Orange armbands to mourn victims of mass shootings?

[wnylib]

Last edited Fri Jun 3, 2022, 10:19 AM - Edit history (1)

I have been thinking about showing support for gun control by wearing an armband every day to mourn all the people killed by firearms, especially in mass shootings, in the US.

A plain orange armband, or one with a message on it, like "Stop the killings." Or, "Stop the insanity."

Initially I thought of black armbands as a traditional color for mourning, but since orange is the choice for gun control support, then orange armbands would convey the message.

An armband can be worn daily, while an orange shirt is not likely daily wear.

The point is to keep the symbol visible so that people do not forget, and to show politicians how much support for gun control there is. It would not take the place of action, but would be supplemental to working for change. A reminder to people to vote out the politicians who refuse to take action.

(NOTE: This was edited to choose orange instead of my original thought of black for mourning.)

[KarenS]

1. While I agree with your sentiment,,,,

I don't do any public political statements out of fear.
We are old and we live in Arizona,,,, need I say more??

[wnylib]

3. I understand.

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. If you were to do that, it should be an ORANGE armband.

[wnylib]

4. Orange??

[demmiblue]

14. ...

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[wnylib]

15. Thanks. I was unaware of the orange symbolism

and only thought of black as a mourning color.

[Ferrets are Cool]

35. ...

[wnylib]

10. Black is the traditional color for mourning.

[Hugin]

5. I might as well.

Already getting flackery for wearing a mask. Can’t get any worse.

[NoRethugFriends]

6. Not I. Will accomplish nothing.

[Sympthsical]

7. We're past the performative, and we're doomed if it's all we have to offer

Remember that march a month ago after the Roe v. Wade stuff happened?

Yeah, no one else does either.

I see people are marching again next weekend. It will go similar.

Political actions, voting, withholding fundraising, primaries. That is the only language politicians understand.

Symbols, the social media performance, the signalling. They may make people feel like they're "doing something."

How's all that "doing something" working for us so far?

[wnylib]

9. It has the value of uniting people

in support of change and in showing politicians how much support there is for action.

It keeps a visible reminder of the need for change so that it does not fade away. It is a reminder to "Vote them out." That is the only fear - of losing office - that could motivate Republicans to change. But reminding people to vote them out is even better.

It is not either/or. We can keep the visual reminder in the public eye at the same time that we work for change.

Regarding the march for abortion rights, several states are taking action to not only preserve abortion rights within their borders, but to assist women in getting to "safe states" and to protect abortion providers from extradition to an anti abortion state.

That is not a sign of the subject fading away.

It is from such marches that people meet others and form networks for action.

I am not willing to give in to defeatism. Sorry to see that you are.

[Sympthsical]

12. I'm going to channel Bane for a moment here

Do you feel united?

And it's not defeatism. I'm pointing out actions with tangible effects are the only things that matter. Not events and photos people can put on their instagram.

The performative is just us defeating ourselves all while feeling like we're the only ones doing anything. It's an interesting phenomenon. All that energy channels straight into a voracious bit of nothing.

Politicians love that shit. All that effort and vigor that they never have to bother about. It's like religion. "As long as you're occupied over here, I don't have to worry about you in the spaces where things really matter."

[wnylib]

22. Why is it either/or for you?

Is it impossible to pressure legislators and march or wear symbols at the same time?

Is there no value in energizing public opinion before people vote?

The BLM protests did not end racism, as we can plainly see in Buffalo. (I live in western NY, not far from Buffalo.)
They did not even end police brutality and murders of Blacks. But they did accomplish some changes in some communities. Police have been charged and convicted of murder in cases that would have been ignored before the protests. The vigilante murder of Ahmaud Abery resulted in convictions.

In my community, after the second local BLM protest, a coalition for racial justice was formed between local elected leaders, the chief of police, and representatives in the Black community to improve community and police relations, and to use deescalation in volatile situations. The coalition still exists to address community concerns as they develop.

I know exactly the kind of feel good substitution for action that you are referring to. I was on a social justice committee sponsored by a local non profit organization. I resigned because the committee membership was one Hispanic person and several Whites. There was no effort made to reach out to Blacks, or to hear directly from POC about their concerns and issues. The only "project" that the committee worked on was a Hispanic food festival. It was done solely for publicity for the NPO, not for the people of the community.

Months after I resigned, I received an e-mail from the same NPO to sign an anti racism petition. I ignored it for exactly the reasons you have given - the petition signature was a feel good move that would accomplish nothing.

But there are times when energizing public support does accomplish things. Energizing people on gun control prior to important elections this year could affect how they turn out and vote on candidates regarding gun issues.

[Sympthsical]

24. If dead children does not energize people

I cannot imagine why people think an armband is going to do the trick or be remotely impactful.

And to get mad and say it's defeatist to point out how ridiculous the notion should be on its face.

What's being defended here? What's really being defended? Because I think it's just self-esteem.

[wnylib]

28. I have a different question.

Why do you put so much energy into discouraging people from showing how they feel on an issue or from getting together to share views, develop networks, and follow up with action?

Most people who think something is pointless just say so and drop it. They don't expend energy on convincing others that something is pointless.

Quite a gross oversimplification that if dead children don't energize people you can't imagine that an armband will. You yourself said in a previous post that after marches and various movements the issues fade away and people forget them.

