Breathing Room: Giving and Giving Up
[NB: check the byline, thanks. /~Rayne]
We could all use a little breathing room, some space in which to back up, slow down, and look around.
While many of us aren’t particularly religious, this breathing room has been inspired by religion. This past Wednesday was the first day of the Christian Lenten season. Some Christian sects observe Lent with additional prayers and/or with forgoing pleasurable goods and services. Some Christian sects instruct adherents to give up red meat and to fast on certain days during Lent, ex. Catholics avoid meat on Fridays.
This year the Islamic faith community observes Ramadan from March 1 through March 29, overlapping with Lent for several weeks in recognition of the revelation of Islamic scriptures. Observant Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, offer more prayers, and engage in more charitable acts.
I’m not particularly religious, but I observe Lent having been raised in the Catholic faith. This frustrated my kids when they were little. “If you’re not a regular Catholic any longer, why do we have to give up stuff?” they’d ask.
I explained for multiple reasons:
— This is what our maternal forebears did going back hundreds of years, as far back as the 16th century. Perhaps even further, to when they lived in what was known as Poitou. This puts you in touch with history and tradition of some of your people.
— This is one of the few times privileged people are conscious of the act of going without; it’s still privilege to choose to do so, but in doing so we should be aware of those who are forced to go without. Our Catholic forebears were exhorted by their faith to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15) We go without as others do during Lent to learn empathy with those who have no choice but to live without.
— Living with a parent who has diabetes and heart disease, going without is a protective act. We have a personal reason to give up red meat and other rich foods while learning how to eat healthier; in doing so we learn skills for a healthier future. This isn’t giving up but a form of giving to each other.
— And now it’s become a matter of health for the planet. Giving up red meat and other forms of discretionary consumption reduces our carbon footprint. This is what we should learn to do during each Lenten season in order to extend this as a lifetime habit.
This year my Lenten observation includes giving up retail consumption. I will not buy goods or services which are not essential, and when I must buy the essential it will not be from businesses embracing fascist ideology.
Support the current administration by eliminating pursuit of social justice through diverse hiring and contracting, inclusive and equitable operations? I will not buy from them, and I will learn how to replace them.
There are economic protests underway, some advocating the boycott of companies that have rejected DEI to submit to the current regime’s bigotry. The NAACP published an advisory list of companies that have eliminated DEI programs and others that have continued to embrace them.
The People’s Union USA organized a February 28th “economic blackout” aimed at certain large retailers; participating consumers’ purchasing abstention may not have made a dent. But the boycott didn’t end there; they are continuing their boycott of multiple large corporations for at least two months, including Amazon and its subsidiaries from March 7-14. They ask that participants make no Amazon purchases, no Whole Foods, no Prime orders during that period.
Some faith groups have also begun a consumer fast from purchasing. Target Corporation in particular has been the subject of abstention beginning February 1 in Target’s home state of Minnesota because of its reversal on DEI.
“Black people, on average, spend $12 million a day at Target,” [New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s senior pastor Jamal-Harrison] Bryant said. “The fact of the matter is that Target made a pledge to our community after the killing of George Floyd of $2 billion into Black business and when the administration changed, they disavowed as if it never happened. The pledge was never made under DEI or affirmative action. It was out of decency and to humanity. To walk away from it is insult to injury.”
It’s important to remember that choosing to abstain from purchasing is an exercise in privilege which many more Americans can’t share after losing their jobs because of the Trump-Musk administration’s sloppy execution of Project 2025/Agenda 47. Recently unemployed may need to curtail spending due to loss of income and uncertainty about future employment prospects. This is not a little thing for some families when it comes to choosing where to shop; Target may have been convenient for diaper purchases on the way to/from work, for example. Entirely different calculus may be needed for those essential purchases.
Being empathetic and anti-fascist may not be easy for those of us with the privilege to choose where to shop. Looking for something as basic as a hair brush or grooming products may require entirely new approaches to shopping, and learning more about local businesses. Perhaps it’s a good thing to embrace this stretch out of the groove of habit; it could mean the difference between a small local business succeeding or failing. It could mean escaping enshittification foisted on us by Big Box retail.
What are you doing this spring to reject and repel fascism? This is an open thread.
For years, Target had been our “pick up a gift, bag, and card” on our way to family celebrations. No more.
The alternative in my area appears to be Kohls, but they’re in financial difficulties, not sure how long they’ll be around.
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I don’t know anything about Kohl’s wrt politics, but shopping there instead of Target makes it more likely they’ll survive and provide competition.
