I’m not a Green Day super-fan or anything but I admire the band’s frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. Green Day has always made political music and Billie Joe has never shied away from using his platform to make political comments. This weekend, even rock stars were still reeling from the Dobbs decision, where the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Green Day happened to be performing in London and Billie Joe said he was renouncing his American citizenship:
Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong told London concert-goers that he is “renouncing” his United States citizenship in protest over the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. Performing at London Stadium just hours after the majority-conservative court ruled that abortion rights are no longer protected, the 50-year-old rock star lashed out at the decision on Friday night.
“F*** America,” Armstrong said on stage for the Hella Mega tour his band is headlining alongside Weezer, Fall Out Boy and others. “I’m f***ing renouncing my citizenship. I’m f***ing coming here.”
As the crowd cheered in response, the California native carried on his diatribe.
“There’s just too much f***ing stupid in the world to go back to that miserable f***ing excuse for a country,” continued Armstrong, who at one point during the show had a Union Jack flag draped over himself. “Oh, I’m not kidding. You’re going to get a lot of me in the coming days.”
The Daily Mail reports that Armstrong also yelled “f*** the Supreme Court of America” before playing the 2004 hit “American Idiot,” Green Day’s response to the Iraq War and the media frenzy surrounding it.
Billie Joe seems to be California-based these days and California’s abortion and reproductive rights laws are unlikely to change any time soon. I know a lot of people are contemplating moving states or leaving the country entirely, can y’all just wait to vote in the midterms? Because that sh-t is important. But I do understand. Anyway, I’m glad men like Billie Joe are at least talking about Roe/Dobbs.
Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong tells UK crowd, "F*ck America, I'm f*cking renouncing my citizenship, I'm f*cking coming here."
Credit: eleni_sofia, TikTok pic.twitter.com/c1VzKFjFjb
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 27, 2022
Photos courtesy of Instar and Avalon Red.
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- Billie Joe Armstrong ,lead vocals, guitar, – Green Day performing live for their Hella Mega Tour Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in ’86 Along with a few other bands Green Day is credited with popularizing mainstream interest in punk rock in the U.S. They have released a total of 13 studio albums.,Image: 702530653, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Dafydd Owen / Avalon
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- Billie Joe Armstrong ,lead vocals, guitar, – Green Day performing live for their Hella Mega Tour Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in ’86 Along with a few other bands Green Day is credited with popularizing mainstream interest in punk rock in the U.S. They have released a total of 13 studio albums.,Image: 702530708, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Dafydd Owen / Avalon
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Yes well I will be voting. Thanks for speaking out at least…I guess? But still I hope he votes, donates/helps in some way. It’s nice to make a statement in the middle of a concert when you are all amped up by whatever and adulation.
I joined Twitter just so I could follow the brilliant and wonderful Brett Gurewitz, guitarist and songwriter for Bad Religion, my all-time favourite band. You want politics, humanity, intellect, and some of the most beautiful words/poetry in modern music, then Brett is your man. His lyrics are profound and prophetic, telling the stories of our lives. He has had quite a bit to say about this despicable law.
I like BJA and Green Day. Perhaps he was letting off steam in a place where he could, while the feelings were still raw. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here. He has to do what’s right for him, but I hope that, if nothing else, he takes this opportunity to get the message out for people to get voting in the midterms. I wish the voting was here in Australia because voting is compulsory, and we are still on a high after getting a great new Prime Minister, who, in the first month, has really shaken things up, in a good way. Then again, our legal system and rules of appointing judges, is nothing like the US. So, if anyone wants to leave the US after that, they are welcome to come here! 😊
I love them, I am not a tweeter but check some peoples out sometimes and will check his out. I must say that troll Elon Mollusk (the only thing cool the Depp has done in years was that moniker) and his thoughts on this were about the population growing because more(unwanted) babies and we need to grow the population, like we are brood-mares and his 8 and how he was talking about only poor people have big kids. I have to say for a supposed genius he is a total idiot. Mr. Electric Car is not about population control and rich people like him aren’t having big enough families and he is the exception. Man I used to tolerate this guy more than most billionaires but now I Loathe him with a capital L. Sorry I had to emote so emotionally.
None of my (straight) male friends care about this. It has really made me not want to know them anymore.
You don’t care about something that affects half the population? Your partners, daughters, future children, hell…even just a f-buddy.
I think it’s time we all just use the myriad of amazing toys available to us and sent men sex.
