In protest to President Trump’s executive orders, a general strike has been called for across the nation on February 17th, the Friday before President’s Day. The movement urges those who can to take the day off from work to participate. Several rallies and protests are planned for that day, including one in New York City’s Washington Square Park.
The demands of the strike include:
- No Ban, No Wall. The Muslim ban is immoral, the wall is expensive and ineffectual. We will build bridges, not walls.
- Healthcare For All. Healthcare is a human right. Do not repeal the ACA. Improve it or enact Medicare for All.
- 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.
- End the Global Gag Rule. We cannot put the medical care of millions of women around the globe at risk.
- 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.
Here are some ways to participate:
- Do not work (if possible). Post your support on social media.
- Do not purchase anything.
- “#BreakLunch” Use your lunch break to disrupt and participate:
- Use social media to show how you #BreakLunch. Tweet, FB, Instagram, and Snapchat messages that support democracy. Include hashtags #BreakLunch, #GeneralStrike, #F17
- Donate your lunch money that day to cause you believe in. Post about it and use those same hashtags.
- Get creative and show the world how you #BreakLunch
- Reach out to your representatives in Washington DC or your state and tell them why you are “striking” today, and post about it using strike related hashtags.
- Join with other like-minded folks and occupy public space with positive messages of resistance and solidarity on our events page.
- Get creative, always be nonviolent, and consider fun ways of showing dissent.
- Participate in the National Day of Community Service to coincide with the General Strike on February 17. We hope this will allow folks who cannot ‘strike’ to take advantage of their employer’s commitment to Community Service and Community Service Leave request systems. We will announce more details and how to participate once we have confirmed commitment from institutions with whom we are currently negotiating.
- Make your feelings known at any of a series of First Amendment Open-Mic gatherings.
- If you are a teacher or student, please consider participating in the National Teach-In on Democracy set to take place February 17. Keep your students engaged.
