Ex-Labor Secretary Robert Reich urges global boycott of travel to U.S. to protest Trump
Ex-Labor Secretary Robert Reich urges global boycott of travel to U.S. to protest Trump
It would send a clear signal, said the Bill Clinton-era Cabinet member.
Summary
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich urged a global boycott of U.S. travel to protest Trump’s policies, warning his administration is “brutally attacking U.S. democracy.”
In a Guardian op-ed, Reich called on foreign visitors, students, and skilled workers to reconsider coming, citing economic and safety concerns. He argued withholding tourism revenue could pressure Trump.
His plea follows Trump’s anti-immigration crackdown and rising tensions with Canada.
Reich’s call comes as Canadian travel to the U.S. has already shown signs of decline.
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I’ll never be visiting the USA ever again.
I’m trans. I’m not risking going to a country where a third of the population actively wants me dead and the other two thirds don’t seem to care either way. That country’s rotten to the core.
trans, POC, lgbtq+ even scientists or stem looking for career options need to seek elsewhere.
I care. Granted I'm just one American and I'm not in a position of power, but the blatant bigotry being pushed by some of us is shameful and makes me very angry.
The gestapo are detaining and interrogating conventionally attractive cis white girls. That means nobody is off limits right now. I sure won't be going anymore and I don't fall under a categorically targeted minority.
https://variety.com/2025/film/news/american-pie-actress-detained-ice-1236339981/ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/article-canadian-folk-duo-cassie-and-maggie-face-bizarre-loyalty-test-at/
I can understand your point of not wanting to travel to the US and you're correct that there is a high number of people that have a negative view of anyone "different" than them. And I would probably say it's a good idea not to for the reason you gave and more, but there are many very passionate people that are fighting for the rights of everyone in America, they just don't get the press so it can be easily interpreted that no one in the US cares.
There are rotten people in power and due to their station they have control of the microphone which makes it sound like that is what everyone thinks. That isn't true.
going to a non-red state is still supporting trump through taxes.
That's great to hear, I'm sure it'll be a huge comfort when I rot in an ICE cell for weeks, months, because the CBP agent didn't like my face!
Yeah, I ain't comin'.
They weren't trying to convince you to come, they were trying to gently explain that it's a little mean to judge 100% of the people for what is happening
Dude I love the guys that are like “well WaPo isn’t reporting it and the Americans didn’t email me specifically about their plans to resist so they must all be rolling over”
Considering how absolutely pathetic the American "resistance" has been for the past eight years I'd say you're solidly in the "put up or shut up" phase now.
Yeah. Germany had more turnout on the streets against a far right populist party who isn't even in power. Germany has around than 1/4 the population of the US. And go to hell with "population centres far apart,etc." It's simply not a valid argument.
Germany even had more turnout when the actual Nazis did take over.
So did Italy with Mussolini or Chile with Pinochet.
The country who basically did claim to be the pinnacle of democracy for decades and flooded half of south America with illegal arms they claimed to need for "protection their freedom"? They rolled over. Chuck Schumer rolled over and voted yes and so did the remaining population.
I wrote all my reps asking what they were doing about the rise of fascism.
"We're voting as hard as we can!" was their answer. Oh good. Thanks for fighting SO hard, ya fuckin useless sacks of shit.
there are many very passionate people that are fighting for the rights of everyone in America
Yeah, that fight has been lost. Nobody should voluntarily come to this country. It's just not worth the risk.
rotten people in power and due to their station they have control of the microphone which makes it sound like that is what everyone thinks. That isn't true.
Maybe, but it is what the voting majority thinks. The US is, in fact, garbage.
The people who care are a minority.
An important one, yes, but hardly large enough to even protect themselves.
But most US citizens are either reactionary conservative or neoliberal - and neither truly care about minorities.
I honestly believe the number of Americans who actively oppose Trump, to the extent of fighting instead of tolerating him, rivals your tech unionization rates.
