Dissidence, advocacy, activism - do you stick it to the man?

[Phteven]

What do you do to spread awareness of the issues that matter to you and to undermine the forces of evil.

Me, I like to move books around in book-stores to give more prominence to the authors I love and hide the ones I hate (Tizzy Hall I'm looking at you), I talk loudly about puppy farms outside pet shops and I whinge about Nestle to anyone who is unfortunate enough to give me an opening

I'm also not adverse to the occasional letter although I worry about turning into Grandpa Simpson so I try not to write too many lol.

I've been inspired by the lovely Lulu to stock up on post-its and stick them where ever I see fit.

So what so you do - small or large?

[PinkPalace]

i dont do this but if i saw your postit notes i would be happy to give you a speech on pollution and littering.

[Lulu]

Post its are recyclable, and if you threw it on the floor YOU would be littering

[PinkPalace]

so you would think that gives you the right to put them where ever you like when ever you like.

do you get the contents of your recyling bin and put in on peoples yards and in shopping centres cause you want to prove a point with the response "its recyclable"

it may be - but you are offending people that use the items you have an issue with, you are causing increase in workload for the people who have to get them all off and making unneccarry rubbish to recycle.

BUild up some courage and pen to paper instead and stop being a secret squirrel protestor

[Phteven]

i dont do this but if i saw your postit notes i would be happy to give you a speech on pollution and littering.

I thought that littering was dropping rubbish and that pollution was contaminating the environment.... *makes mental note to revise dictionary*

BUild up some courage and pen to paper instead and stop being a secret squirrel protestor

Now I'm totally confused. That's exactly what using post-it notes is doing.

First you tell me not to then you tell me to build up courage and do it.
I think you're just toying with me....

[Indadhanu]

I hide books hehehe I didnt even think of moving them to other sections MWAHAHAHAHA yes Tizzie Hall *glare* come and sue me, LOL! Gina Ford too.

Might do the post-its hehehehehe
PP, its only littering if you pull them off and throw them on the ground.

Cage Eggs is another one, I like to let Jazzy know why we shouldn't buy cage eggs... loudly...

I'd love some other ideas, since having Jazz I have the perfect reason to be talking lol, before Jazz I felt a bit odd talking to myself about it all (because Shel rushes off embarrassed)!

[Oorki Galoorki]

Bron i also hide TH's book..every book shop i go in to... hehe(its just annoying when they have a few copies)

[PinkPalace]

First you tell me not to then you tell me to build up courage and do it.
I think you're just toying with me....

do you write your contact details on each postit so you can be contacted to discuss the issues you have?

or just stick them then run and giggle cause you are so brave you stuck a post it note somewhere.

this is what i am saying.

if you are going to make a point and protest - do it productivity and properly.
not like a 14 year old school girl who is stirring up trouble to sit hiding to see what happens

[Lulu]

ok gawd here I go.....


Circled the words CAGE on cage eggs in the supermarket, the package was all about 'natural and free' but had CAGE in pale yellow writing enough to have it fade into the background... I do that one often cos I was so peeved about buying it only to notice when I put the carton in the fridge.

Totally defaced a church sign that read something along the lines of "God hates homosexuality" - that one made the news.

Whilst holidaying in Fiji, I wrote a letter for the suggestion box that I was outraged that they fed the marine fish white bread and cake during a snorkelling/scuba trip. The manager rang the next day and I was too hungover to talk so I made him call me back when I was more brain ready to lecture him.
He did, and I explained how crappy it was for the marine life and a terrible thing to do just to ensure tourists (heck the reef is beautiful enough without the fish!). He promised they wouldn't do it anymore, but that's probably cos I also gave him a lecture on marine bleaching and the death of coral reefs FOR FREE!

Also did the puppy mill talk outside a mill petshop and a lady and her kids left.

You are all gonna hate me for this one - in a baby shop some ladies were looking at the Gaia baby powder so I told them how to make it at home (cornflour, lavender oil)!

[Junglemum]

There isn't much secret squirell about the lovely lulu, and her protesting. (Meant in the nicest possible way. )

Grandpa Simpson- I take the more subtle approach i guess. If asked, i'll gladly discuss my reasons for my choices. I do drop tit bits into conversations, but dont often start a conversation about a controversial issue. I recommend books to friends, but never really bag ones i don't think much of. Maybe i should..... I do change my cloth bum babies where people can see in hope of striking up a conversation about them. Oh and i wave my cool Sigg water bottle all over the place, and am happy to tell people why i love it.


I'm liking the post it note idea....... hmmmmm

[[M]umma[M]ia]

*runs off to put signs on the trees saying "please dont cut me down to make post its"*

u lot seriously post it stuff in the shops??????????

[Lulu]

Oh I forgot we were all ready to raid the Schick labs to save all the poor bunnies and trash all the equipment...but we couldn't find one!! ha ha ha - we were in Yr 10 at the time!

[Lulu]

not like a 14 year old school girl who is stirring up trouble to sit hiding to see what happens

You have a very overactive imagination dear.

[Phteven]

Now you've got issues with running and giggling? Not that I ever have run and giggled but it sounds like fun.

It's interesting that you raise the point of 'proper' protest.
What is proper protest? I think that's one of the big questions of activism - some would argue that only non-violent methods are valid a-la Ghandi and passive resistance whereas others would point to the IRA and say that there is a place for violent protest too. Me, I don't have the energy or inclination to actually go and bomb the Nestle factory so I'll stick to post-it notes which I regard as valid form of activism and self-expression.

Anyways, I started this thread to discuss how we stuck it to the man. So lets get back to discussing what we do.....

[Indadhanu]

Oh oh oh oh ... this is class all the way... I often ponderly aloud why toilet paper needs to be bleached super-white, and why you need a whole new tree (as opposed to recycled toilet paper) when its only used to wipe your butt??

Not sure if that is activism, but it seems so unnecessary so i like to comment...

[Oorki Galoorki]

hmm maybe you have an idea there.. perhaps we could make little tinee tiny bombs and put them opn all the nestle stuff so they simultaniasly(sp) blow up.. would that be a nice big grown up way of protesting?

i dont feel that chaining my self to a TH book would get much attention either..

we need to make people aware of these issues would you rather a note that says nestle blah blah or a bomb going off?

[PinkPalace]

proper protesting is making sure you are accountable for what you are fighting for.
so put your details on the postit - so people can then take you seriously and contact you to discuss your concerns.

I know you all think i am an idiot for thinking your post it notes and graffic are completely inappropriate but i dont really care.

do what makes you sleep at night - and if that mean unaccountable inproper protesting so be it.
can bet you get NO message across and NO ONE will take your comments seriously because you dont take them seriously enough to be named for your statements

[Junglemum]

I don't have the energy or inclination to actually go and bomb the Nestle factory so I'll stick to post-it notes which I regard as valid form of activism and self-expression.

Lulu- you are B.A.D. I love it!