Activate the Mechanism!

I wonder what would happen if people started hanging out in front of “Crisis Pregnancy Centers” with signs that said “This is not an abortion clinic” and “This is a religious institution”

ladyatheist:

invisiblelad:

abaldwin360:

I’m betting religious conservatives would flip out and try to have them removed.

This isn’t a bad idea though. Someone needs to inform people that they’re being wilfully mislead.

That’s a really good idea. Freedom of Speech goes both ways. If they’re allowed to protest outside abortion clinic, why can’t pro-choice people do it outside of CPCs?

          ^^ That was exactly my line of thinking here!

(via brashblacknonbeliever)

Is talking about/debating issues on the internet activism?

Yesterday, during the S.O.P.A. protest blackout, there was a lot of buzz around the internet that this type of thing was slactivism, aside from the fact that this is a logical flaw, and has proven to make a difference, it got me to thinking about how posting information on blogs, twitter, Facebook, or sites like reddit as well as the ensuing debates about this information could be seen as activism.

I’d like to share my personal story as to why I think this is.

When I first joined tumblr, I was ignorant of a lot of things. There was a lot I didn’t understand. I considered myself someone who was fair, who could see everyone as equals, that I felt that no one person was in anyway more important than another.

I’d always seen myself as a certain type of person, the type that wasn’t sexist or racist, I supported equality, no matter sex, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion (as long as they didn’t push them on people).

The thing is, I really didn’t understand what a lot of these movements were about. I mean, allowing homosexuals to marry made sense, equality made sense, not being a bigot made sense, but there was a lot inside these movements I didn’t understand.

I’ll be honest, I’ve said some dumb shit in my time. I thought about things the wrong way. I was a dick in a lot of ways. I didn’t quite understand how patriarchy worked, or why I shouldn’t talk over people or explain to them how they should feel about something, or why I shouldn’t jump into a discussion about racism among the people it affects.

I’ve learned a lot because of what I’ve read on tumblr. It’s helped me to understand a lot of the “whys” as to the things I listed above. 

It’s helped me to understand a lot of my own issues, and it’s helped me to understand myself better as well as given me a lot of insight into myself and helped me to see a lot of issues from other angles I might have not seen them from otherwise.

It’s helped me grow as a person and truly open my mind far beyond what it was before.

It made a difference, and it’s still making a difference, I’ve learned more about the “hows” and “whys” of so many movements from reading posts, links, and debates on tumblr.

So yes, it is activism, it makes a difference, it puts the information out there for so many people to see.

Keep up the good work tumbr bloggers! 

Let’s destroy a blockbuster.

stringpicker:

abaldwin360:

Chris Dodd’s statements about the blackout yesterday got me thinking.

These huge media distributes got so big making money from us. Money we paid for the entertainment they distribute. Money they in turn are trying to use to influence laws that would censor our internet and push far to harsh punishments on individual citizens. 

Just as I was thinking about the irony of this, I came across a thread on reddit that said we should black out the MPAA and not go to the movies for a weekend.

A comment on the thread suggested it might be more effective take a movie that’s expected to be a blockbuster and make it bomb. 

It wouldn’t be that difficult of a task, opening weekend is very important to the movie industry. They put a lot of money into marketing, advertising campaigns and the production of the movie it’s self.

Why not remind them where their money (that they are using to influence legislation) comes from.

I’ve seen a few suggestions for blacking out the new Batman move, if we could get people to stay home opening weekend it would go a long way to hitting them in the pocket book, the only thing these big media distributors care about.

Check out the thread on reddit here, and reblog if you have any suggestions on how to mobilize this… operation to kill the Batman and remind big media where their fortunes came from.  

I think that’s a great idea. Someone should create a catchy image or animated GIF and circulate it through Tumblr and Twitter. People don’t like to read, unfortunately. Wish I could do it, but 1) I can’t photoshop at work; and 2) I don’t have that many followers on Tumblr and I don’t tweet.