Keeping a visible symbol in front of people makes it much harder to forget. Encouraging people to express their anger and sympathy also deepens their resolve and commitment to vote out people who do not support gun control. Since this issue crosses party lines, there is a chance to get outside of one's own group on issues.

But I am beginning to think that you realize this without me telling you.

I have wasted enough time on your anti social defeatism.

'Bye.

[CTyankee]

26. I'm all for that and if it helps, more power to it. But I have seen this movie before, folks.

We gotta get past the armbands, the drivel, the "powerful speeches" that end up being just that. Without more, tougher gun laws, it ain't happening.

[wnylib]

32. They are a means of motivating people to action

e.g. voting out the politicians who ate owned by gun lobbyists.

They can energize and motivate people to take actions.

With enough demonstrated popular support for gun control, we can make anti gun control politicians afraid of losing their offices.

[jimfields33]

16. If I were in charge of protesting, I'd give each participant 15 registration forms

and have them go and register people. I think that would do wonders rather then holding a sign. Alas, I’m never chosen to be in charge.

[Sympthsical]

18. The thing about modern protests is they're just choir preaching

The people who show up are generally already on your team and likely to vote.

Everyone else either ignores it or is mildly annoyed by the inconvenience.

Organize a March on the Voting Booth, where you designate Election Day as your day of action and drag people to the polls.

This, however, is trickier. You'd have to engage with people around where you live and not only those who exist alongside you in an online bubble of general agreement and shared worldview.

It's real, real easy to hang out in spaces where people's beliefs and attitudes are more or less uniform. And it's that eternal, entrenched encampment in those spaces that neutralizes almost any potential power people may have. It's a political exercise bike.

You may be pedaling hard, but you ain't going anywhere.

(Note: using a general "you" in this post).

[wnylib]

25. "You may be pedaling hard

but you ain't going anywhere."

Or, you might end up finding out that you have more supporters than you thought you did. Or find yourself increasing the size of supporters as you persist.

Gun control is one issue on which people can cross the political divide. Give them an opportunity to get energized to join the rest of us on this one issue. Get them so committed that they are willing to vote against candidates who refuse to act on gun control.

[Sympthsical]

27. Ok, how?

I've seen armbands and hanging out for a few hours one day.

Ok, what else?

[wnylib]

33. No reason why it can't be done.

BLM rallies gave out voter registration forms.

[BlackSkimmer]

29. Remember the call to wear safety pins after tfg was elected?

That still makes me laugh.

[RainCaster]

8. I usually wear an orange shirt on Fridays

To show support for gun control.

[wnylib]

11. I was not aware of orange as a symbol for gun control.

Black occurred to me as the traditional color for mourning.

[JI7]

13. I'm sure you mean well but these things aren't going to do anything

[ck4829]

17. K&R. I have the same idea. It's sad to see so many people telling you to not even bother

But honestly, it's also getting irritating, I'd rather see "thoughts and prayers".

[Sympthsical]

19. The performative is our side's version of thoughts and prayers

Therein lay the problem.

[ck4829]

20. Wait, weren't black armbands enough to trigger a supreme court case?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker_v._Des_Moines_Independent_Community_School_District

Funny how something that was "just performative" caused a landmark supreme court case to happen.

This is just getting sad at this point.

"Do nothing"
"Don't bother"
And yet not one alternative suggested.

This constant hand-wringing is not our side's "thoughts and prayers", but worse than "thoughts and prayers". I expect more. I am disappointed and disgusted.

[Sympthsical]

23. I literally suggested an alternative

About election day. But it gets ignored because it would be, you know, actual work.

Let me ask you this. Who is going to be wearing these armbands? Liberals deep in the heart of Dixie?

Or is it going to be mostly people in blue states where politicians there already largely agree with them and where there is little in the way of any kind of social push back?

Because I know which one it's going to be. So, how is that useful? This is not about feeling like "having done something." It has to be about actually doing something.

"Guys, I changed my social media avatar to Issue of the Week. Whew. Exhausted. I'm such a soldier for progress." Meanwhile in the halls of power . . . "Did you see people posted pictures on Facebook? My god, now we must do something!"

It's interesting. I'm just standing here watching people suggest building more colorful hamster wheels for themselves, and they don't seem to recognize that they are, in fact, putting themselves on hamster wheels. You're getting mad at me because I'm not commenting on how well-constructed and admirable the hamster wheel is.

Whatever gets the heart rate up, I suppose.

[2naSalit]

21. Interesting...

I have to go out and pay bills around town today, I will wear something orange, I don't wear it but I must have something, and watch to see who else is wearing it too.

[BlackSkimmer]

30. I'd never heard of orange as a gun control color, so I'm going to assume no one in my little red

town has either.

So I could paint myself orange, and I seriously doubt anyone would have a clue why.

[Jake97]

31. I'd rather not announce to everyone that I am unarmed

[wnylib]

34. Quite a few gun owners are in favor of

gun control laws.

[2naSalit]

37. Who says you are announcing that you're unarmed?

I went out in my red neck paradise and wore an orange arm band. I saw two people with orange shirts, one with an orange jacket and two people with bright orange accessories. So I was happily impressed.

[meow2u3]

36. How about an orange and black armband to mourn mass murder victims?

That, and an orange to commemorate surviving mass shooting victims?

I'm proposing this because orange symbolizing ending gun violence and black the color of mourning.