No more sex, can’t get pregnant. F bringing kids into this shit show, F placating men, cleaning up after them, babying them.
I’m not American so I don’t bother to learn the names of these right wing politicians..
But I ready a quote from one stating something along the lines of …
It’s time women focused more on family values and being more careful when selecting partners….
UM WHAT?! because women who marry and get pregnant are NEVER left by their husbands? They never walk out? They are always 100% supported mentally, physically and financially so they can stay barefoot in the goddamn kitchen and not worry their little woman brains about anything.
I have travelled several states and can honestly say I met the most amazing people and friendly people. Hooooow is this happening?!!
I’m so sorry my American sisters. Tempted to fly all the way from aus so I can protest with you all!
Sorry edit:
DENY men sex.
If I was American and living in those states that will now ban abortion, I probably would just stop having sex with men. Like you said, there´s amazing toys out there to replace them. Why would women risk our health, our lives?
I too am sorry for women in America. This is just horrible. Keep fighting, and hope you find a way to overturn this as quickly as possible.
A global sex ban would certainly get the men on side quickly.
Good idea in theory; but in many instances, I’m sure, there could end up being a lot more rapes. ‘Cause, y’know, men will *not* be denied. :/
Those arguments that I’ve seen make my blood boil.
There are many reasons a woman would need or choose to have an abortion. Women who want to have a child still may need an abortion. And they’ve gone on to have children after getting an abortion they saved their lives. It’s so stupid that people have focused on “well keep your legs closed unless you are ready for a kid.” It’s not that simple. And more importantly – it’s no one’s business except the person choosing to have an abortion for reasons and their doctor.
*excuse me while I go scream into my pillow again this morning*
I told my boyfriend – who doesn’t quite grasp for whatever reason how significant this decision is but does believe it is a decision that should be left up to the person and not decided by gov’t – that he would definitely care if something happened and I needed to have an abortion and couldn’t get one safely.
this is the GQP & religious right burning democracy to the ground because they know full well they’re in the minority & the only way to turn this country over to the unfettered control of the Christofascists (who will be A-OK when the rich white Christian men they hold up as paragons of virtue violate all of their laws) is to do it now when they have enough power & SCOTUS control to allow egregiously overt gerrymandering that ensures they have complete control over election outcome, which then allows them to roll back more rights to maintain control. The reason they are ever eager to ensure that children are indoctrinated to believe in AmeriKKKa as a Christian country, white savior mythology & maintain/increase white privilege because they know full well that if children the unvarnished truth about our history they would share the views of that the majority of the US actually has in even higher majorities and over through them
We are too and are working to support loved ones so that they can move abroad. We’ve been planning our move since the insurrection. It doesn’t matter if the Democrats somehow pull off a victory in the Midterms–that won’t solve the rampant gun violence or the increasing political violence. The gutting of education is evident everywhere, with gullible people who utterly lack critical thinking abilities empowered to hold office and unabashedly push their violent, conspiracy-laden rhetoric. Undoing the Republican damage will take generations.
Americans are living through so much trauma; I don’t know how those on the left or those in the most vulnerable communities continue to function. It’s hard to reconcile our guilt in leaving with our desire to get the hell out. We’ve been activists who have voted, donated, and protested at every single march and in other ways–and have been inspired by the millions who have done the same–but nothing has changed; everything has gotten worse because the Republicans are awful.
So, we’re leaving. I wish everyone had the same option.
On many levels, I agree with you. The GOP is beyond awful and it will take decades to undo the damage they have wrought. But I’m a 54 year old, straight, white, married mother. I have a few decades left to continue the fight.
Our child will be starting university in the fall outside the US, in a country that encourages international students to stay after graduation and has a clear path to citizenship for them. I an encouraging my child to take that path. It’s safer for them in the long run. As I said to a friend of mine, when you have a way out, you take it. Taking a way out was how my grandfather ended up in New York and not in a gas chamber.
My brother is working on getting EU passports for himself and his kids. That grandfather who got out of Europe is the key to it. He didn’t become a US citizen until years after our father was born, meaning our Dad was automatically a citizen of his father’s native country at birth. It’s a long shot because so many records were destroyed in the last 100 years, but my brother thinks it’s worth trying. If he’s successful, I will do the same.
