Civil Disobedience

By:
Published: February 16, 2017

Don’t hate the media; become the media.

— Jello Biafra

I’ve written a few very personal pieces on this site over the years. Long-time readers and friends will recall my David West Lament, my message to the nay-sayers, and more. Mostly you know me for my old news summaries, boring coverage of laws and analysis, and the grumpy rants here and there. Plus, all the stuff I nailed like the rebrand, tv deal, more. Oh, all the stuff that was plagiarized (hey, there).

This is another one of those personal pieces. Others here at our site may vehemently disagree with me, but we support each other in expressing reasoned positions, sufficiently supported, no matter how we may disagree.

Today, I’m here to do one of those things that all the other stuff I do positions me to do . . . to lay out instructions for Civil Disobedience among the Pelicans fan base so they can more effectively express their displeasure with the franchise, particularly during All-Star Weekend and Home games.

Who

  • Anyone who is disgruntled with some aspect of the franchise that is too far beyond what you’d consider to be “giving them a fair chance”

What To Do

  • Attend games and events, including All-Star events
    • Especially try to get tickets where you are naturally on camera or prominently visible
  • Buy tickets on the secondary market when cheaper
  • Wear your Pelicans gear
  • Place some duct tape or the like over the logos in a reasonable, visible way. If you don’t have gear or don’t want to wear it, just put the tape on something as if a logo were there.
  • Engage in brief, calm, reasonable discussion with others asking you about this or also participating

What NOT To Do

  • Disrupt any event in any way
  • Make any noise or gestures, even what you what normally do as a fan
  • Share your grievance with anyone who does not ask
  • Congregate to any extent other than small groups, except in your seats

Why Do This

The idea here is to express your displeasure clearly, but in a way that does not affect the enjoyment of any event by any fan for even a moment . . . and does not put you or anyone else at risk for any type of reaction, retaliation, or retribution. Any excuse to remove you could be used, so give none.

None none none.

A simple plain mark over a logo sends a clear message, and using tape makes it reversible.

If you do this at games, people see it and will start to wonder. If you are on camera *naturally*, then you multiply the effectiveness many times. If the Event is sparsely attended, you will stand out more. This uses the team’s most precious commodity, one they guard and manage to the nth degree . . . their communication . . . for your purposes.

If there are enough people showing disapproval, the numbers will grow, and the franchise will react.

For those concerned that others won’t do it, then maybe you only care enough to complain behind a keyboard but you won’t stand by your beliefs in a meaningful way or be willing to have someone confront you about your position. I’ve been called out numerous times by more than just readers and writers, and I keep doing what I do.

For those with a better idea, do it, but please make sure you don’t disrupt anything for anyone else or place yourself at risk. Think it through. Also, standardization matters here. So, be catchy . . . it’s not hard to be more catchy than me. Improve my ideas, by all means. I’m here to throw a rock, to create the wave, not ride on top of it.

Also, you may not want to attend games. In the end, you do want the franchise here, so some kind of support is necessary. Buying on a secondary market limits the support. Not buying concessions as much, minimizing parking, etc., all helps this effort of yours. Getting on camera and taking over the product for brief moments in a passive way, however, is the payoff you want.

Especially at All-Star Weekend.

All around town.

Aaallllll around town.

Writers will be desperate for stories, tweeting constantly. It’s your best chance to make a splash.

Why I Am Writing This

I am, quite frankly, sick of the whining of a number of writers and fans just as I am sick of some of the issues with the team. Not everyone has the time or platform to do what I do (I barely do!), which is to cover the team in my own way and express my thoughts and analysis in a way for others to read and consider (which they do).

I, also quite frankly, am skeptical that the numbers of disgruntled fans what are willing to do anything but peck away on a keyboard to grouse is as large as many believe, and season ticket sales agree with me. I am, however, also confident that there is a nonetheless large number of passionate fans who take pride in their team and their city enough to do SOMETHING to make their feelings clear to the franchise in a way that is clearer and less easily dismissed than well-considered comments on articles or in social media (because of the grousing mentioned just above, including that by some writers). So, writing this allows me see how many are willing to do something clear and in public that requires no skill, no platform, just things many fans have already. You know how I love data . . .

Make your statement. Make it for hours on their broadcast and in front of their biggest supporters. In front of sponsors, officials, and owners.

Civil Disobedience goes back well before Thoreau, having a long and glorious tradition. Use your ability to coordinate and to protest responsibly while respecting others. If you believe in this, there is no better time than now, and I’ve laid out a responsible recipe for decentralized coordination.

To be clear, I won’t be doing this . . . yet. I’m not there, as I’m juuust clinging to charitable skepticism. I just renewed my season tickets, too. Unlike many of these writers, I put my money where my mouth is. I’m independent of any income from any platform, and I put the team (sliiiiiiiiightly on my payroll. So, nyah!

Still, I’m not here to further my agenda. I’m here to look around, consider what I see, and give my thoughts. Sometimes I give them to fans, others to franchise officials . . . Hey, Mr. Lauscha . . . and traces of what I do can be seen if you know where to look, which I’m quite proud of . . . Today, I give them to the fans who are farther along than I am on wanting fundamental change.

To riff on a riff on Voltaire: I may not agree with what you say, but I will help you say it.

I’ll be watching.

And because I wrote this, so will the Pelicans.

No excuses.

Let’s see what happens.

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