Over the weekend, 17,000 people canceled their #WorldCup tickets

[macacator@mastodon.social]

@benroyce @lynfox voting is the starting point.

[radioclash@retro.pizza]

@benroyce I am amazed anyone travels to the US for ANYTHING - be it World Cup or Olympics, They have put our citizens in ICE detention, and those of fellow Europeans.

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@macacator @lynfox

right, voting isn't all you do. it's just a tool in your tool chest. the other tools need using too

[macacator@mastodon.social]

@benroyce @lynfox Nepal showed us the tool set needed to change things.

[pascaline@mastodon.nl]

@hamishtpb

AMEN, Hamish!
Wow, this is all so delicious.

@benroyce

[macacator@mastodon.social]

@bazcook @ikuturso @lynfox @benroyce Nepal showed us the way to democracy, Americans just need to be willing to do it.

[bazcook@mas.to]

@benroyce @ikuturso @lynfox - much of the problem is that states *do* run the national elections. In many countries, the vote is handled by an arms-length federal agency. They set electoral borders (not just the state / provincial borders, but ensuring roughly the same number of voters are in each jurisdiction) and they are responsible for the count procedures. US states have a tendency to invent electoral borders to suit their Party of choice. And then there's your Electoral College...

[fourt4@mastodonapp.uk]

@benroyce solution: bully the participating nations using diplomatic and commercial levers, until they conscript fans to go.

[epilonious@toot.lgbt]

@benroyce @bazcook @ikuturso @lynfox I don't think non-Americans realize just how scared _Americans_ are of Americans that are Very Angry and feel completely justified in that Anger.

That is America's greatest export. It was called-upon to help end two world wars with great success and try to tip the scales in colony skirmishes with far less success.

The people on our money are people who managed to wrangle that dark magic of 'Pissed Off American' for a while without destroying the country.

[paulatothepeople@climatejustice.social]

@benroyce @bazcook @ikuturso @lynfox Also, even under the premise that voting is meaningless, and Americans have to uprise instead: Voting, and getting everybody to vote is the best way to start an uprising. If millions of people vote and their votes are stolen, then they'll be motivated to uprise. If they stay home thinking their votes don't matter, and then the votes cast don't matter, all they'll do is say "I told you so".

[pascaline@mastodon.nl]

@radioclash

It's completely crazy.

That being said, and I may be get it for saying it, is that I think the entire organised football whatever is disgusting; football stars have nasty glittering egos; the organisation is all about money, boot licking, and even more money; and supporters behave like football is war.

Also: I never understood all the destruction and hooliganism. Why not ALWAYS be happy for the winning team, then it's always a party!

@benroyce

[epilonious@toot.lgbt]

@benroyce @bazcook @ikuturso @lynfox A bunch of the people who knew how destructive and terrible Pissed Off Americans could be... who spent DECADES going "Let's see if we can just contain these couple of grumps and trust these folks who say they have it handled and know how to keep 'em calm" are now glowing Red, White, and Blue with the flames of apoplexy at the sheer incompetence and unbridled pettyness.

All the "When they go low we go high" folks are now basically going "High road's closed."

[bazcook@mas.to]

@benroyce @lynfox @ikuturso - absolutely, Americans must vote. Everyone eligible to do so. Without fear of repercussion. Providing the government lets it happen. Or accepts the result.
I don't see a another January 6th - this time led by Democrats - happening. Or without significant bloodshed if it does.

[admin@mastodon.ai8w.ddns.net]

@benroyce

I agree.. both parties need to give us candidates we can vote FOR, instead of candidates to vote AGAINST...

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@bazcook @lynfox @ikuturso

thank you

🙏

i just worry about talk that paints it as if trump is insurmountable. it deadens people's spirits

trump is defeatable

[kristen_d@mastodon.social]

@benroyce Good. Fuck the United States, land of the criminal pedophiles, home of the free billionaires to fuck everyone and everything because feelings. I hope it's such an embarrassing dud just like needledick Trump. #Loser #FIFA #WorldCup #Boycott #SuckUp #Assholes who capitulate.

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@admin

100% agreed

but even if we don't get that, you still vote for the candidate that isn't an outright fascist. it's just self-preservation

[radioclash@retro.pizza]

@pascaline @benroyce sadly that happens in all sports, holliganism and destruction, football isn't alone in that.

But yes although football is massive here in the UK, I've never got it. Watched the odd World Cup, but not really into sportsball. I was constantly criticised at school for not getting into team sports, and the fans of same can be very homophobic so avoided.

[tuban_muzuru@beige.party]

@benroyce

When I see this sort of thing:

"As an American: don't come here
Don't do business with the #USA"

I'm thinking about the people around me, here in Wisconsin, dependent on tourist business - it's pretty terrible up here just now.

Not a milligram of nuance to anything said around here.

[admin@mastodon.ai8w.ddns.net]

@benroyce

Pretty much why I've voted third party for the last six elections...

I keep hoping more people do so, so a third party can get into the debates and provide another point of view, and someone else to vote for.

Maybe the rise of a third party will make the other two pull their heads out of their butts and do the job right, because NEITHER party has done so in recent memory....