In many ways, these ideas are obvious, but I think it's useful in several ways. For one people who are focused on one issue may not be aware of other areas where the Trump administration is...
In many ways, these ideas are obvious, but I think it's useful in several ways. For one people who are focused on one issue may not be aware of other areas where the Trump administration is creating problems for people. Second, even if it's obvious, maybe it's helpful to have a template to act on. Third, though I need to investigate the list of reliable information sources he gives, I'm always on the lookout for that kind of thing.
Robert Reich was a baller Secretary of Labor. He got canned shortly after giving this speech in November of 1994. Related, his podcast and YouTube channel are fantastic. He's one of those people...
Robert Reich was a baller Secretary of Labor. He got canned shortly after giving this speech in November of 1994. Related, his podcast and YouTube channel are fantastic. He's one of those people that everyone should be listening to closely.
Also, his son is Sam Reich, of College Humor and now dropout. Some solid light entertainment in these times.
My wife and I have a theory that Adam Conover is the friend that Robert asks Sam about whenever Sam comes home for a family gathering.
So I wanted to break down these steps. There's no world in which former Secretary Reich would object to this from a copyright stance and I'm only quoting the steps or maybe a line of his response....
So I wanted to break down these steps. There's no world in which former Secretary Reich would object to this from a copyright stance and I'm only quoting the steps or maybe a line of his response. Would love if folks would chime in.
Protect the decent and hardworking members of your communities who are undocumented or whose parents are undocumented.
I strongly encourage folks to access the "Know Your Rights" cards and to understand that you don't need to know someone's status, especially if it starts to matter less exactly what that status is. Don't document status, don't share guesses about status, etc.
Use your right to remain silent, and whatever privilege you have to protect others. This is where allyship matters.
If you can print them, give them out liberally.
Advocating for sanctuary city or state practices are probably a lot harder now, but it's worth pressing if it's doable in your area. But for example, OK plans to ask citizenship status of children enrolled in school, and to share that with ICE "to avoid families being separated during deportation". There is time to protest and advocate against that.
Speaking up when folks assume someone's status or that immigration status is a moral state of being is another way to redirect bigotry.
Right now hate and harassment, and the ripples of the national politics leading to despair are the most dangerous things here. Red states may see much more legalized harassment and an increased...
Protect LGBTQ+ members of your community.
Right now hate and harassment, and the ripples of the national politics leading to despair are the most dangerous things here. Red states may see much more legalized harassment and an increased acceptance of violence towards queer folks. Trans folks of color are almost always bearing the brunt of this, as well as queer and trans youth who are disproportionately homeless.
Volunteer work, calling out bigotry when it's seen, stepping in (safely, there are excellent resources out there I'll snag if no one else does) when things seem likely to escalate, and advocating for anti-harassment policies are key.
Respecting names and pronouns are suicide prevention, be alert to people drawn in on themselves and make it clear, not just though signs on your door, that you're a safe person to talk to.
Not a lot I can do at the State level, but my governor can "tank" on his own. But many state and local officials will face death threats, harassment and violence if Trump points his followers in...
Help protect officials in your community or state whom Trump and his administration are targeting for vengeance.
Not a lot I can do at the State level, but my governor can "tank" on his own. But many state and local officials will face death threats, harassment and violence if Trump points his followers in their direction. Showing support to school boards for teachers, counties for local officials, etc. can make a huge difference. If a community rallies to protect someone, it's much harder to make them a pariah and an example of the "evils" Trump and his followers like to claim.
I mean look, me quitting Twitter doesn't mean a lot, but large chunks of Reddit quitting Twitter can mean a lot more. It's not even enabling Trump, it's doing the Nazi thing. Where you can, do...
4.Participate or organize boycotts of companies that are enabling the Trump regime, starting with Elon Musk’s X and Tesla, and any companies that advertise on X or on Fox News.
I mean look, me quitting Twitter doesn't mean a lot, but large chunks of Reddit quitting Twitter can mean a lot more.
It's not even enabling Trump, it's doing the Nazi thing.
Where you can, do your best to make ethical choices and give that feedback on those customer surveys.
But also, support companies that have stood by DEI and not "bending the knee" as everyone likes to say post GoT. You don't have to shop at all of them, there are lots of intersecting reasons to shop at one place or not, but thank them for what they're doing when you do. They're doing what they think is best for business too, but at least it's the right call.
