Antiwar Concert Tour '07

Idiot proof general strike plan

jakethorn — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:36:36 -0800

Here's a step by step description of how we can stage a massive antiwar strike using Facebook. Yes, really. I think our target number should be 130,000 because that's the number of troops stuck in Iraq right now, plus it's much easier to reach than the original goal of 250k.

FIRST STAGE: Getting to 130,000

Step One: ASSEMBLE CORE. Build group of 30 core organizers/recruiters. Have it on Facebook so more people can easily join later.

Step Two: CREATE MAIN GROUP. Create Facebook group with a catchy description, simple demands, and a link to the organizers group.

Step Three: LAUNCH. All 30 core organizers invite 100+ friends to group, AND each convince at least 5 friends to invite 50 of their friends. ("Chain invite" -- remember?)

Step Four: NURTURE GROWTH. Make posts advertising strike group on the walls of liberal groups all over Facebook.

And hopefully this creates explosive growth. If it doesn’t, we try other tactics, or pull the plug, or go at a smaller level (50k?). We make decisions like this by posting discussion threads on Lose the Label, which should be the planning area because we have control here; no worries about trolls or interference from Faceb$k administrators. We can also do more with email here.

Antiwar Concert Tour '07

ACT07... stage 2: OUTREACH.

jakethorn — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 16:17:36 -0700

Now the final proposal's done, stage two is bring it to the attention of as many people as possible.

Who can you show it to? Like what places can you post it, what groups can you share it with, who can you email it to? Let's get a compilation of tasks going.

Are you willing to stalk research some artists and record labels to find contacts? What about journalists?

Other ideas?

Antiwar Concert Tour '07

ACT07: Final Draft (updated with bands list)

jakethorn — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 21:09:56 -0700

This is just an idea. Please give feedback. It’s not possible to make it happen without massive outside help, but I think it’s good enough to warrant further development.

What if there was a massive concert tour to stop the war? What if it was even more than just music? What if the concerts were tied in with citywide protests and strikes? What if the musicians walked with the protesters?

Like I said, just an idea, but me and some other antiwar activists have been talking about it for a couple weeks now and have a rough concept of what we’d like to see.

Antiwar Concert Tour '07

Antiwar Concert Tour 07: Semi-final draft proposal

jakethorn — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 12:57:01 -0700

If no one wants to make any changes, this will become the final draft proposal that we send to everyone with an email address, or post it in discussion forums and blogs everywhere we can think of, hand to local antiwar groups, etc. So if you want to change the wording or substance, please say so NOW! Thanks.

=======

This is just an idea. Please give feedback. It’s not possible to make it happen without massive outside help, but I think it’s good enough to warrant further development.

Antiwar Concert Tour '07

Antiwar Concert Tour 07: What bands?

jakethorn — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 12:52:38 -0700

Please give input on how to fill in this blank:

Good headliners for the tour would be Ani DiFranco, Rage Against the Machine, Immortal Technique, Willie Nelson or Neil Young. Other bands we like are _______________.

I think we should list 12 bands. So if there's a band you want included in the proposal, leave a comment here. If possible, let's aim for as diverse a lineup as possible... some hip hop, some rock, some classic rock, some acoustic, some punk, maybe even some metal or country.

If we get more than 12 bands listed, let's have a tiebreaker system....if you like the band someone else listed, leave a reply to their comment saying so.

Antiwar Concert Tour '07

ACT07: Rough Draft Proposal

jakethorn — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 00:54:14 -0700

Almost getting to a draft we can launch into wide circulation. Please leave comments critiquing how you think people will perceive this, and also if I've missed any important substance. If there's enough feedback, the next post is to actually do the grammar nitpicking to make it sound perfect and cut it under 500 words. There'll also be a post to decide on what bands we list in the proposal. PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS. Thanks.

Antiwar Concert Tour '07

Antiwar Concert Tour 07: Framework/chronology

jakethorn — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 20:55:15 -0700

For this round of discussion, let's establish HOW we can make the tour happen by hammering out a framework of what we need to do when. Here's how I see the chonology.

1) We (LtL'ers) come up with a proposal incorporating most of the ideas we've floated. It should be detailed enough that people know we're serious, but open enough that others will be willing to take the idea and put their own work into it, feeling that it's their own. It should also be concise (under 500 words, imho) so more people read it. An alternate method is to come up with several of them, maybe 1 reflecting the student concert series idea, 1 reflecting the full on protest tour, 1 reflecting the simultaneous concerts idea, etc.

Antiwar Concert Tour '07

antiwar concert tour '07: defining what we want to see

jakethorn — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 14:52:34 -0700

(I'm using a techie loophole I have access to to put this on the front page again in an effort to get more feedback.)

The last post I made on this was an exploration of logistics and most of the comments centered on that.

Let's use this diary as an attempt to broadly define what we want to see. I'll write a blurb describing my take and in the comments, I'd appreciate if you'd write your own. My next post will be a blend of all of them. Also, if you like someone else's take, PLEASE say so in the comments so I can add weight to the most popular ideas.

Here’s mine:

Antiwar Concert Tour '07

Rock the Bells

Jerome — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:45:15 -0700

If this lineup had Dead Prez it would be the revolution come to life through music. This could turn into the protest concert. Check it out

MUSIC IS LIFE

Antiwar Concert Tour '07 2nd draft proposal

jakethorn — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:51:27 -0700

This is a writeup incorporating the ideas from the last few diaries about the concert idea, plus some others I've thrown in. Please read, scrutinize, and contribute what you can at the end.

OBJECTIVES

Antiwar Concert Tour '07

concert tour idea -- please help refine

jakethorn — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 18:00:38 -0700

Based on the comments from the other blogs and a message Michael sent me, I have some thoughts.

First I think we need to discuss exactly we want to do. Do we want to put on this tour ourselves? Or do we want to get other people to do it?

We don’t have the people to do it ourselves, so I think we’re looking at the second option. With that, who do we contact? Or should we even focus on specific people?