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NOT ONE DAMN DIME DAY - Silent Protest

Fierce Critter

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Fierce Critter Newbie

Fierce Critter

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(This was sent to me in an e-mail.)

Since our leaders don't have the moral courage to speak out against the war in Iraq, 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, and don't use your credit card. Not one damn dime for gasoline. Not one damn dime for necessities or for impulse purchases. Nor toll/cab/bus or train ride money exchanges. 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.

Please share this as an email with as many people as possible, and please express your opinion at: http://www.notonedamndime.com/boycott/

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The_Dark Newbie

The_Dark

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I see nothing delusional about supporting the war in Iraq

No one said it was. I said that the same people that suffer the delusion that Bush somehow stole the last election, for the most part, are the same people that don't support the war.

I don't understand how this "Not a damn dime day" supports the troops. The number of troops that oppose the war is a very small fraction of the troops in the war. Media spin makes it seem otherwise, but actually talk to a few of them an you will see that for the most part they believe they are fighting a just war. A good example is that solder that recently stood up and asked Rumsfield about vehicle and body armor.. on investigation it turns out he was convinced to ask that question by a reporter who was not allowed into the Q&A session. It wasn't a question the troops thought of themselves. It was planted by the media. I talk with a good number of troops and their families on a daily basis. My store has sold about 50 laptops to young men and women on their way over... I get email from about half of them on a regular basis.. We give free tech support to the troops and their families so they can stay in touch. That’s supporting our boys and girls.. a boycott is not... it's a political agenda in action.

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SomeDanGuy Newbie

SomeDanGuy

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That's true about the suggested question Dark (very poor 'journalism' there), but I think more interesting was the crowd's response when he asked it. Surely the reporter didn't tell all of them to cheer afterward too?

I don't support the way we went into Iraq, but I'm not sure what this protest is supposed to say. The fact is, we DID invade and we DID tear down the infrastructure. The only question now is what to do from here. And I think any reasonable person (even those of us who don't like the war) would agree that a straight pull-out right now would be a very bad idea.

What's done is done and now we have to find a way to balance bringing stability to the region with keeping as many troops alive as possible

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The_Dark Newbie

The_Dark

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but I think more interesting was the crowd's response when he asked it. Surely the reporter didn't tell all of them to cheer afterward too?

Good point, but, that repsonse does not counter my point. The sopposed lack of armor is not a burning issue with the troops. It is an issue though. Really, who wouldn't want more/better armor in a war? Ofcourse they cheered when the guy asked about getting more. An example... get a random 100 people. Feed them just enough to keep them happy for a year... Then during a conversation with them.. have one ask for more food of a better quality. People are going to react in exactly the same way. Ofcourse they want more and better food. Who wouldn't?

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Fierce Critter Newbie

Fierce Critter

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get a random 100 people. Feed them just enough to keep them happy for a year... Then during a conversation with them.. have one ask for more food of a better quality. People are going to react in exactly the same way. Ofcourse they want more and better food. Who wouldn't?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Who wouldn't want more and better? Soldiers who have what they need to do their job reasonably safely.

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Darque Knight Newbie

Darque Knight

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Has a protest like this ever done any good other than making the people who protest feel like they 'did their part'?

I'm all for civil protest and standing up for what you believe in but this just seems like a waste of time. Is it going to make WalMart , KMart, Target, or anyone else lead a charge into Washington to stop this war? Not likely. If this protest went off perfectly and no money was spent by the near 50% of the country that is anti-war... Their profits for the day would be down 50%. They probably had bigger hits in profits due to any number of unforseen events and have figured it into their buisiness plans.

What do retailers do in responce to a day that their incoming dollars are low? Send wokers home. Again if the statistics worked out perfectly nearly 50% of those workers are already anti-war and now they are loosing up to a days potential income. So who does this protest really hurt?

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Jarodaka Newbie

Jarodaka

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Point the first: not spending will have the effect of... having people shop more the day before or after. The only way to not spend is to put money underneath your mattress, but then you're just taking your own productive gains and throwing it away. I don't see how this could possibly go wrong.

Point the second:

Our country is founded upon the will of the majority; that's fine and dandy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It most certainly is not!

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Black Sunday Newbie

Black Sunday

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It most certainly is not!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that's quite a debate, and probably best for another thread. We are a republic and what principles we were or weren't founded on is always a great debate. According to some of Benjamin Franklin's writings you'd swear that the voice of Democracy is the most important principle this Country can have.

But we also have a bill or rights and constitution which overrules the opinion of the majority on several issues.

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