Liz, my family is doing the same: working on dual citizenship with my dad’s birth country. We have multiple relatives from there, but we can get our citizenship through him. We are *all* applying (my sister’s kids will get it through her, and her husband can get it as a spouse). We would be able to live anywhere in the EU with it. It will take almost a year to go through, but it’s a safety net we all agreed we wanted, at least while the American Taliban is in charge. We will still be able to vote, and make our voices heard.
We need your Democratic votes please. If possible get your votes in before new citizenship kicks in . Thank you.
Dual citizens living abroad are still eligible to vote in the district where they (or their parents) last lived. My cousin is a dual citizen in the US and Australia and has lived in Melbourne for the last 25+ years. She is still able to vote in New Hampshire (where she grew up).
Does she vote though? Being ABLE TO VOTE and actually voting like it matters are two different things. (This is for all the people with dual citizenship.)
I also wonder at the statement above from B.J. Armstrong. I know he’s made political songs before but support the issues in other, less public ways as well?
@Southern Fried, we will always vote from abroad. I hope the other expats will, too.
While i completely understand the motivations to leave, if all the good people leave, who will fight back against those trying to take away your rights ? genuine question – is simply voting enough?
i’m not American and frankly as a WOC, i would never set foot there and i feel for all of you, this is truly despairing, between the school shootings, racial murders, police brutality and now this. Even worse, is that the damage done by the conservatives in the US isn’t just confined to your borders, it has ripples effects around the world which we saw with the rise of the extreme right everywhere after Trump was elected.
I’m with MrsBump here. Don’t cut and run.
MrsBump I agree. Middle class people, *especially* white middle class people, need to stay and clean up our mess. Black women and Indigenous women have *never* had bodily autonomy in the US and they are the ones who are most harmed by this ruling. Especially those who do not have the funds to travel for an abortion, let alone move abroad. Every Indigenous person I follow is asking white people to understand leaving is not cute for them, this is their land and they would like to have their sovereignty back. So, if the manifest destiny folks are staying, I’m staying.
This! It’s such a privileged option to be able to leave, and while I understand people feeling afraid for their families, are you really just going to abandon your fellow Americans and not use your voting power, or advocate on their behalf?
It low-key seems similar to Elon Musk asinine plan to take all the rich people to Mars rather than dealing with or contributing to solve the climate crisis
That’s why these statements from celebrities and others from privileged classes don’t affect me much. Sure, y’all have those options and that’s fantastic. As a disabled WOC who doesn’t have much to her name, I’m a sitting duck. I had planned to emigrate before I got ill. It didn’t happen. So all these people and their votes are leaving folks like me behind. “Sorry, but things are rosier over there. See ya, take care!”
What they’re forgetting is that every country has its ebbs and flows. The extreme right wing over there, while quieter, is strong in their following. They’re just smarter and are waiting for the right moment to re-emerge. Remember WW2? Allies won in the end. But they didn’t see the Axis undercurrent until it was too late. Millions had to die needlessly. I hope I’m wrong. But I have a feeling similar will happen soon. This is just the beginning.
Austengirl – how were you able to get a long term/resident visa? I cannot seem to find a whole lot of viable paths and feel like I must be missing something? Any advice welcome.
Check and see what birthright options are. Perhaps though a parent’s birth in that country (which is our avenue).
ETA (sorry, I don’t seem to have an edit button on the laptop): some countries will accept you depending on your bank balance (ie: can you support yourself w/out govt assistance). If you have that option, that’s another road.
@hippityhoppity I’ve been researching for a while. If you have grandparents (or even great-grands, for some countries) that were/are citizens of another country, that’s the easiest option. Since all my ancestors up to the early 1800s were born in America, that’s not an option for me. So if you are like me and you don’t have that option, then shortlist a set of countries you’d be willing to live in, and go research visa options. From there, pick the path of least resistance, honestly.
Student visas are the second easiest, but a lot can’t stay after. If you can support yourself with passive income (ie, rental income, investment dividends, etc), some countries will give you a visa. Some consider remote work to be passive income and some don’t, so that varies. The next option is investment visas – usually buying real estate or starting a business. That option costs vary on the country. Another option is an ‘exceptional person’ visa or a work visa if you are a specialist at an in demand job or can find a company willing to sponsor you.
Remember that wherever you go, if you don’t have an in with a relation, permanent residency is much easier to get than citizenship. Also remember that the US continues to tax income as long as you are a citizen, even if it’s made in other countries, so you need to factor that into your research as well.