I have wondered for a very long time why JC Penney’s and Sears didn’t use their long-established distribution system to create a viable competitor to Amazon instead of trying to chase Target and Macy’s. Here’s yet another opportunity; will they seize the moment? *smh*
In my area, they’re next door to each other, in the same shopping center. (It’s on a busy street, and hard to get to from where I am.)
This may not be a feasible option for you but just in case – especially for celebrations, I’ve been working to learn and interact with small, independent, ethically run (as far as I can research) business, some local, some on line. Ordering books from Powell’s Books, or going to local co-op bookstore that also has cards and small gifts (Flyleaf Books! So grateful to have found them recently). Buying direct from makers, or local stores that curate from sustainable sources. Giving kids donation cards to aggregators like GlobalGiving (our kid got one from an auntie and fell hard for the HeroRats of APOPO). Extra effort that I have the privilege to do.
More on the “pro” side than the “against”, I adjusted my memberships in the regional NPR and PBS systems from annual to monthly. Most of that was paid for by dropping Netflix, which I wasn’t really using that much.
It’s better for the public broadcasters if they have more stable income streams. How know what those the P2025 and DOGE asshats have in mind for them.
TY, Rayne, for this thoughtful appraisal of the good aspects of religion in our lives. Like you and Marcy (from her comment on Nicole’s show last Friday) I’m an ex-Catholic, my Dad only having decided not to be ordained a Franciscan friar because the call to defend our civilization against German Nazis and Japanese Imperialists was stronger. He never lost his passion for the Faith, though.
In the same vein as your secularization of Lent, I’m using a secularized tithe rule: at least 10% of my SS check each month goes to Dems in various forms, and several of the legal orgs that take donations who are taking the American Fascist-Imperialist Party to court — as well as ProPublica, of course. I just checked and the % is more like 15 at the moment.
I and my wife are also spending time with a trans friend, just shooting pool on her fine table at her house, helping out with some construction issues (she’s got a fused spine and other serious physical shit, and getting contractors is almost impossible), and just letting her know that she’s
important to us, and we’re available if she needs us, as she’s pretty isolated and her dad who she was close to just died. Just doing “Christian” shit, without a prayer book or hymnal involved, or expectation of anything in return other than hanging with a pal and trying to make combination shots in 8-ball.
I don’t know how my dad would look at that relationship, but I do know that he went from being an Ike and Nixon supporter to stumping for Tom Foley in the last election before Gingrich took the Speakership from him (it was said that Dad’s endorsement kept Tom in a job that year).
Along those lines, I also sent Marcy’s suggestion to Catholics in last week’s Friday with Nicole video (40:00 to 43:20) to my very observant Sister and Brother in Law who are very active, especially BiL who was a CO during Nam, and Sis who ran (secular)Committee for Children for years. They will not-unlikely do something with that.
Oh, and also pestering Susan Collins like a small demon in a Bosch painting.
Called Susan Collins’ office many times asking if she is “concerned” about:
SSA cancelling contract allowing parents to sign up newborns at the hospital.
WH meeting with Zelenskyy she said, “critical time for Ukraine.”
Political payback to Governor Mills.
The coup, she said, “I’m very concerned about the impact on the state of Maine, on everything from national parks to biomedical research. So this is a big problem.”
Firing of federal employees, she said, “I think it’s pretty clear that this violates Article One of the Constitution. You would see lawsuits if the actions continue, a lot of these issues are going to end up in court.”
Asked when will Republicans have the moral strength to stand up to bully Trump? When? Still waiting for a Republican to step forward.
Great post, Rayne.
Having moved to a new community within my large city — I’m beginning to get involved with our neighborhood’s fledgling community hub. The mission of the hub is to be there for the community in the case of disasters — natural or otherwise. We’re having our first meeting this afternoon.
When my father passed I inherited an ungainly stock portfolio — I’m culling down the companies that don’t align with my beliefs. The latest to go was Target and some oil industry-adjacent stocks. I’m also paying more attention to our local politicians — city council, school board, judges, etc. I attend the public meetings when I can.
All this is very small, but I think this is where my attention needs to be — focused locally.
I’m taking the same approach as Tracy Lynn and working locally. We moved to WV from Colorado 13 years ago, and have gradually established ourselves in a small town here. The town council members are burned out and most of them are not running for reelection. I can run unopposed and get on the council this June.
