4 ms·

I abhor Trump, but something about this statement irks me: > To the Trump regime, I make one request: if you ever decide that it’s the policy of the US governm

by tabeth 10y ago

I abhor Trump, but something about this statement irks me: > To the Trump regime, I make one request: if you ever decide that it’s the policy of the US government to deport my PhD students, then deport me first. I’m practically begging you: come to my house, arrest me, revoke my citizenship, and tear up the awards I’ve accepted at the White House and the State Department. I’d consider that to be the greatest honor of my career. Given the pedestal that you (presumably, by the amount of points this has gotten) are on, there are more actionable ways to be useful, rather than be a martyr. No mention in the post on how to stop Trump. For example, telling your readers how they can take action to stop Trump. I'll share some of my own thoughts on how to do this. Feel free to respond to this if it's not exhaustive enough. To follow my own advice, if anyone sees this: 1. Call - Local congresspeople (http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/) - Senators (https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/) - Local officials (https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials) 2. Participate - Get involved in local elections (this is a decent start - to become informed locally http://www.npr.org/stations/) - Protest - Attend town hall and city council meetings (see npr) 3. Share - Tell your friends 4. Vote (https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote) 5. Volunteer 6. Stop reading and start doing one of the other things.

deleted 10y ago
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cyberferret 10y ago
Who knows? It may actually help. The news footage of a middle class white man being dragged away by jack booted thugs may elicit much more attention, sympathy and outrage than a "Middle Eastern looking" man undergoing the same, one would think? And in this current world awash in pithy slogans, short attention spans and social media generated activism, it may actually be more effective.
matthewbauer 10y ago
This is the executive's power. There is literally nothing that can be done about it for the next 4 years besides try to change Trump's mind (or pray he does something impeachable).
- coldtea 10y ago
  >There is literally nothing that can be done about it for the next 4 years Actually mass protests to the level of e.g. the French May of 68 might very well bring down a government. But that is for a determined population.
  - tajen 10y ago
    Except in France, May 68, De Gaulle (conservatist) wasn't ousted, he even came back in favourable position after 3 days off the grid: He threatened to use the État d'Urgence against the strikers, dissolved the Assembly and the new election yielded 353 of 486 seats in his favour. People, at the end, voted for security.
    - coldtea 10y ago
      In De Gaulle's case yes. But this has not been the case in every mass protest movement in all countries (plus, France voted, which is much larger than Paris, where the demonstrations were mostly held).
    - marcosdumay 10y ago
      > the new election yielded 353 of 486 seats in his favor That's probably why the protests didn't work. People in power are incredibly well informed and can predict those things reasonably well.
  - matt4077 10y ago
    I keep being surprised by the power that such protests actually have. You'll read all sorts of statements like "what should anybody care about a bunch of hippies on the streets etc.", and in the US there also seems to be an undercurrent of regarding all protests as illegal, or highlighting the smallest incidents that could possibly scare the "soccer mum" demographic. But then there are frequent examples of protests accomplishing everything from regime change (arab spring) to less-obvious but still substantial changes (see for example the G7/G8 agendas from before and after the meetings started to be a focus for mass demonstrations). Even Occupy, which has probably been the subject of more derision than any other movement, has actually had a major impact: The 99%/1% has become one of the leading narratives of politics in the US and Europe.
KKKKkkkk1 10y ago
Even before Trump, the US had a system in which a Chinese or an Indian who gets a PhD from Scott's department (say) takes > 10 years to get a green card. Previous administrations have laid a solid foundation of shitty treatment of foreigners to which Trump is merely making minor additions.
majos 10y ago
Re: #1, both of my senators' numbers terminate in a recording that asks me to leave a message with my contact information. I have a hard time believing anybody listens to these. Am I wrong? More broadly, I talked to one person at the office of one my state's reps. I complained about this order and said I hoped the rep would voice his opposition, and the person said the rep would. But how much does that matter, especially since the rep is in a heavily Democrat district already? Is targeting swing Republicans a better idea?
- noobermin 10y ago
  Pressure. It may not not be as politically effective, but the weakling Dems need to be pushed in order to fight for us.

by tabeth 10y ago

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

cyberferret 10y ago

Who knows? It may actually help. The news footage of a middle class white man being dragged away by jack booted thugs may elicit much more attention, sympathy and outrage than a "Middle Eastern looking" man undergoing the same, one would think? And in this current world awash in pithy slogans, short attention spans and social media generated activism, it may actually be more effective.

matthewbauer 10y ago

This is the executive's power. There is literally nothing that can be done about it for the next 4 years besides try to change Trump's mind (or pray he does something impeachable).

coldtea 10y ago
>There is literally nothing that can be done about it for the next 4 years Actually mass protests to the level of e.g. the French May of 68 might very well bring down a government. But that is for a determined population.
- tajen 10y ago
  Except in France, May 68, De Gaulle (conservatist) wasn't ousted, he even came back in favourable position after 3 days off the grid: He threatened to use the État d'Urgence against the strikers, dissolved the Assembly and the new election yielded 353 of 486 seats in his favour. People, at the end, voted for security.
  - coldtea 10y ago
    In De Gaulle's case yes. But this has not been the case in every mass protest movement in all countries (plus, France voted, which is much larger than Paris, where the demonstrations were mostly held).
  - marcosdumay 10y ago
    > the new election yielded 353 of 486 seats in his favor That's probably why the protests didn't work. People in power are incredibly well informed and can predict those things reasonably well.
- matt4077 10y ago
  I keep being surprised by the power that such protests actually have. You'll read all sorts of statements like "what should anybody care about a bunch of hippies on the streets etc.", and in the US there also seems to be an undercurrent of regarding all protests as illegal, or highlighting the smallest incidents that could possibly scare the "soccer mum" demographic. But then there are frequent examples of protests accomplishing everything from regime change (arab spring) to less-obvious but still substantial changes (see for example the G7/G8 agendas from before and after the meetings started to be a focus for mass demonstrations). Even Occupy, which has probably been the subject of more derision than any other movement, has actually had a major impact: The 99%/1% has become one of the leading narratives of politics in the US and Europe.

KKKKkkkk1 10y ago

Even before Trump, the US had a system in which a Chinese or an Indian who gets a PhD from Scott's department (say) takes > 10 years to get a green card. Previous administrations have laid a solid foundation of shitty treatment of foreigners to which Trump is merely making minor additions.

majos 10y ago

Re: #1, both of my senators' numbers terminate in a recording that asks me to leave a message with my contact information. I have a hard time believing anybody listens to these. Am I wrong? More broadly, I talked to one person at the office of one my state's reps. I complained about this order and said I hoped the rep would voice his opposition, and the person said the rep would. But how much does that matter, especially since the rep is in a heavily Democrat district already? Is targeting swing Republicans a better idea?

noobermin 10y ago
Pressure. It may not not be as politically effective, but the weakling Dems need to be pushed in order to fight for us.