@hippityhoppity, we don’t have our visa yet but are planning to apply for Portugal’s D7 visa, which is for those with passive income or a remote job from outside of Portugal. I have a freelance business and can use income from that to qualify. A lot of retirees and digital nomads use the D7 visa.
There are options for investing a significant amount for a “Golden Visa,” but that’s way above our means.
@LynnInTx, your advice to create a short list of countries and find a pathway is what we’re doing. Although we’re targeting Portugal because of its lower cost of living and beautiful culture, we have a short list of other countries just in case. I’ll apply for a job in those country and go wherever we’re lucky enough to get in. We’re looking at places with the easiest pathway to citizenship because we’d then get EU citizenship also.
We joined expat forums online and have watched so many hours of YouTube videos about others’ journeys in addition to reading as much as we can.
Make sure your passport it up to date and good for many years. As others have written, make a list of countries. Many countries list what in-demand careers they want and which careers will *not* qualify you for a work visa. Many people will never have the funds for an investor visa, but if you work in an area of high need you may be able to get a job. Ex. many places are looking for IT professionals, programmers, systems administrators, data analysts. Research training and certification in those in-demand careers and get training. If you can get hired in one of those careers, your employer can be an immense help get the work visas you need. Citizenship by naturalisation times vary for each country, some require much longer residency than others. Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg five years. Republic of Ireland five years iirc. Scandi countries, seven years residency.
We are leaving too (well already did during covid) but we had plans to return.
With the state of healthcare, education, guns and now this I am not really interested in trying to live there. Our healthcare costs in NYC are 3-5k a month.
I have no immediate plans to leave the US, I live in ME and things are ok here. But I have started the process of getting my dual citizenship done with the UK and also claiming it for my daughter.
I know it sounds alarmist but I want her and me to have the ability to easily get out and go to another country if things really go sideways. Thankfully it looks like if we both have it it’s not easy but possible for my husband to get it eventually if we ever leave the US.
UK isn’t much different at present – I’ve migrated here almost 2 decades ago from Italy (Hello Berlusconi) and now Italy seems a lot more progressive than the UK!!
Government is thinking to curtail human rights at present, right of protest is already gone (unless you want to risk going to jail for 10 years!!) and they want to backtrack on gay marriage.
Unfortunately Brits aren’t far behind the Americans….
Oh no! I have been thinking of of moving there which I would marry my boo so he could come, I feel overall the U.K. is better off than the U.S. although I am in an idyllic area the country on the whole is tragically under educated and the U.K. is more progressive and plus the vacations nearby would be fun but then Russia and all that and feel pulled towards better weather but no family (except my boo) as my only relatives I have are over in the U.K.. I currently live on the central Californian coast and know it well sooo…….? My oo wants to retire and I am confused.
Trump being elected wasn’t the last straw for him? The UK is heading in the same direction as the US. The Tory Government intends to replace the Human Rights Act with a Bill of Rights which will essentially strips people of their human rights.
Yeah I wouldn’t be surprised if they go towards US’s direction in terms of abortion rights.
Billiejoe is my forever dong. He has always been very politically outspoken and I understand his desie to leave I want to as well but am unable to financially and most importantly I cannot leave my children and grandchildren. I hope he votes before he leaves if he really does leave.
You cannot renounce one citizenship unless you have another one. You cannot make yourself stateless. That being said, remember in 2002 when The (Dixie) Chicks were made career-less when Maines stated from a UK stage that she was ashamed to be from Texas? I wonder if the MAGA-ts will be burning and banning Green Day records?
Pretty sure MAGA isn’t Green Day’s fan base to begin with. The (Dixie) Chicks alienated the people who bought their music and played their songs.
MAGATs listening to Green Day would be the ultimate cognitive dissonance. American Idiot is old enough now it there are MAGATs born after its release but c’mon this song is about you.
I just read a re-Tweet (I think the original author was that Hercules guy, Kevin Hasbeen) that said that he’d take Ted Nugent and Kid Rock over Greenday any time. The cultural divide is deep. I’m not American, and am observing all this with horror. Campaigns aren’t supposed to take foreign money, was rejected from volunteering because I am not a registered voter, and would likely be bounced at the border as a dissident. But you guys have to work this out!
