Don’t Stick Me On A List. No. Really. Don’t.

In these times of democratic revolution in Egypt, accelerating right-wing insanity in Israel, and vile legislative attacks on USA women’s self-determination, I end up signing a lot of online petitions. I pick and choose among the gazillion petitions – and often follow the example of trusted friends.

But, hey, progressive organizations! Signing your petition does not mean that I want to sign up for your listserv or newsletter. I’d rather spend my time in online activism than in unsubscribing again and again (I’m talkin’ to you Credo, to you MoveOn, etc) from your assumptions that I’ve made a permanent commitment to you. Quit clogging up my inbox.

Same goes to people I have one-time contact with in a specific context. I am an activist in the National Writers Union, for example, and find that when I am in touch with someone from within my role in the NWU, they grab my email and stick it into their group grab-bag. I end up getting everything from prayers (I’m an atheist) to business pitches from writers who do landscaping on the side (I live in a rental mid-rise and the closest I get to agriculture is the apple sauce my country friend gives me.)

This is not to say that I don’t receive a massive number of e-newsletters and listserv postings. In fact, I actually produce a few myself. It is just to say that I don’t want to be taken for granted. I’ll select my own, thank you. Quit co-opting my email address without my consent or… Or I’ll write a blog complaining about it.

Comments

[eleanor roffman]

you tell 'em sweetheart!

[Sue Katz]

Gee Eleanor, I thought I'd get like dozens of "amen!" on this one, but luckily I have you.