Grannies Against…

I have, like many of us, been watching the terrible, despicable events unfold, and wondering “what can I do”.

Especially since my knowledge of the workings of politics and government is pretty weak, even as a historian. (I studied the history of pirates and other rabble-rousers!)

I’ve been heartened by the protests taking place around the country, and around the world.

And I was also inspired by Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo, and their courage and strength. http://madres.org/ and https://madresplazademayolf.org.ar/

(It’s a long post, but please read through to the end to discover my first action as a “Granny”.)

And in talking to women who are elders and listening to their discontent. I wanted to build a platform for them, as they are often discounted and ignored despite their wisdom and brilliance (including myself, with my birth gender being female),and to give them a powerful voice in defining and shaping the world. I also want to make it a point to embrace gender fluidity, and I want to keep the key identifier as “Granny/Grannies”, therefore anyone of any gender definition can be a “Granny”. Women/women identified elders are fierce and wise and are the perfect model for this social justice campaign I hope to launch.

I decided that “Grannies” can self-identify by way of a black bandana–whether you wear it as a head scarf, a neck scarf, or an armband, that’s up to you.

Here is my preliminary brainstorming sheet as pasted in from my word document. At the current time, I opted not to pursue the nonprofit pathway. However, I might still be open to it if you want to collaborate! I have the passion, dedication, and knowledge to become official staff/leader/board of directors person, but I just don’t have the funds to launch a “Grannies Against” nonprofit.

(After the pasted text, I will mention my first action I am taking as a “Granny”.)

*begin paste*

The Granny Revolution!

4/1/2025

Kirsten Lee Barger

Nonprofit Pathway

• 501(c)3 status
• Can Accept Donations
• Merch for Sale (ex: Black bandanas with Grannies Against on them) to fundraise
• Need Board of Directors and Start-up Funding
• Idea/name reserved for nonprofit org (ownership of name)
• Funding for nonprofits now even more competitive

Social Justice Movement

• Grassroots, i.e. decentralized with no “CEO” or leadership. Individuals could be targeted but otherwise there isn’t an organization to target (ex: Trump punitive action)
• Anyone can claim “ownership” of name; i.e. do community and global actions as a “Granny”.
• Flexible and no start-up costs
• Spread through social media/word of mouth
• Unstructured with no overarching vision statement, mission statement, control, etc.
• No revenue/funds coming in to sponsor projects
• With no structure, movement can peter out as a “trend”—if it even gets off the ground?

Grandmas/Grannies Against…

• Trump/Republicans
• Corruption
• Racism/Sexism/Homophobia
• Injustice
• Environmental Destruction
• Corporations
• Nonhuman Animal Abuse and Exploitation
• War/Warmongering

Grandmas/Grannies For…

• Community Gardens
• Sustainability
• Universal Health Care
• Universal Basic Income
• Environmental Protection/Conservation
• Wildlife Protection
• Education
• Teacher Rights
• Labor Rights
• Immigrant Rights
• Civil Rights
• Arts and Science Education
• Biocircular Economies
• Revolution
• Social Justice
• Grassroots Community Development
• The possibilities are endless!

*end paste*

Now, onto my personal statement and about the first action I plan to take as a “Granny”.

My Personal Statement

I did not vote for Trump, and nobody voted for Elon Musk, and I do not condone or support them and their destructive, callous, unethical, immoral, illegal, corrupt actions in any way, shape, or form. And, by way of association, I do not support the Republicans who support Trump and, at this point, honestly, I do not support the Republican Party either. I also don’t support people who still support Trump.

I am a supporter of immigrant rights, ethical behavior, feminism, the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, the arts (including theatre), sciences (except where they condone and practice nonhuman animal testing), sustainability, environmental and wildlife protection, nonhuman animal rights, things like universal health care and universal basic income, reduce/reuse/recycle, minimalism/anti-consumerism, and probably a lot more in this vein. You get the picture, anyway.

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(This is something any of you can do, and I urge you to create your own by using the hashtags #TheWillOfThePeople, #GranniesAgainst, and/or #GranniesFor. Also, if you’re a globally based supporter in a location that’s not the United States, you can use a hashtag like #TheWillOfTheWorld or #TheWillOfThe…and you can insert your country, region, town, city, planet, anything you like. As I mention in my brainstorming document, the possibilities are endless, and can be done from anywhere, even from home!)

My First Campaign #TheWillOfThePeople

To the Trump Administration, to the Supreme Court, and to Elon Musk/DOGE,

Your actions are not just unconstitutional and illegal, they are inhumane and unethical. And, as per my right, I firmly state that this violates my right as a citizen of this country. By your actions, I declare you in violation and contempt of my will, the will of the people (#TheWillOfThePeople), and I strongly urge my representatives to hold Trump and Musk accountable for their actions, by impeachment or other available means to remove Trump from office if possible.

Again, I strongly protest the actions Trump, Musk, and their other political supporters, and state, yet once again, that this goes not only against my will as a citizen of this country, but is also a grievous violation of morality, ethics, and simple, basic compassion and empathy for others.

As a citizen of the United States, I demand that you immediately cease and desist the following destructive actions against the people of the United States, on the media, on students, on immigrants, on families, on our constitution, on our government, and on our elected officials and representatives.

• The deportation of immigrants
• The attacks on, and closing of Social Security Administration
• The attacks on, and closing of, the Department of Education
• The attacks and repeal of the rights of LGBTQIA+/Transgender People
• The attacks on, and repeal of, the rights of women/women identified people
• The attacks on, and repeal of, environmental protections and the environment
• The attacks on, and repeal of the rights of the media, and on free speech
• Your partnership and support of Russia
• Your plan to turn the Gaza strip into a tourist destination
• Your plan to ethnically cleanse the Gaza Strip
• Your plan to use military force to seize Greenland

I also demand that you restore the following, and protect our access to:

• USAID
• Federal Departments you have closed
• Federal Employees you have fired/terminated
• Federal Officials you have terminated/fired/forced to resign as part of your punitive actions
• I would say restore the Gulf of Mexico to its original status but nobody’s really listening to you on that.
• The rights of women/women identified, the rights of LGBTQIA+ and transgender people/transgender atheletes, the rights of immigrants, the rights of students, the rights of our media to free speech
• Student aid programs such as IBR
• Food stamps, Medicaid, and Medicare
• Social Security benefits
• The natural environment against oil, gas, and coal fracking/mining, and from pipelines

I demand that you dismantle DOGE and fire Elon Musk.

I also demand that you work to have the Veneluazan migrants you used taxpayer money to deport to the El Salvadorian prison.

I also firmly state that I do not authorize you using taxpayer money for your crackdown on migrants.

Signed,

Kirsten Lee Barger

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So that’s it, that’s my list. Did I forget anything? There is so much going on that is just unconscionable that I’m sure I overlooked something equally as important. Let me know in the comments!

I plan on sharing this across my social media (I’m not on Twitter anymore) with the hashtags #GranniesAgainst and #TheWillOfThePeople.

Also, please share this blog post far and wide, and if you decide to join the movement, I’d love to see, and promote, your own actions.

In solidarity!