I went to a Green Day concert in a rural location about 45 minutes outside of Buffalo a few years ago. Billie Joe was ranting about Trump and the crowd started booing loudly. Given the location, I couldn’t tell if they were booing Trump or booing Billie Joe. I remember the dude in front of me saying something disparaging about Hillary so…
Oh, I am happy to hear that he came out documenting this awful situation!! I hope more high profile people publicly denounce the atrocities being committed against women in this country!! I wish we could move from the US but my husbands profession would not allow us a cost effective solution. I have been reading if the vast countries that would be heaven to live in!!
I remember that and I was appalled that so many people turned on them. As a Texas resident, people would telling me that the Bush family are from Texas, but they aren’t!! They are all from Maine and happened to move here and keep their main residences in Maine, so they aren’t actually true Texans.
On a side note, I was delighted to hear that the Dixie Chicks have resumed their career as I heard that are on tour again ☺️
The Bushes are actually from Connecticut. The family compound in Kennebunkport was a summer/vacation home. George W (43) was born in New Haven (but spent most of his childhood in Midland & Houston). George HW Bush (41) was raised in Greenwich. His father, Prescott Bush, was a US Senator from Connecticut.
Hubby was friends with one of their Walker cousins in college, which was while 41 was in office.
Thought the same. If you have no other citizenship, you can’t just quit. He is only American, right? It’s not easy or allowed to try elsewhere.
I’ve seen concerns that Republicans might impose a federal ban on abortions if they win the midterms and next presidential election (which would mean no state is safe)… anyone care to comment on how realistic this is? I’m not American and I’m sure there’s some details I’m not aware of when it comes to federal vs. state law.
It’s tricky, but it can be done. The federal government has the authority to regulate interstate commerce, which is how a lot of national regulation is authorized.
That said, there are ways around it. Technically, the states regulate the drinking age, but the Feds tied highway maintenance funds to the state drinking age – if it’s not 21 or over, the state loses it highway funding. Within a few years of that restriction, every state raised the drinking age to 21. If the Feds tie Medicaid funding to abortion restrictions, it will happen within a year – not even deep blue states like California or New York will be able to forego those funds.
Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy and Mike Pence are all saying that’s the republicans’ goal for the midterms — to win majorities in both Houses and then pass a nationwide ban. Of course, as long as Biden is president, he will never sign it into law, but if they get a Republican president they could definitely do it and they definitely want to.
They’ve always been in California. They’re a Bay Area band born and bred, but I agree that thinking people in red states need to vote in the midterms before their exodus.
I believe if men want to hold us responsible and minimize the value of the vessel carrying Potential life, they should be held responsible for their part in it. You can not ejaculate unless it is for the specific reason of procreating. Otherwise it’s considered reckless abandonment at the very least.
This is a health issue. Men have never had to alter their actions to prevent pregnancy. We take the pills. We get the shots. We put our lives at risk in every way. And our lives are then negated for the Potential of another life. It’s vile. Why are men so threatened by women that they feel the need to regulate or litigate and mitigate a woman’s human rights? I don’t get it. Why do we allow it? And I have no kind words for the women who voted for this.
Vasectomy and then a reversal once they prove they want to father a child and take 50% of all responsibility?
It sounds crazy but this entire thing is fking crazy!
You are so right, all the responsibility falls on us. Contraception has been awful for me, and millions of others.
I even got pregnant on the jab, even my doctor was shocked, but it does happen.
That was my second abortion and I feel zero guilt for it! I could I no way rely on my useless ex to pull his weight (he even cried that I “killed his baby”).
Let the men have their porn and “realistic” sex dolls.
They can live alone in obscurity and look after their goddam selves until the population dies out.
The rest of us can maybe then spend the rest of our days doing fun things and living in peace.
I know there are good men out there, some of you even managed to find one, live with one and procreate with one and speak highly of them.
Personally this has not been my experience, I have not had any sexual relationship with one of these “good men” despite trying to find one.
It’s simply red flag after red flag.
Now I’m 30 , single for 6 years and despite wanting to be a mother, I have decided to completely give up on the idea. And that really sucks because I want to feel that love and that joy.
It has been upsetting me and I cry at night thinking I will never feel love again (not from a close loving family either).
I recently confided in some female friends about these feelings and found out they all feel the exact same way.
How can we earn enough to have children solo?! I would if I could afford it but I can’t!
Sorry for the rant but I just see no future anymore and now I can barley see the point in anything.
Wish I had some positive input, the well is dry.
@Rachill I just went on holiday with two other single mid-30s friends and we ALL feel the same as you.
