Say what?

[yendi]

The group has issued a nationwide call for people to go on at least a partial hunger strike, if only for a few hours, to show their opposition to the war in Iraq.

(emphasis mine)

Um, what? Look, I'm opposed to the war on all sorts of levels, and I applaud any activist's attempt at getting a message across in a non-violent manner, but, well, "a few hours?"

By the same token, I'd like to announce that, at roughly 10PM every night, I'll be participating in a hunger strike against the war, as well as against terrorism, global warming, AIDS, crack, Bernie Goetz, the designated hitter rule, NBC's bumping of Scrubs and Medium to midseason, Michael Bay, and pan-and-scan movies.

Said strike will end every morning around 6AM, with some variation depending on our toaster.

Strike might get called off as the result of midnight munchies, and is likely to occur during different hours on the weekend.

Seriously, the stupid, it burns. And it burns more when the stupidity is coming from folks on my "side," as such things go.

Hunger strikes are not like SETI@Home. You can't fucking distribute them and have each person just do a little bit.

Comments

[crwilley.livejournal.com]

If they'd even phrased it differently: "Skip a meal to show your support for the hunger strikers!" would have made some amount of sense. I remember something like that coming up fairly regularly in my college days.

But a "partial hunger strike for a few hours"? yeah, that's just dumb.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Hunger strikes are not like SETI@Home. You can't fucking distribute them and have each person just do a little bit.

*cracks up*

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

I think you should metaquotes him.

[terracinque.livejournal.com]

I am shocked by your flippant attitude toward this serious issue.

I shall protest this post of yours by launching a hunger strike from now until somewhere around 2:30pm, or sooner if the Jolly Rancher I see on my desk in front of me wears down my resolve.

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I'll join in this effort! I'll even trump yours and forswear eating from 11PM to 10AM every single week night! That's 11 hours of activism right there, 5 nights a week!

Just think, after 5 weeks of this I'll have over 10 full days on hunger strike! I'll probably be starving by then, so I'll go eat a huge dinner at Texas Roadhouse or something similar.

Also, what's a pan-and-scan movie?

[thelastrobot.livejournal.com]

Movies not in widescreen. You'll mostly see them on weekend afternoon TV. Where the whole scene doesn't fit, so the camera will pan over in a weird way. As if someone was pulling the movie across your TV screen.

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks. I'll add that to my list of things I'm protesting against too.

Hey, can we include the time between meals as part of our protest?

[thelastrobot.livejournal.com]

If we can't, I'm going to protest it by eating between meals.

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

I like the way you think. I'm completely with you on this one.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Elayna and I have been on a hunger strike against pan-and-scan movies for about an hour now. We plan on continuing until her grandparents take us out for fondue.

[gwynraven.livejournal.com]

Adam, I *love* you!

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

I will not only match your weeknight hunger strike, I'll go further:

I won't eat from 10pm until 11am most weeknights. I might make an exception for a bagel at 8:30am, not to exceed once a week. I will also continue the hunger strike from noon until around 6pm. I'll likely toss in an extra round of the hungry between 7pm and 10pm as a bonus.

All this is subject to change when I pass by the candy dish.

We can't all be that strong, especially when my manager keeps restocking it with good stuff.

[littlebuhnee.livejournal.com]

Wow! I've been protesting all sorts of injustices for years now without even knowing it!

*chest swell* I rock.

I've had to use this icon a frightening number of times today...

[digriz.livejournal.com]

I have a serious question. What good does *any* hunger strike/protest do? Fine, so you're mad at something (the war, the latest privacy violation, the Walmart going in down the street). Why should I care that you've decided to starve yourself? IMO, you're bringing more attention to yourself ("LOOK AT ME! I'M NOT EATING!") than to whatever cause you're protesting.

I've never understood the hunger strike from anyone on anything, and consider it to be possibly the most pointless form of protest. Can someone enlighten me as to what, exactly, it tries to prove? Aren't there far more *useful* ways of bringing attention to or showing displeasure for something?

[jfargo.livejournal.com]

If you do it right, it puts a face on people who are dissatisfied with whatever is being protested - the WalMart down the street, for example, usually doesn't want the bad press of potentially starving someone to death (even if we all know it's not going to come to that in the end). It's all about press - so, yeah, it is kind of "Look at me! I'm not eating!" but for some people that's the easiest way to get the word out there about "subject x" and why it's bad.

[digriz.livejournal.com]

Okay, that makes some sense. Thank you.

