No One’s Apolitical Now
The following post contains a discussion of politics and features some salty language.
Over the past year, the Trump administration, backed by the GOP-majority Supreme Court and Congress, has been quickly tearing out structures of our democracy, root and branch. A lot of their actions have been profound but hidden in executive orders or the language of legalese. The subtlety ended over the past several weeks, as Trump’s paramilitary troops invaded Minnesota, abducting, beating, and killing people in an astonishing display of tyranny. I don’t need to recount the litany—you can read about it, well, everywhere. I don’t think a single American missed the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
In response, grassroots organizers around the country staged a national strike for today, asking businesses to stay closed and people to stay home from school and work. General strikes are one of the most potent weapons regular citizens can wield against an autocratic government, and they have been used to great effect throughout American history.
But national strikes aren’t just about money. Repressive regimes manage to hold power by convincing their populace that resistance is futile. In countries where the media is under government control, citizens come to believe their dissident hearts beat in silence. National strikes are equally potent moments in building solidarity and letting the government see the resistance. A general strike shows those individuals that they’re not alone. In fact, they’re in the majority.
I have long been politically engaged and although I try to keep this site insulated from ideological commentary, I do write about politics. If you want to read those thoughts, I have a wholly-free Substack you can subscribe to. If you’re anti-Substack, I also repost them on Facebook (basically all tech platforms are politically problematic, so pick your poison). I will continue to keep this site focused on beer.
In times of extreme government oppression, general strikes call the question: Will you stand with the people against the government, with all the risks attendant in doing so, or will you give succor to the government through your silence? A general strike makes all action, including inaction, political.
It’s always risky for businesses to take public political stands, and that’s especially true today, when they may face official sanction. Despite that, breweries are standing up. They’re not all closing their doors, but they’re making visible, public statements, which is the most valuable act. Below you’ll see the social media posts of some of the social media posts from Oregon breweries—and this is just a sample—and below that you can hear what some of them said.
Note that the breweries that decided to stay open have to do it for financial reasons, but many are also donating proceeds (10%, a buck a pint, etc.) to local immigrant-rights organizations. Their business will directly benefit immigrants, which is an additional, important way of showing support.
Living Haus: “Look, shit is pretty fucked right now. Posting about beer releases seems pretty trivial with what is happening in our country. We are not ok with the situation in Minnesota and do not support this administration, its policies, or its tactics against immigrants or its citizens.”
Foreland: “We want to make it very clear that we do not support the actions of this administration and are horrified by the harm and fear they are perpetuating. We stand in solidarity with anyone that opposes this the best they can. On our end, we will continue to be open and provide a place for the community.”
Wayfinder: “Our hearts are broken.What is happening in Minnesota and on Portland's streets is devastating. We do not support this administration or the cruel pain and fear being inflicted on immigrants and our neighbors. We will be open today. This wasn't an easy call, but staying open is what allows our small team to keep the lights on. We stand in full solidarity with those striking and protesting. We're here to provide a space for our community to come together when we need it most. Fuck ICE. We're grieving, but we won't abandon our neighbors. Please be kind to each other.”
Level: “WE WILL BE OPEN DURING THE GENERAL STRIKE. WE SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORS. WE SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. FUCK ICE. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO PARTICPATE IN THE STRIKE OR GO TO THE PROTEST.”
It’s an amazing time in the country, and in my wildest imagination, I didn’t expect to see breweries posting this explicit material against their government. But here we are.