cut healthcare will force families to make life & death decisions for their family members; the drive to turn government run services into for-profit enterprises will cause costs to soar. Trump and the GOP are driving this country to destruction, economically, socially and spiritually. They only value wealth. Our democracy is on the brink of collapse.
What Are The Issues That Motivate Us?
The Children
Separating children from parents crossing the border is a crime against humanity. Without a reunification process some children will never be reunited with their parents again. The absence of a reunification process indicates there was never any intention to reunite them.
Seeking asylum is not a crime. This government enacted a Zero Tolerance policy to make crossing the border a criminal offense to create the legal framework to allow them to take children away from their parents. Trump and Sessions legalized torture. Parents are told their children are being taken temporarily for questioning or a bath and will be returned.These extreme actions result in permanent psychological damage and can induce ‘failure to thrive’ responses in babies and young children that can lead to death even though their nutritional needs are being met. Children are told they are not allowed to hug each other. Brothers and sisters are separated. They have no source of comfort.
This administration is separating and terrorizing these families and will agree to stop this policy in exchange for passing immigration bills that include money for the wall. Children must not be used as chattel for negotiating anything.
It is inhumane to commit these atrocities against children; it is un-American. These babies and children are alone, terrified and traumatized. This republican majority have legalized cruelty and torture and it must stop
Destruction of Democratic Norms
This is a fascist authoritarian regime and theocracy. Trump and the GOP are accelerating and intensifying their culture of cruelty. Here are some of the recent signs of the destruction of our democracy:
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Undermining the rule of law
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Trump's demands for an end to due process for families crossing the border
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Treatment of asylum seekers as criminals
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Separating children without any intention of reuniting them with their parents
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A 4600 page ACLU report detailing verbal, physical and sexual abuse of children
by CBP -
The ACLU has filed suits in MA, NH and VT seeking recourse for
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highway roadblocks demanding evidence of citizenship;
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bus raids;
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ICE arrests at courthouses;
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targeted arrests of immigrant rights activists
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Demands for DOJ documents pertaining to Robert Mueller's investigation
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Undermining the DOJ, FBI and the intelligence community
Racism
Endless racist and bigoted efforts that have now culminated in the Supreme Court ruling upholding Trump's racist ban on Muslims.
Economic Devastation
Economic policies, including the the tax bill and a budget that transfers wealth into the hands of the wealthy from the working class. A plan for privatization of most government run services and elimination of most social safety-net programs including massive cuts to healthcare will result in a massive increase in the cost of living with an equally devastating decrease in disposable income. Those affected most will be the disabled, the elderly, the sick including children and the poor.
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Remember is was this governments criminal negligence that resulted in an estimated loss of more than 4,600 hundred lives in Puerto Rico.
The definition of oppression:
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prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control; psychological distress
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synonyms: persecution, abuse, maltreatment ill-treatment, tyranny, despotism, repression
Philosophy of Organizational Structure
We are trying to capture the energy and magic of spontaneity. We will not have permits, there will not be bandstands, speakers and refreshments will not be served. It’s not a wedding. It’s a protest, which is a human right observed under international law. Argentina was successful in forcing their president to resign using a peaceful sustained strike action in 2001. It was not only the strike action that led to their success. It was their refusal to disperse when the law was sent out. They stood their ground.
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