#pardon my french

welp but we’ve been protesting for far more time, it’s been more than a year since the first Yellow Vests protest.. talked to my mom a month ago about all that and she’s clear, even before 2000 (idk when you’re born but im from 01) it was already shit.. even before Sarkozy

I’m from a bit before 2000 and yeah, it has been going on for far longer, but I was too young to really grasp things before Sarkozy. Things have always been shit but it kinda feels like it’s just becoming worse and worse every year, you know? 

The yellow vests are another symptom of the problems we have yeah, and it’s never really stopped since it began which is good. I’m just particularly impressed by the bravoure of people who managed to strike for three months. I checked the check the strike funds and they didn’t have that much money. 

Using the 49.3 is, to me, one of the worst things a politician can do because. We can’t fight it. And it’s becoming more normalized…that being said, it’s always been used, and I honestly don’t get how people just. Let that happen. Here’s a list of the times it’s been used (in French obviously) until now. Funnily enough, Sarkozy seems to be the only one who didn’t use it recently? Wouldn’t have guessed. 

Hey guys, so you know how on this website we usually try to be aware of what kind of shit is happening in the US, and all?

Welp, it’s France’s turn to be in deep shit again. If you hadn’t heard of it, our current president reeeally hates people who are not of the ultra-rich class. 

Recently he got out of his ass a new version for retirement, which main goal was to cancel every “special” retirement plan you can have in different careers. Railworkers for an example, benefit from such a plan, they can retire earlier. But a lot of jobs have this kind of arrangement which is totally fair and normal. A bricklayer - or any kind of physical labor - is not going to be able to continue working as long as someone who works at a desk. Because it takes a toll on one’s body. 

(Also like. Even if those special plans weren’t logical anymore, I still wouldn’t be in favor or canceling them. The workers in those trades have earned those rights by fighting, good for them. They’ll be the first to march alongside us if needed). 

So yeah, it’s already a cruel and asshole move right. But of course there’s worse. Retired women earn, as a group, about HALF of what retired men earn. It’s already fucking difficult and. This reform is going to make it even worse on women. And the 1st minister advertizes the reform as good for women. I hope he will suffer a lot when he’s in hell. 

Starting. The 5th December I think ? A lot of people began striking because Macron didn’t want to listen to anyone (of course, he only likes and listens to ultra-rich people who don’t need the retirement money anyway). All December, railworkers were striking. In January it was still going on, with marches happening a few times a week even in my small city. If I’m to believe media reports, it’s one of the longest strikes we’ve had? 

And now, the worst part. See, the French constitution was written by and for De Gaulle, after WW2, because he wanted basically unlimited power to put the country back on its feet. Yeah, a long time ago. Aaaand we’ve kept that thing until now. See, there’s a nice, little thing we call the “49.3″ which, basically, makes the president into a toral tyrant. He can use it whenever he wants to just. Validate a law without having that law examinated or approved by anyone but himself. He already used it a few years ago when he was minister to shit on workers’ rights in general, condemning a lot of people to poverty and death, and he’s pulled it out of his ass again just this Saturday. (post date: 02/03/2020)

He hates us, that much we knew. He hates everyone who’s not extremely rich. But there’s no legal recourse for us in this kind of situation. He’s condemning millions of people to be extremely poor, in poor health (yeah he’s also attacking national healthcare though that’s another topic) and basically dead once we reach 70y. He’s a fucking murderer and I just. Don’t know what to do anymore. I’ll be marching tomorrow, like a lot of people in the country. I’ll also be undertaking some other. Less pretty actions too. Nothing violent, I don’t live in Paris so it wouldn’t be useful but. If anything *does* happen starting tomorrow (though it’s already begun tbh), and your new report about it - well, you’ll know why.

We’re just fighting incredible violence and threats against our lives right now. For now, I’m staying in my small city, but I know my local union group will go to Paris if we think it can help. I’m at the point where I’m hoping there’ll be riots. If I go to Paris though I’ll have to tone down the queer because I’m pretty sure I’ll get arrested and the police officers are. Incredibly violent even to us peaceful protesters. And I don’t want to have another target on my head. Anyway. Please support our social movements, we’re a country of angry people and I know it doesn’t look pretty but honestly? That’s the only way to survive. We’re angry yes, but we’re also pretty desperate and so, so scared. 

We just want to live, you know?