[lonesomenumber1]

Historically, in some cultures (Irish, Indian), it's a tool for the weak to used aginst the strong. It's supposed to bring shame on the oppressor. You may be right about it bringing more attention to the hunger striker than the injustice he's protesting; a lot more people know the names Gandhi and Bobby Sands than remember exactly what they were protesting.

[digriz.livejournal.com]

Historically, in some cultures (Irish, Indian), it's a tool for the weak to used against the strong. It's supposed to bring shame on the oppressor.

Hmmm. I could see that in other places, especially where food is considered to be more scarce or held in higher regard. Thank you.

a lot more people know the names Gandhi and Bobby Sands than remember exactly what they were protesting

As evidence, I just had to look up Bobby Sands on Wikipedia to familiarize myself. ;)

[jmfunnyface.livejournal.com]

These people would love my uncle. He decided to give up eating for Lent. He decided he wouldn't eat from sun up to sun down. Instead he ate continuously from 6:00pm until midnight and woke up at 4am and ate until sunrise.

[ex-bookkeep.livejournal.com]

Hollywood would beg to differ (http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb//articles/0705penn.html)

Tag-team Hunger Strike: the game the whole family can play!

I'M ON A PARTIAL HUNGER STRIKE TOO!

[creentmerveille.livejournal.com]

Oh wow.

WOW.

You are brilliant. I'd like to add in my efforts, and I'll do their cause one better -- I'll go on a 24/7 partial hunger strike, in that I will vow to never eat until I am at least partially hungry.

My partial hunger strike will be in protest of stupidity... be it war or badly worded calls to protest.

And now, officially, it starts.

[emerald-ibis.livejournal.com]

Wow, there's a WHOLE BUNCH of people doing this partial hunger strike EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.

Somebody should call the Wasington Post so that they can do a follow-up.

[litch.livejournal.com]

from the code pink website (http://www.troopshomefast.org/article.php?id=1043):
How long am I supposed to fast?
We ask anyone who wants to take part in the fast to dedicate at least 24 hours. Any additional days are great. And if you are interested in long-term fasting, we recommend 2 weeks or more


the "rolling hunger stikes" are a jesse jackson invention

[alathaniel.livejournal.com]

So they only need a minimum of 24 hours per participant for it to count as a hunger strike?

Just have something like a Rothlisburger hoagie (http://raptor.slc.edu/~joshreviews/?p=9) before starting. That thing is an entire day's worth of food all by itself.

[litch.livejournal.com]

no, they just have to do it intentionally with a goal of effecting political change

personally I don't think a fast under 72 hours counts

[alathaniel.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I mentioned the item above as an example of how the "sacrifice" required can be rendered trivial.

[brak55.livejournal.com]

I'll do it!!!

I'll plan my strike from 2AM to 10 AM tomorrow morning when I get up.

[ckd]

Well, heck, I'm going to go on a hunger strike until...oh, there are the jellybeans. Never mind.

[dandelion-diva.livejournal.com]

Jellybeans, the well known enemy of hunger strikes everywhere!

[hookncrook.livejournal.com]

Yeasr ago in my small town there was a hunger strike. They did a hunger strike hand off--it was the lamest idea ever. See you'd not eat for a day and then the next person would take the next day of not eating--so the first person could eat. It was against the violence America was insighting in Central Amercia at the time.

Oh and you could drink fruit juice on the hunger strike... Talk about an American-style hunger strike! A hunger strike without actual discomfort or hunger involved. I'm certain it will make a big impact on the politicians.

Intern: Everyone skipped lunch today, Mr. President, in protest of the Iraq war... What are you going to do?

Bush: Have a cheap bugers with the oversupply at the Food Court.

[defixione.livejournal.com]

Wow! That's pretty funny. It's even funnier that I happen to skip meals like that anyway. YAY I'm already protesting!

[voltbang.livejournal.com]

I am choosing to protest with the "partial" hunger strike. I am hungry for steak, but am not eating any steak. Tonight I suffered with a noodle based dinner rather than the juicy steak I wanted, all in the name of whatever it is we happen to be partially hunger striking against. Partial power to the partial people! Half measures all the way partly there!

[celticfeministw.livejournal.com]

Oof! I love this post. Love, love, love it.

I had no idea a hunger strike could be used this effectively without inconveniencing me all that much. I'm sooooooo on board with this plan.

And I have to ask - what does this say about Americans that we consider a "partial hunger strike" a form of protest? Ghandi is probably spinning in his grave.

Still. This is funny, funny shite, my friend. :)

[dandelion-diva.livejournal.com]

I absolutely adore you.

Gessi