I can put a picture together later today, I’m liking the idea of calling it “Operation: Kill the Batman”.

Once I put it together, I’ll submit it to reddit as well.

(via marmoulak)

Let’s destroy a blockbuster.

Chris Dodd’s statements about the blackout yesterday got me thinking.

These huge media distributors got so big making money from us. Money we paid for the entertainment they distribute. Money they in turn are trying to use to influence laws that would censor our internet and push far too harsh punishments on individual citizens. 

Just as I was thinking about the irony of this, I came across a thread on reddit that said we should black out the MPAA and not go to the movies for a weekend.

A comment on the thread suggested it might be more effective take a movie that’s expected to be a blockbuster and make it bomb. 

It wouldn’t be that difficult of a task, opening weekend is very important to the movie industry. They put a lot of money into marketing, advertising campaigns and the production of the movie it’s self.

Why not remind them where their money (that they are using to influence legislation) comes from.

I’ve seen a few suggestions for blacking out the new Batman move, if we could get people to stay home opening weekend it would go a long way to hitting them in the pocket book, the only thing these big media distributors care about.

Check out the thread on reddit here, and reblog if you have any suggestions on how to mobilize this… operation to kill the Batman and remind big media where their fortunes came from.  

Is it right to crush free speech as long as the message is offensive to you personally?

Excerpt from NDAA Protests End In Ironic Swarm Of Arrests by Brandon Smith, via Activist Post

Is it right to crush free speech as long as the message is offensive to you personally? Do peaceful protestors really present a legitimate threat to our national stability? Are they truly more dangerous than a corrupt government hellbent on assassinating the legal protections of our natural rights which have existed for centuries? Would any supporter of the jackboot methodology like to explain to me in a coherent manner why they believe their skewed world view should be shielded from sincere questions? Please, I can’t wait to witness the kind of ridiculous mental gymnastics required to make such arguments palatable. If this kind of ignorance wasn’t so destructive, it might actually be entertaining.

The bottom line is, it doesn’t matter if these activists were in Grand Central Terminal, on the streets, or busting through the doors of the Oval Office. While New York authorities will attempt to argue property loopholes in free speech protections for Grand Central, or national security because of the vulnerability of the terminal, really, this has nothing to do with either. This is about the removal of American voices from a room, and nothing more. If the message is going to be suppressed by the mainstream media, and shrugged off by representatives, then protesters must go to where the people are, and make the truth heard by whatever means necessary.

Ultimately, activism is about disturbing people’s normal mundane routines and shocking them out of their pop-culture stupor, even if for a moment. If we aren’t allowed to do that without constant police intervention, then the First Amendment is not being served, and then, my friends, we have a problem, a problem which should be forced down the throat of government with even more public action.

Oakland Police’s press release: would be right at home in the Syrian Information Ministry

occupywallstreet:

From last night’s press release from the Oakland Police Department:

Q. Did the Police deploy rubber bullets, flash-bag grenades?

A. No, the loud noises that were heard originated from M-80 explosives thrown at Police by protesters.

The San Francisco Chronicle begs to differ:

Protesters scattered in both directions on Broadway as the tear gas canisters and several flash-bang grenades went off. Regrouping, protesters tried to help one another and offered each other eye drops.

Moar disinformation:

Q. Did the Police use tear gas?

A. Yes, the Police used a limited amount of tear gas for a small areas as a defense against protesters who were throwing various objects at Police Officers as they approached the area.

Or at protesters who were helping injured people. Or, for just hanging out in the streets, really. Take it away, IBT:

California police resorted to tear gas as many as five times Tuesday, attempting to force hundreds of Occupy Oakland protesters to disperse.

So was it used to make them disperse, or was it used in self-defense? Were flash-bangs used, or were they not used? The videos certainly seem to show that they were used in copious amounts.

This is nonsense. Interim Police Chief Howard Jordan must resign.

(via bluntlyblue)