The economy sucks and money is tight. But contribute what you can, when you can. If you can't, that's ok! Maybe ask for a donation for your birthday or something if you have folks so inclined! His...
To the extent you are able, fund groups that are litigating against Trump.
The economy sucks and money is tight. But contribute what you can, when you can. If you can't, that's ok! Maybe ask for a donation for your birthday or something if you have folks so inclined!
His recommended groups:
The groups initiating legislation that I know and trust include the American Civil Liberties Union, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, Center for Biological Diversity, Environmental Defense Fund, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Common Cause.
I don't have anything useful to add here other than pay attention to the litigation in the news and adjust contributions as needed. The Quakers are also suing
He lists a number of excellent sources, but also, make sure to fact check things. Ask and listen to expert breakdowns of Trump's actions. It can be easy to fall into the "worst case scenario"...
Spread the truth.
He lists a number of excellent sources, but also, make sure to fact check things. Ask and listen to expert breakdowns of Trump's actions. It can be easy to fall into the "worst case scenario" traps. Catastrophizing is really common.
But understanding is important because often the quieter part, the important parts, are hidden behind the bold statements. "Trans people are inherently dishonest and deceitful" is a fundamental message embedded in his orders banning them from the military. That is likely setting the stage for future persecution. But it also means he has to sell that message.
Trans kids are being abused and don't want to transition is another key message that is being sold under his ban. This is also a lie, but where does that lie take him next.
Edit (have to step away, I need to do some stuff at home)
I just don’t understand why someone being uncomfortable with their kid/neighbor’s kid/niece/nephew being on HRT justifies bullying them. I’ve heard much discussion on how maybe they won’t commit...
I just don’t understand why someone being uncomfortable with their kid/neighbor’s kid/niece/nephew being on HRT justifies bullying them. I’ve heard much discussion on how maybe they won’t commit to HRT and decide transition isn’t for them. This implies that there is such a great cost to temporarily adjusting your sex hormone ratio that kids should be discouraged from exploring that possibility. Medically this isn’t the case. So presumably there’s a tremendous social risk. Why? If I knew someone and they tried HRT I’d be supportive. If they decided they didn’t like it I’d be supportive. If your kid is temporarily more androgynous as they explore HRT what harm is coming to you as a parent? What harm is coming to your neighbors? People talk as though this could be a great shame that must be avoided at all costs.
I mean none of anything really justifies bullying people especially kids. The cruelty is the point IMO. For trans youth they're mostly taking puberty blockers until they're older teens (if they...
I mean none of anything really justifies bullying people especially kids. The cruelty is the point IMO.
For trans youth they're mostly taking puberty blockers until they're older teens (if they started young) where they might start HRT. Detransitioning is pretty rare and usually happens more because of the stigma of being trans, financial or medical issues, etc, not because the person doesn't identify as transgender anymore. The regret rate for surgery is less than 4% which is better than a lot of surgeries.
None of this is abuse. But if you don't think people should be trans, if you believe in rigid, formal, gender roles and want to enforce them, you have to stop people whose existence proves they're bullshit. Cis men and women will be incredibly negatively impacted by the outcomes of needing to conform to certain attire and behavior to not get accused of being trans.
Anyway I'm rambling. Trump justifies bullying by doing it. He makes it "ok" for all sorts of reasons and I see it in the harassment of teenagers and the behavior of "customers" across the country.
For those not in the know, that’s the thesis of this article (archive) from 2018. This one assertion has stuck with me since then, it’s one of the most useful frameworks for trying to find meaning...
the cruelty is the point
For those not in the know, that’s the thesis of this article (archive) from 2018. This one assertion has stuck with me since then, it’s one of the most useful frameworks for trying to find meaning in Trump’s chaos vortex. The specific headlines mentioned have changed but I think the article is even more salient today than it was back then.
Trump and the MAGA movement are fundamentally defined and motivated by an ethos of cruelty. It’s a worldview and moral framework that directly informs every action taken by his administration. It permeates the culture of the right. It’s a deliberate dismissal of anyone who opposes them. By “dismissal” I mean an unflinching refusal to ever consider their perspective, a denial of their basic human dignity, a public vilification of their character, and a continuous reflexive mockery of their personhood, values, and worth.