We universally felt dating and relationships are NOT worth it, we have never had a male partner that improved our quality of life. We also all had the the experience over the last few years of even men we have been close platonic friends with, turning out to hold shitty views in relation to women or feminist issues.
I want to be more positive as a slightly older woman than you but the well is fucking dry indeed.
I’m sorry you’re feeling that way. I’m 38 and in a similar position after dozens and dozens of dates. Men in our age group have ISSUES. They’re either unresolved, or they’ve just discovered therapy and want to turn you into their therapist. It’s exhausting. I deleted the apps in October, and haven’t looked back. At some point I’ll get back on that horse again and subject myself to the self-harm of dating, but right now I’m quite happy with just my cat, working on my book, and having my own space to do whatever the F I want. That won’t mean anything to you, because you’re hurting right now. But I just want to say you’re not alone, and it’s ok x
@sas and @blinkb
Just came back to read comments.
Thank you both, I know we are all hurting.
It’s always great to support each other ❤️
We all need each other now more than ever.
Love this site and love reading what so many amazing women have to say.
❤️
I first came to France in 2010 after the 2008 elections where a white girl was crying beside me because Obama won. I couldn’t understand because he didn’t represent anything evil. His policies weren’t nefarious. But she was bawling like someone had died. I knew then that America was not okay and for my mental health, I might be better elsewhere.
America has only proven to me that I made the right decision since 14 YEARS IN THE MAKING. Literally, I have been voting, donating, trying to plead with former classmates, etc…and I just realized that it’s no use. America as a country is too far gone. While there is a majority that is progressive and sane, mass murderers are proving the damage a minority can do. (This is not by accident.) That dangerous, murderous, callous, immoral, racist, homophobic (and more!) minority is willing and ready to watch us die if we do not fall in line…and as a Black woman, I would actually like to stop fighting and live a relatively happy life. So I will continue to vote with my absentee ballots. I will continue to donate. But I will be living abroad and applying for citizenship here in Europe where I plan to stay where it is relatively safe and sane (for now).
Lemons and others – I’ve been contemplating leaving the US but from what I can tell it seems like it is almost impossible to get a long term visa unless you are a student? I cannot figure out how to move, as a 40 still something year old, and be able to stay longer than six months on a tourist visa. What am I missing?
For the first time, my husband is on board and what was a dream is now looking actually possible. What was your path? Especially with France, I thought it was almost impossible unless you had direct family lineage?
If you can get into an EU country that you DO have direct lineage in, then you can move around in the EU on that passport.
@hippityhoppity, when we first started contemplating moving abroad, I started by Googling “easiest countries for US expats” and went from there. That’s how we discovered that Portugal might be a good fit for us. There are a lot of websites and YouTube channels dedicated to expats, including people who are just starting to explore how to move abroad, that we’ve found by Googling. You can find lists of EU countries ranked by how easy it is to move there in terms of getting a visa, language requirements, length until eligible for permanent residency or citizenship, cost of living, and more. We also tried to understand how climate change impacts where we hope to move. Once you focus in on a specific country, there are online forums for that country that provide even more helpful information and the ability to join the expat community long before moving.
We gave ourselves a 2-year runway because there has been a lot to do in terms of the emotional work to prepare to make a drastic move like this, and then all of the financial things we’re determined to take care of first, like paying down debt, saving, selling our house, etc.
We’ve met other people who haven’t done as much to prepare and who didn’t have very many resources, and they’re already in Portugal living a better life. There’s no right way to prepare or an optimal timeline–there’s only what works for you.
As a long-time Green Day fan, Billie is being dramatic and I’m 99% sure is not actually renouncing his citizenship lol. But I still appreciate the sentiment and the fact that he cares very much about human rights issues, and is never afraid to speak up about it.
Personally, I’d love to get out of here (London is my favorite city in the world, but I’d take many places over the US at this point), but it’s so expensive and difficult to do so. Seems like if you’re rich and can invest millions, many countries will let you in. Otherwise, you need to be an expert in your field with a job offer, have recent family history there, or in a relationship with someone from that country. For those who have or are in the process of moving abroad, how did you do it?
This was intended to be a reply to Case, but I don’t know where it’s going to land.
I don’t think this is an admirable statement. He’s got more money, visibility and bigger platform than most of us; why the crap would he “renounce his citizenship” (and is probably not even serious about that)? JFC, you’ve got huge audiences in multiple states. Have voter registration booths at your concerts. Share great charities and groups to donate to that will buy women IUDs (while still available) or take them over state lines (before the 2022 Fugitive Slave Laws go into effect in the New Confederacy) to get abortions. Talk to people. Famous people get so much more power than us normals.
