I'm DONE

And you should be too.

You’ve ruminated over how to be part of a REAL movement with REAL impacts.

A movement that is desperately needed.

You want concrete action that—if we all participate—will either incentivize bad actors to rethink their actions… or straight-up topple them.

When I go out for coffee with my husband on Saturday mornings, I look around me at everyone sipping on their $7 drinks scrolling on their phones, and I wonder:

How much longer will the vast majority of us get to hold onto the comfort and convenience that American democracy has given us?

At what point will we begin sacrificing the things we take for granted—whether by choice or necessity—in order to impede, protest, and block the abuse of power that harms our communities?

What’s the tipping point?

A lot of us continue to chug along like normal. We continue to get our cat food from Amazon while we stream songs from Apple music. We continue to use ChatGPT to answer questions we’re too lazy to research.

I’m sure you’ve felt the cognitive dissonance too.

Excluding the victims already directly affected by what’s happening, the rest of us seem to be waiting and watching.

Anxiously…

I’m at a point where I think where we have no choice but to begin asking ourselves:

What are we willing to do?

What are we willing to give up?

So today I am pleading with you.

Please join a growing movement that every single one of us can participate in right now.

It exists in various iterations, but the one garnering a lot of attention now is called Resist and Unsubscribe.

The idea is super. fucking. simple.

Stop giving your money (including your data) to companies led by spineless, shameless, ultra-wealthy asswipes who continue to suck Trump’s wrinkly dick.

Do I have your attention yet?

Good.

Keep reading.

We need to hit the companies where it hurts most—their precious little profits.

Including the ones who stand by silently, like they don’t see all the corruption, harm, and abuse tearing this country apart.

Including the ones that take your data and sell it. Because they’re making significant money off your “free” use of their services, platforms, and such.

It’s time to un-subscribe like your life depends on it.

I’m talking about bringing actual inconvenience into your life.

This will require you to go beyond just participating in isolated national shutdown days like “ICE Out.”

“But all my favorite shows are on HBO Max!”

“But where will I get my subscribe-and-save pet water-fountain filters?!” (this used to be me)

“But all my friends are on Facebook!”

And let me be clear.

You don’t need to unsubscribe from everything. What if you start with unsubscribing from:

• A few things that feel relatively easy, and

• A few things that feel notably inconvenient

…as a starting point.

If you feel yourself clutching your pearls, stay with me for a moment.

I know you’ve been looking for a way to help.

I know you have a good heart.

I also know what it’s like to be so comfortable by modern standards that it seems incomprehensible to give Google the middle finger.

But…

Must we be reminded that immigrants are cruelly being shackled on deportation flights that deposit them in random countries, rendering them stateless?

Must we be reminded that they’ve shot people dead in the street?

Must we be reminded that Trump is taking steps to straight-up rig the next election?

Sooo….

How important is your AT&T cell phone plan? Because they’ve made a lot of money providing ICE with their IT and network projects.

And!

Let’s remember that there was once a time before Amazon and Netflix got us hooked on their services/products.

We used to watch DVDs.

We used to put on real pants and go to the local store to buy books.

Listen.

I’m not here to guilt you into action.

I’m not here to shame you for what companies you give your business to.

I’m here to:

• Inspire REAL ACTION in a time of dire need

• Show you that yes, you can do something

So I bring you back to the crucial question we should all be asking:

What are you willing to do?

I know prices suck right now, but can you afford to pay a little more to shop local and stop supporting companies that get richer at the expense of the vulnerable?

In what ways are you willing and able to inconvenience yourself for a higher cause?

Now is the time.

This is something you can do even if you’re:

• A parent

• Holding your life together with Scotch tape

• Dealing with chronic health issues

• Not wealthy

• Have NO experience in activism

And yes, your actions do matter.

Yes, this can have REAL impacts.

You don’t think Hulu will rethink its role in running ICE recruitment ads if they lose 50% of their subscriber base?

So run—don’t walk—to your internet browser and start unsubscribing and boycotting.

Check out Resist and Unsubscribe as well as ICE Boycott List. There are others, and I encourage you to do your own research!

And last but certainly not least…

Please, pass this email on to other people you know.

p.s.

I try to lead by example.

Here is what I’m doing.

I use Google Business for email, calendar, video calls, and so on. But I’m in the process of migrating to another platform.

Since Google makes revenue off my data, I’m withdrawing from them completely. I got rid of Google Chrome and Google Search. Also in the process of switching to another email provider.

We dropped Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Meta.

I continue to monitor which companies are being named as problematic, and I regularly ask myself what else I can let go of. I see this as an ongoing action plan.

p.p.s.

Everything is better when you turn it into a fun activity!

I turn on some heavy metal.

I delete accounts.

I turn up the volume on the heavy metal.

I write emails like this one.

And I’m still going….