Its more like a third activey wants you dead and a third would prefer that not be the case and a third somehow wanted to stop the horribleness of the democrats by being those friends to folk that makes them not need enemies.
the other two thirds don't seem to care
That couldn't possibly be more wrong, but you definitely shouldn't come here because of the first third.
Jesus you need to chill.
The whole point of America is not caring, I shouldn't care about your decisions and you shouldn't care about mine, we call that freedom.
It's the people who care who are the problem.
And that's precisely why you have a country but lack a civilisation.
So I'm ... Binational i guess, 1 foot in the us and 1 in northern Europe.
Until recently I preferred the coasts of the US, but it was a close thing, both were nice, the lack of a patronizing state was quite pleasant.
Now clearly the balance shifted to shit and northern Europe knocks the us into a cocked hat.
But when the us is good, it's actually quite good.
You can have a civilization made of many civilizations, that's how our multiculturalism worked (when it worked) and it was incredible.
But like saying all of Europe has no civilization because they don't all share the same uniform culture.
You can't have one when everyone's alienated from each other, that's the point. Civilisation is more than the mere sum of its parts: When you do not care about someone else deciding to e.g. oppress a fellow compatriot you only have the sum, not the more. A population, but not a civilisation.
You can have a civilization made of many civilizations
That's not what e pluribus unum means. That's what in varietate concordia means.
What? This is nonsensical. I'm not alienated from my neighbors and community. A lot of us aren't. Obviously the US is and has a civilization. You're trying to redefine civilization and it is really not working. This is odd.
There may be traces left, true, but if OP's "The American way is to not care" ideal is lived by, what I described is exactly what you get.
And, yes, Americans are a lot more alienated from another than pretty much any other people.
You have no idea what's going on. We aren't in ruins. There aren't traces. We are a civilization. And that person worded it poorly, they should've said tolerance.
Not really. We are all pretty connected in our communities. We just have a bad government.
Pray tell, how is that rule of law going? Constructive political discourse? Good relations with your neighbours and allies?
"Not in ruins" my ass.
We just have a bad government.
Because you don't care to have a good one. Because you don't care to look over the brim of your burger, to connect with people who do not already happen to be in your in-group. None of those groups has any allies because each is saying "fuck you, got mine". Solidarity is a curse word. "Solidarity"? Them marchers is all commies, tell me kid are you a red??!
In ruins would mean the streets and buildings have decayed past the point of habitability and usability. "Traces of a civilization", ya know? We aren't even close to that. I'm walking around right now. Living in a home. Words have meaning.
We do care. We are being usurped by the powerful and our traditional army has yet to make a move. It's hard. I live in a diverse multicultural community. We preach tolerance and solidarity. You sound insane.
In ruins would mean the streets and buildings have decayed past the point of habitability and usability.
You're being overly literal. The standing of the US, its position in the world, all that is certainly in ruins. And, yes, so are plenty of buildings and infrastructure. Whole states are, economically, barely on the level of developing nations, if that.
I live in a diverse multicultural community.
Which is not the US. Your community might make up part of the population of the US, but what you have regarding the "more" part of "more than the sum of its parts" certainly isn't shared with the rest. It thus isn't part of the American civilisation, for that there would have to be a shared civilisation, a shared "more".
And you misunderstood entirely.
I'm speaking of respect for each other's uniqueness without embracing it.
You can be or do whatever you want, I respect your right to do so even if I think it's stupid. I just stay mostly quiet about it, maybe light mockery.
I think religious people are basically mentally disabled. But so long as they follow basic rules (don't enforce it on others or your kids strongly), then let the short bus morons believe whatever they want.
Would we be better off with religious eliminated by force? Possibly. But then someone else would have another crazy idea and decide things would be better if nonbelievers of that were eliminated by force, and the circle would begin again.
And you misunderstood entirely.
Last I checked, "not caring" has exactly the meaning I took it to have.
In America, we define respect of other peoples' beliefs and cultures as apathy.
We politely ignore them, they politely ignore us, so long as nobody crosses a line the arrangement works splendidly.
How can you know you cross lines when you don't care, are apathetic?
First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;" who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season."
Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.
...I don't think I need to attribute that quote.