This popped into my in-box this evening. I encourage everybody to pass it around. Sounds like some of the natives are getting restless. . .

Robert Waldrop, OKC, http://www.bettertimesinfo.org

> 07-09-01: Boycott everything > By William Rivers Pitt > > "The so-called consumer society and the > politics of corporate capitalism have created a > second nature of man which ties him libidinally > and aggressively to the commodity form. The > need for possessing, consuming, handling and > constantly renewing the gadgets, devices, > instruments, engines, offered to and imposed > upon the people, for using these wares even at > the danger of one's own destruction, has become > a 'biological' need." - Herbert Marcuse

> July 11, 2001-I am not Robert Kennedy. I was > not born to a family of American political > royalty, guaranteeing that my voice be heard > when I choose to speak. I have to spend a good > deal of my time working, or sleeping in > preparation for work, in order to keep the > lights on and have food. I have very little in > the way of disposable income. > > Robert Kennedy said that one person could make > a difference. From his Olympian height, he > looked down upon all of us and saw individuals > who could cut a swath through the injustice in > the world, if only we would rouse ourselves. > Down here on the ground, I stare up at Robert's > marble bust on that mountain and think, "Easy > for you to say, kid." > > There is so very much I want to do, and I am > mortally sure that this nation is literally > teeming with those who share my desire for > action. But we work. We raise kids. We take > care of aging parents. Speaking bluntly, we > bust our asses all week long for that paycheck > and for the few precious weekend hours that > more often than not are spent sleeping, > drinking, shopping or watching sports on the > television. > > It takes a massive amount of one's mental > capacities to do the mundane day-to-day > activities that are required of the average > American, if that American wishes to eat, be > clothed, and live inside of doors. It is > exhausting. There is that great line from the > head of the Trade Services Union about the > 'boom' years of Clinton's administration: > "There have been 8 million new jobs created, > and I've got three of them." > > Where, then, do we find that space and time and > energy needed to heal the wounds we see gaping > in the body and soul of our nation? They are > right there in front of us, red and bleeding, > crying out for someone to do something. Too > many of us, sadly, shoulder our various burdens > and turn away with a prayer on our lips that > somebody with the time will come along and > address things. > > I know a way for all of us to climb up on that > Olympian perch with fallen Robert. I know a way > we can make that difference. It requires > sacrifice from each of us, and thus is worthy > of being called a Movement. It can be something > you do every moment of the day if you do it > right. If enough of us do this thing, and do it > well, and do it faithfully, and turn others > towards it, we will bring about such a massive > change as has not been seen in this nation > since the shot heard 'round the world. > > Like so many great ideas and Movements, this > one is simplicity itself. > > Just boycott everything. > > Take public transportation to work, or walk to > the corner store, or figure out a way to leave > your car in the garage for the weekend. If you > own an SUV, sell it. If you are in the market > for a car, look into the gas/electric hybrids > that are available. Thus, you boycott the > petroleum companies that rape our planet and > soil our air. > > Make your own coffee, or buy your morning cup > of brew from the mom 'n pop joint you always > walk by on your way to Starbucks or Dunkin' > Donuts. Sure, it's crummy brew. But you are > boycotting corporate hegemony. > > Turn off the damned television. While it is > on you are a vapid receptacle for all of the > invasive nonsense that is our sad and deranged > estate. By simply boycotting television, you > are saying 'NO' to all the advertisers and > corporate hucksters who have sold us all down > the river. If you are a news junkie, satisfy > yourself with a couple of newspapers or the > Internet. CNN hasn't told you anything that you > need to know for a long, long time. > > Go out this weekend without makeup, and do not > purchase any. The cosmetics industry has > perpetuated a massive crime against women, by > selling to them a destructive myth of beauty > that is utterly unattainable for 99% of human > females. The vicious cycle of self-hatred > begins at a very young age for women, brought > on by images proffered by the cosmetics > industry in the pages of glossy magazines. Do > not allow one of your hard-earned dollars to > line the pockets of those who profit by telling > you that you are not beautiful enough. > > Be aware of your purchases in the grocery > store. Buy locally grown foods whenever > possible. Using the remarkable research tools > of the internet, find out which agribusinesses > are selling what, and where. If you do not like > what those massive corporations are doing, do > not buy their products. > > Turn off the lights. Live without air > conditioning whenever you can. Make a project > out of trimming your electricity bill as much > as you can. > > You are expected to be a consumer. Thus, you > wear the yoke. Boycott the very idea. Take your > yoke and plow a new field. Be mindful of that > money you have so vigorously earned, and > understand that when you buy Exxon gasoline or > leave the lights on when you're not in the > room, you enrich those whom you lust to defy > and bring low. You work against yourself. I > quote Raoul Vaneigem: "Work to survive, survive > by consuming, survive to consume: the hellish > cycle is complete." > > Boycott the idea that matters are beyond your > control. They are not. This is Capitalism, > Jack. You have to play by the rules if you're > going to carry the day. We are a nation of > consumers, and this corporate control of our > politics and our future is within our grasp to > overthrow. We cannot vote them out, so we must > nickel and dime them out. As long as we > continue to enrich those who enslave us, all > our hollering and marching will come to nothing > in the end. We are feeding ourselves to the > beast. > > Boycott everything. If you are a consumer, then > so be it. Be a damned savvy consumer. Give not > one shiny penny to those whom you would > otherwise oppose. Figure out what you are > spending your money on. You may fancy yourself > as someone who is tuned into politics. Become > tuned into your alter ego, the consumer you. > Pay attention to where you spend your money. > > The stakes in our democracy have been raised. > No longer does "one person, one vote" carry the > day. We are surrounded by interests who sup > upon our paychecks through our consumption of > their goods. They take that money and fund > politicians whom we abhor, they push policies > that poison us, they bankroll actions with our > money that we would spend our lives opposing. > This is another vicious cycle, one I am sure > was never envisioned by the framers. > > We have in our wallets the power to break that > cycle, and bring these dogs to heel. > > This Movement will take sacrifice. A little bit > here and there. Trim the lusher corners of your > life. Discover some simplicity, a rare > commodity indeed, one that is not sold in the > aisles of Wal-Mart. If, in this simplicity, you > discover that you have the time and energy and > money to become more politically active, then > so much the better. > > Boycott everything. Tell your friends. Begin to > make that difference. I am sure Robert would > approve. > > > Copyright © 1998-2001 Online Journal™. All > rights reserved. > You may not alter or remove any trademark, > copyright or other notice from copies of the > content.

-- robert waldrop (rmwj@soonernet.com), July 12, 2001

Answers

Corporations depend on a continuous stream of revenue. So if you care about limiting corporate power, forget about lobbying for campaign finance reform, or other big projects. Instead, rein in your own spending. Don't buy. Or if you have to buy, buy used. Choose local brands over corporate brands, even if they cost "more." Shop at small stores instead of national chains. And speak out about your thrift to your friends and neighbors.

To _not_ make such choices is to support a corporate state and all the evils that go with it.

-- Neil Ruggles (nmruggles@earthlink.net), July 12, 2001.