This is not a fait accompli. I read an anonymous comment that Ohio hospitals have already been given the guidance that they can do nothing for ectopic pregnancies while the fetal pole is still beating so deaths are going to start almost immediately. Vote. The GOP is going to lose by such massive margins if we channel this rage.
Green Day has used their platform to get involved with various social justice organizations and encouraged voting for decades.
I didn’t say his statement was admirable, I said I appreciated the sentiment — that he cared so much about human rights issues in the US that he’s that fired up about it. But an offhanded comment during a concert doesn’t erase the years of social, political, and environmental work Green Day has been apart of. And while no, leaving the country probably isn’t the answer and there is still plenty of fight for, I completely understand the desire to leave. Many of us would if we had the resources to move abroad.
I’m with you. Wealthy white people – especially, wealthy white men – threatening to leave the country and abandon the most vulnerable to their fate doesn’t strike me as admirable.
I’d be more impressed if he stayed, fought, and invested part of his fortune in helping women in Red States.
And if he thinks the UK is going to be much better, he’s in for a rude awakening.
Case, I have migrated many times and I can tell you that even if you get a work visa somewhere (and last time I migrated I was over 35 and moved within the EU), you need a boatload of money to use as a safety net when you inevitably fall on hard times.
Uk, for example, denies you entry if your husband/relative is a British citizen and you need to wait outside the UK until you get a spouse visa or family visa approved (friend of mine had his wife wait 2 years in the Philippines!!). Marriage isn’t a path to British citizenship either since 2012 and you need to prove you’ve contributed 5 years (plus 1) before naturalising as a British citizen.
I hope that all the people who are leaving the country can first get residency in a place like Texas or Ohio or Wyoming. (It actually wouldn’t take that many people moving to Wyoming or South Dakota to flip the state cause the population is so small). Then vote by mail so your vote can be counted in that state.
Well, that’s a very privileged position to take for someone who has been and will be affected in zero ways by the dystopian nightmare this country is becoming.
How about using your platform to help? Plus, he’s saying this at every show. He has whined about American politics for decades and never done a single meaningful thing to affect them. With all of his wealth and privilege.
I agree, I am an extremely privileged WOC in that I am a Canadian that has residency in the US so I can leave when I want. But for everyone saying they are out it’s a shame Americans of colour need the allies that are jumping ship. Also no place is safe, those wild conservative sentiments and right wing groups feel empowered by the SCOTUS moves and the effects ripple,. You don’t stay and vote, fight to curb this it will happen anywhere else you go that is built on white supremacy which is Europe, Canada NZ, Australia, this stuff follows. So like Queen B says use your platform to help to get better people in office to stand by the BIPOC folk affected and in danger.
Thank you! Does Billie Joe realize the U.K. isn’t much better? Sad to say because I thought about moving there back when I was with my (now) British ex.
Thank you.
Can I just leave planet Earth and become a Mars resident instead? I hate humans
Suddenly I am a Green Day super fan!!
He has the money to do it.
Not that it’s important to the conversation, but I’ve always had a crush on him.
Okay, so I appreciate his anger and his sentiment—but the #1 thing we must do is VOTE. And encourage our people to VOTE. The social media posts, the outrage, the armchair quarterbacking, the blame game, while soothing (to a degree), do nothing to change the past. We have to mobilize and vote in every single election. We have to get involved on a local, state and national level. One thing the Republican Party does *extremely* well is get in lockstep, stick to the message and vote. The Dems, unfortunately have been fragmented and that has hurt us. It’s time to align around a common enemy and VOTE THEM OUT.
Voting is the democrats version of “thoughts and prayers”. We did vote, dems have the majority and essentially it’s crickets. I am so sick of talking about voting when the electoral college, and gerrymandering are still HUGE issues.
I understand the sentiment, but F*** that. I refuse to let these MAGA fascists hijack this country.
We are still relatively early on considering global connections within the information age. The growing pains of everyone having their ideals and opinions public has done precisely what I told my family it would do. It has divided us. And not just America. The anger and hate is palpable. And not just in America. We have countries wanting to join global affiliations for the first time because they’re scared. Our most diplomatic countries are scared. We can’t run from evil, we have to fight it.