I hear a lot of attempts to summarize what Trumpism and its associated factions are “about,” but nothing rings as true to me as its full-throated embrace of cruelty as a virtue.
Cis men and women will be incredibly negatively impacted by the outcomes of needing to conform to certain attire and behavior to not get accused of being trans.
@DefinitelyNotAFae is saying that anti-trans sentiment won’t neatly land on only trans people. Cis people will also face some of it, particularly cis people who don’t conform to standard,...
@DefinitelyNotAFae is saying that anti-trans sentiment won’t neatly land on only trans people. Cis people will also face some of it, particularly cis people who don’t conform to standard, traditional masculine or feminine gender expression.
A more femme-presenting cis guy who paints his nails might be accused of being trans, for example. And with new executive orders and social stigma against trans people being emboldened, it’s likely he could face real personal or professional consequences for that. As such, there’s now a significant pressure for him to change his presentation to avoid accusations of transness, and that would be done by more readily conforming to standard masculine gender norms.
EDIT: I now see that she already responded in the time I typed this up. You’re FAST, Fae! I was hoping to save you a response, since you’ve been so busy here recently.
Cis women with short hair and flat chests have been harassed by people calling the police and could be arrested for going into women's bathrooms in places with bathroom bans. If you don't perform...
Cis women with short hair and flat chests have been harassed by people calling the police and could be arrested for going into women's bathrooms in places with bathroom bans. If you don't perform your gender "correctly" according to these rigid roles, you stand out and could be accused of being queer or trans even if you're not.
Restricting trans and gender non-conforming people requires that tight control on what is acceptable for men and women to wear. A woman wearing a suit for a wedding or with a shaved head is now breaking those rules and will face societal or legal consequences depending on the situation and how much worse things get. Cross-dressing used to be illegal. Anti-drag laws and anti-trans laws bring that back. There are people who don't want women to work or wear pants. There are people who would demand men have short hair.
Cis folks will not escape that control just because they're cis.
Sadly, this isn't even hypothetical. I had a young family member talk to me about how she was bullied at school for using the girl's bathroom after getting a short haircut. These were elementary...
Cis women with short hair and flat chests have been harassed by people calling the police and could be arrested for going into women's bathrooms in places with bathroom bans. If you don't perform your gender "correctly" according to these rigid roles, you stand out and could be accused of being queer or trans even if you're not.
Sadly, this isn't even hypothetical. I had a young family member talk to me about how she was bullied at school for using the girl's bathroom after getting a short haircut. These were elementary school age children bullying another cisgender girl over a common haircut. Strictly enforcing gender norms quickly gets ridiculous.
I think this article by Sam Thielman does a good job of framing the way gay and trans people are seen in conservative evangelical circles. Even if Trump himself doesn't give two figs about...
I think this article by Sam Thielman does a good job of framing the way gay and trans people are seen in conservative evangelical circles. Even if Trump himself doesn't give two figs about religion or morality, there's a strong overlap between his base and the religious right / Christian nationalism movements.
The article also digs into the hypocrisy of this position:
This is what conservatives mean when they say they are “protecting” children from accepting themselves as transgender or gay—that they are protecting children from interacting with trans people, who, like a vampire, will turn you trans. What they do not mean is that they are protecting the children from being interfered with by heterosexual adults.
That is, it's not about protecting the children, that is just a pretext for hating gay and trans people.
An important piece of it is what Catholics call natural law theology and evangelicals call gods will for creation. They infer divine commands from our physical form and appearance. God...
An important piece of it is what Catholics call natural law theology and evangelicals call gods will for creation.
They infer divine commands from our physical form and appearance. God demonstrates God's will through creation. Refusing your assigned role by transitioning is seen as disobedient and sinful and unnatural.
I think you will have the most luck with the social media apps here. If someone is still watching Fox News... At least it's not OAN or something worse? Idk. If your workplace plays Fox news try to...
Urge friends, relatives, and acquaintances to avoid Trump propaganda outlets such as Fox News, Newsmax, X, and, increasingly, Facebook and Instagram.
I think you will have the most luck with the social media apps here. If someone is still watching Fox News... At least it's not OAN or something worse? Idk.
If your workplace plays Fox news try to advocate for something less stressful, not because it's conservative, of course, just because "it's always so negative."
