Monday the organizers of the Women's March put out a call for a general strike as well - under the name "A Day Without a Woman" - the date of which has not been announced.
Washington (CNN) The organizers of last month's Women's March announced Monday their intention to hold a general strike at a date to be determined.
Posts across the official social media accounts for the Women's March read: "General Strike: A Day Without A Woman," with a subhead saying, "Date To Be Announced."
The Women's March began with a call for a march on Washington the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration. After millions showed up for events across the world, including a massive turnout within the nation's capital itself, the organizers committed to building the event into an effective movement.
The Women's March website lists a series of 10 actions to be undertaken within the first 100 days of the Trump presidency. The first three actions listed involved organizing and contacting elected representatives.
But the call for a general strike would be a return to the streets and a physical jab at the economy.
The “F17” General Strike, which has been getting increased attention, is scheduled for February 17 — a week from this Friday. This idea was first proposed by Francine Prose, a writer for The Guardian, only a week ago, after tRump issued his so-called “Muslim ban.”
Her words were inspirational:
The struggles for civil rights and Indian independence, against apartheid and the Vietnam war – it’s hard to think of a nonviolent movement that has succeeded
without causing its opponents a certain amount of trouble, discomfort and inconvenience.
And economic boycotts – another sort of trouble and inconvenience – have proved remarkably successful in persuading companies to cease supporting repressive governments. Of course, nonviolence has often been met with violence, but one can only hope that our hearts have not so hardened that we, as a nation, would not be troubled and shamed by the spectacle of peaceful people being arrested and bloodied, as they were in Selma and Birmingham.
So what can we do to protest our current government’s callousness about our environment and our health, its rampant greed, its disrespect for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
I believe that what we need is a nonviolent national general strike of the kind that has been more common in Europe than here. Let’s designate a day on which no one (that is, anyone who can do so without being fired) goes to work, a day when no one shops or spends money, a day on which we truly make our economic and political power felt, a day when we make it clear: how many of us there are, how strong and committed we are, how much we can accomplish.
Since then...Twitter:
Join us February 17, 2017 for a national general strike!
This grassroots movement is calling for a national general strike on Feburary 17th, 2017 in defense of our nation’s constitution. Participants pledge to be non-violent. On the day of the strike, we will not go to work (unless absolutely necessary). We will not go to school (unless necessary). We will not spend any money (unless necessary). Instead, we will show dissent with unconstitutional governance through gatherings and activities to be organized at the local/personal level. Some communities are planning a day of service. Instead of work, strikers will dedicate their time to serving neighbors in need. Find your people. Make your plan. Spread the word…
F17strike.com
Facebook:
A general strike planned for
February 17 by Strike4Democracy currently has over 16,000 people declared on Facebook as participating.
The website for this strike called for people who could to protest nonviolently by striking from work or school and spending the day doing community service.
So now…
Can we get the Women’s March to piggyback their strike with the F17 General Strike? Should we?
www.womensmarch.com/...
United we stand?
What, exactly, are our demands?
Organizers have posted a list of demands on a Facebook event for the strike:
1 No Ban, No Wall. The Muslim ban is immoral, the wall is expensive and ineffectual. We will build bridges, not walls.
2 Healthcare For All. Healthcare is a human right. Do not repeal the ACA. Improve it or enact Medicare for All.
3 No Pipelines. Rescind approval for DAPL and Keystone XL and adopt meaningful policies to protect our environment. It's the only one we've got.
4 End the Global Gag Rule. We cannot put the medical care of millions of women around the globe at risk.
5 Disclose and Divest. Show us your taxes. Sell your company. Ethics rules exist for a reason and presidents should focus on the country, not their company.
"On February 17th we will show Donald Trump and his cronies in Washington that our voices will be heard," the organizers wrote. "No work will be done. No money will be spent. We will not support his corrupt government. We will STRIKE!!"
What do you think? Where do you stand? Can you afford to take a sick day next Friday? Stay home and buy nothing for one day? Can you forgive businesses that do? Please share your thoughts and intentions. There is no time to lose...
Please avoid throwing wet blankets without careful thought and analysis. Our democracy is under attack. Our response must be strong and immediate and unmistakeable. And, hopefully, united!