Anyone ever done any activism??

[lifesaver]

Concerned by the prospect of a Wal-Mart over environmentally sensitive land and in a historical area, I have joined the Helotes Area Foundation, who is working to stop the construction of a wal-mart superstore there. Its a beautiful community and wal-mart is cleverly going around city ordaniances by building right on the city limits of town (the town is like 2 miles across).

I've never done anything like that before, but its such a beautiful area and I someday want to build / buy a house / land out there. Spent a lot of time there in college and its where I go to get away from the city. Now dont expect me to chain myself to a tree or anything, and I consider myself a republican, so I'm not much of an activist, but I can at least send emails and such to do my part.

See article at http://www.sacurrent.com/site/news.c...d=484045&rfi=6

Any of ya'll ever done anything like this before?

[PhoenixAzul]

heh, some of my activist activities can't really be disclosed....*looks over shoulder*....the walls have ears.

But at any rate, I've been heavily involved in bicycle activism...trying to raise awareness of bicycle safety and issues, trying to make cycling a viable alternative for commuting, etc. and Yes, I was involved in several anti-war protests as a photographer/journalist leading up to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

But for something like this, you have to convince people (higher ups in your city, investors, community leaders, families) that this will do more harm than good. people will see things like "Creating jobs" and "infusion of funds" and immediately think that this is a great idea. While these things *may* be true, think of what you are losing in eco-tourism and environment. The physical resources needed to run a large store like this are ASTRONOMICAL. Not to mention noise and light pollution, complication of traffic patterns, maintenance of roads, suburban sprawl issues too. It starts out as one store, but then builds up and up and up and complicates and destroys even more.

As horrific as they are, those pictures of dead fetuses are effective. Not saying you should do that, hell no, but images and visuals are VITAL to campaigns. Parody images/slogans/posters are VERY effective, so start some sort of flyering/leaflet that will spread the word and use effective visual communication.

And a good protest is always fun .

Give 'em hell.

(PS, you might want to contact the union locals in your area, the unions HATE Walmart and could help you out by getting their members to boycot. )

[Honeykiss1974]

I am a member of American Family Association (www.afa.net) and have made numerous phone calls/emails to various elected officials concerning issues that we consider to be important. This includes signing/passing around petitions too.

I have never participated in anything like an actual march/protest or done illegal activies all in the name of a cause though.

[DeltaSigStan]

No.........

They were going to name a new building on campus after a bigot who once taught in the Social Sciences department. We gave the Administration shit.

For the past 3 years I've also been involved with `Ilioulaokalani, a activist group dedicated to protecting Native Hawaiian rights.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Good luck!

My uncle lives on a farm in upstate New York. When there were rumors of development of land in the area, he bought that land and now keeps it as a farm. He really didn't want a mall or a ski lodge as his neighbor.

[Tom Earp]

Andy, My Brother, You never cease to amaze me!

While I never really got into something of this nature, I have called My Duly Elected Morons and Complained about certain items, written the Local News Papers and called and emailed the Video Media.

It usually seems that the small person has no rights especially with The Wal-Mart types.

Wally World is finally starting to feel a little wrath and losing.

There is a Huge difference in being a Member of a community and not owning it!


Thanks to you and each for doing something for the betterment!

[GeekyPenguin]

I've volunteered with the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of WI several times and am actually considering taking a year off of school before law school and doing activist work with another pro-choice organization.

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
I am a member of American Family Association (www.afa.net)

Always nice to put a face with their homophobia

As for me: I'm a "regular" at the statehouse as an independent lobbyist. Luckily Iowans woke up this year and voted several of the big asshole social-conservatives out, so hopefully we wont have the Christian-Right trying to remove adoption and foster rights from same-sex couples, bringing forth marriage amendments like they have the last few years.
And with the Iowa House now 51 (R)- 49 (D) and the Iowa Senate 25-25 there's strong hope of finally passing an ENDA. Perhaps if the 2006 elections go well we can lobby to remove DOMA.

Let's see... activist actions... have walked into a courthouse before to be refused a marriage license, am part of the Speakers Bureau on campus- so sometimes I speak infront of lecture halls and tell my coming out story and discrimination I have experienced (have spoken infront of roughly 7,000 students in 3 years), of course letters- I have a knack for that, interviews to magazines and newspapers, have participated in protests for causes I back, recently slept out on campus to raise awareness of the world's refugees with a focus on the Tai Dom, Sudan and Haiti areas.

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by IowaStatePhiPsi
Always nice to put a face with their homophobia

You're welcome

[PhoenixAzul]

Cripes, that afa site...ouch. "Recovery from sin and homosexuality?" blech.

[AKA_Monet]

Given that my mom was water cannoned back in the 60's for marching with MLK for civil rights...

And my dad was arrested and jailed because he was African American and wanted eat a hamburger...

And the fact that my grandfather a HBCU College President waited all day to speak to the president of Winn Dixie, who was an avowed bigot, but once he spoke to my grandfather, he found out they had common interests...

I guess I was reared to always fight for justice and the rights of the disparaged...

As for me, I protested the in the 80's the right for African Americans to move to Forsythe County, GA and saw the Klan for the first time...

I knew folks that rioted in the LA Riots... Not the looters, but those that targeted businesses for burning... I also knew some business owners that lost their businesses in the riots...

Some of the other things, I cannot mention because the "walls have ears..."

[honeychile]

I was in a stroller for my first act of protest! The next one was being part of a boycott in third grade, when my parents had a school closed down for being unsafe. And so it continued, even now. There are some things that are worth fighting for, and some boycotts that really don't hurt the intended company, but at least make you feel that you're not part of the problem.

When I went to work for the White House, I was really worried that some of it would come back to haunt me, but it didn't. In fact, I was told that I had better clearance than the Lead Advance!


AKA_Monet - I hope you're proud of your parents! I'm proud to be on the same message board as you, with your background! I really appreciate you sharing that with us!

[_Q_]

Originally posted by lifesaver
Concerned by the prospect of a Wal-Mart over environmentally sensitive land and in a historical area, I have joined the Helotes Area Foundation, who is working to stop the construction of a wal-mart superstore there. Its a beautiful community and wal-mart is cleverly going around city ordaniances by building right on the city limits of town (the town is like 2 miles across).

It's great that you're doing this. Wal-Mart does not seem to have a good effect on communities where it locates. Yeah, it usually seems to build towards the outskirts of cities, so I'm not surprised that they're building on limits.

[_Q_]

Originally posted by AKA_Monet
Given that my mom was water cannoned back in the 60's for marching with MLK for civil rights...

And my dad was arrested and jailed because he was African American and wanted eat a hamburger...

And the fact that my grandfather a HBCU College President waited all day to speak to the president of Winn Dixie, who was an avowed bigot, but once he spoke to my grandfather, he found out they had common interests...

AKAMonet, your family's history is really impressive.

Here's a link to a survival guide for anyone considering direct action:
http://www.ftaaresistance.org/Direct...al%20Guide.pdf