After being very bullheaded and resisting most of my ideas, they have become a lot more open since I have been able to help the town with their water source problems. I’m in a unique position where the locals are out of ideas and are ready to listen to an “outsider”. West Virginia has a lot of problems, but a few well-placed activists could make a big difference here.
Move to WV and bring your friends! It’s time to make WV blue again.
Shop at Costco and local businesses. I’ve never bought anything via Amazon and never will.
Are you by any chance related to a George Leroy Tirebiter?
While I almost never eat at chain restaurants, if you must, most cater to the fascist party. Two exclusively donate (100%) to the Democratic party, Chipotle and Shake Shack. Starbucks is about 80% blue. Sonic and In and Out are some of the worst, almost exclusively fascist. Burger King and McDonalds are also terrible.
And how much influence does that have on them?
Not much. I remember a concerted effort a few years ago to boycott Chick fil-A, which did get noticed. It is far more important to go to eating establishments in your neighborhood that are locally owned. We have several near us that we walk to and know the owners, who are often there. Good food, too. It makes a huge difference to them. Our local tavern, Kings Corner (very English), is owned by two Indian guys, who also own, Lilly’s, the best Indian restaurant within 50 miles and J’Town Market, a bodega that is extremely popular with the school kids.
Nearly every eating establishment in my area is part of a chain. Few are independent or local. (I don’t patronize CfA. Or Carl’s.)
I have still never eaten anything from Chick-fil-A. I won’t until they dig themselves out of the hole they dug.
Ditto Barilla, Sargento, Land O’Lakes products. I don’t miss them at all, and I definitely don’t miss their bigotry.
Agree re: local small business food!
Also agree Chick-fil-A super deep in self-created hole.
Way back when in med/grad school, was living in Domino’s headquarters territory. Owner bragged how he was directly tons of profits to anti abortion organizations including ones into lying, endangering etc. Had to cut that out of the cheap eats rotation.
Reply to Ciel babe
March 9, 2025 at 9:32 pm
Ah, yes, the pizza Nazis. I haven’t eaten Domino’s in about 30 years and Papa John’s in ~25 years. Nope, nope, nope.
I’d rather spend a couple hours and make my own pizza with a raised dough crust than give them a bloody cent.
Steak N’Shake went full Nazi.
https://www.rogerebert.com/mzs/red-meat-steak-n-shake-goes-nazi
Probably just a coincidence the USDA shut down 2 critical food safety advisory committees including one handling foodborne pathogens like E. coli and salmonella.
https://foodsafetytech.com/news_article/usda-terminates-national-advisory-committee-on-microbiological-criteria-for-foods-nacmcf-and-national-advisory-committee-on-meat-and-poultry-inspection-nacmpi/
I’ve got a letter to editor submitted, pending publication, in support of recently axed trans rights. Came at it from one of the main points of Christianity: don’t be an asshole to people. But used nicer language than that. I paraphrased Christ.
I’m not particularly religious either, but Christ gave a lot of good advice.
—
Off Topic, but “I Never Lie and am Always Right” above just reminded me of Valpo basketball this weekend.
Their guard, his name is All Wright. And he’s got a brother named Always Wright.
Dad got the idea for the names from a friend. Mom must of had the same great sense of humor. I’m still laughing. God bless ’em!
My mom was a Valpo U. grad, and I graduated from Chesterton HS. Thanks for that memory!
Rockfarmer, did you delete a post or is the one stuck in the bin one which should have published? I can’t tell if there’s an auto-moderation trigger apart from the links you used.
Thank you Rayne. We are a consumer society. I have purged stuff within the last year to charity, libraries, schools, friends, family and sold items. Cleaning on the outside is cleaning on the inside. Being semi-retired, purchase only the essentials, conscious of where I buy items. Costco is my go to for big items.
Being more mindful of my community and how I can help. We have a large number of federal employees in my neighborhood. Yesterday, the high school had a Resource Fair open to residents in 4 counties to access vital services for: employment assistance, mental health support, housing information, food aid and information on federal worker’s rights which was held yesterday.
To reject and repel fascism, I call Republicans on the hill almost daily reminding them we are a democracy not an autocracy. Or question their quotes disrespecting federal employees. Pointed out congress violates oath of office by abdicating their duties. Convenient for congress to deny accountability of this hateful and abusive destruction to federal employees and our institutions. I remind them their job is to answer to the people they work for, not a dictator. Also ask as federal employees, will Musk be cutting their staff in half. I end with “abuse, hate, and cruelty are not family values.”