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Below is a brainstorm of questions and ideas from
Class Action to support people to be more aware of class
in their lives-and take action to uproot classism and
other forms of oppression. Let us know your ideas!
A. Use Your Dollars and Resources to Make a Difference
See the links and activities sponsored by Coop
America.
Also
check out BuyBlue.org. They monitor campaign donations given by large coporations. Their motto is: "Stop supporting
companies that don't support your values. Reward companies that have a
triple bottom line: People, Planet and Profit."
B. Live Simply So That Others May Simply Live
Learn more about consumption issues from the Center
for the New American Dream
C. Model Non-Classist Behavior and Attitudes
- Build and maintain friendships and relationships across
class and race lines. Break out of your "comfort
zone."
- Use the words "class" and "classism" in your conversations
with people.
- Acknowledge the class implications of all the decisions
that you make.
- Don't assume that others have the same level of resources
as you do.
- Don't assume that "everyone can afford."
- Support the leadership of poor and working class people.
- Don't make assumptions about people's intelligence
based on their appearance.
- If you view "nice" as always a positive trait and "angry" as
always a negative trait, question these assumptions.
- Be open to talking about your class situation and class
of origin.
- Notice who you judge and why. Notice what judgments
you fear about yourself.
- Notice what clothing you wear and why.
- Break the taboo and ask people questions about their
own money and class stories.
- Go to activities and events that are outside of your
class comfort zone.
- Be aware of your class in a global context, in thinking
about how much is enough?
- Support boycotts and strikes.
- Encourage young people to dream -and think outside
their class box.
- Maintain an attitude toward working on classism and
other oppression issues which is both urgent and maintains
a long-term perspective toward change.
- Write letters to the editor.
- Keep track of the numbers that describe inequality
- If you have more than enough money, share it with organizations
working for justice.
D. Stand up to Classism
and Classist Attitudes: Be An Ally
There are daily opportunities to confront and change the
classist attitudes and comments that circulate through
our culture everyday. These can be very simple and
concrete. Here are some ideas from Class Action
and several allied organizations.
- Respectfully interrupt classist jokes, slurs, comments,
or assumptions.
- Offer alternatives or accurate information when you
hear classist stereotypes or myths, e.g. welfare bashing.
- Listen for "Not Our Kind of People" statements
Read "Acting As Allies vs. Holding on to Privilege" by
Felice Yeskel
Find tips on being anti-classist ally: read " Anti-Classism" from
the Lesbian Avengers of Gainsville, Florida.
Check out Action Ideas from "NO CLASS"
Resource: "Becoming
An Ally"
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