Many of us have been frustrated at national Dems not doing enough. We can shift the window back at the local level. It is not enough to be unhappy with our choices every four years. Compromising...
Push for progressive measures in your community and state.
Many of us have been frustrated at national Dems not doing enough. We can shift the window back at the local level. It is not enough to be unhappy with our choices every four years. Compromising on the presidency will feel less shitty if the progressive wing of the party gains ground.
Also, when tragedies happen, don't abandon your principles and pivot right. The Laken-Riley Act is an example of that. It's reactionary, expensive, cruel, and likely unconstitutional. It furthers the argument that certain groups don't deserve due process which is in alignment with the anti-birthright citizenship movement.
Workers uniting together is a good thing. Not every union is perfect and I'm the first to say that the police unions are one of them, but people uniting is key. Support strikes and respect picket...
Encourage worker action
Workers uniting together is a good thing. Not every union is perfect and I'm the first to say that the police unions are one of them, but people uniting is key. Support strikes and respect picket lines. Don't jump to a boycott if the union isn't asking for it, they usually have a strategy
This one can be tough, we can look backwards at a dark history and forwards at an uncertain future. But. The idea, the ideals, the people who have worked for a fairer, more equitable country since...
Keep the faith. Do not give up on America
This one can be tough, we can look backwards at a dark history and forwards at an uncertain future. But. The idea, the ideals, the people who have worked for a fairer, more equitable country since before she existed, there is hope there, and there are good people here.
America has deep problems, to be sure. Which is why we can’t give up on it — or give up the fights for social justice, equal political rights, equal opportunity, and the rule of law.
If we give up, they win. And the cost of no one standing against them is far too great.
Back when Marvel was young there was the scene of a Holocaust survivor who refused to kneel to Loki. How did that make you feel?
Acts of defiance, even against insurmountable odds and incredible power are meaningful. We remember a single man standing in front of a tank for a reason. A single woman refusing to move from her seat. But never forget they weren't actually alone and they were working in a community of people dedicated to their cause.
This is such an important point to keep in mind. Yeah, Rosa Parks did something incredibly courageous, but she had people that put their weight behind her, who planned ahead for the legal action...
We remember a single man standing in front of a tank for a reason. A single woman refusing to move from her seat. But never forget they weren't actually alone and they were working in a community of people dedicated to their cause.
This is such an important point to keep in mind. Yeah, Rosa Parks did something incredibly courageous, but she had people that put their weight behind her, who planned ahead for the legal action and the boycott. People cooked meals, used family cars to give rides, walked to work, and organized around that moment. It was the symbol for the bus boycott, but there was so much more involved.
Yes! We remember her, but we forget she was a volunteer who was chosen to be the test case. A Black disability activist- Imani Barbarin - has pointed out that people have been taught that the...
This is such an important point to keep in mind. Yeah, Rosa Parks did something incredibly courageous, but she had people that put their weight behind her, who planned ahead for the legal action and the boycott. People cooked meals, used family cars to give rides, walked to work, and organized around that moment. It was the symbol for the bus boycott, but there was so much more involved.
Yes! We remember her, but we forget she was a volunteer who was chosen to be the test case. A Black disability activist- Imani Barbarin - has pointed out that people have been taught that the "protest" or the "March" is the action and that we now fail to understand, no, the hard work of the boycott, learning how to take a beating from the police and not fight back during a sit in, tolerating jail and abuse, and not giving up were the actions. And that this failure to understand will likely get folks hurt and killed.
We have to have community. We aren't Steve Rogers, but we can be Fred Rogers.
Don't believe the lie of individual trees, each a monument to its own self-made success. A forest is an interdependent community. Resources are shared, and life in isolation is a death sentence.
In many ways, these ideas are obvious, but I think it's useful in several ways. For one people who are focused on one issue may not be aware of other areas where the Trump administration is creating problems for people. Second, even if it's obvious, maybe it's helpful to have a template to act on. Third, though I need to investigate the list of reliable information sources he gives, I'm always on the lookout for that kind of thing.
Robert Reich was a baller Secretary of Labor. He got canned shortly after giving this speech in November of 1994. Related, his podcast and YouTube channel are fantastic. He's one of those people that everyone should be listening to closely.
Also, his son is Sam Reich, of College Humor and now dropout. Some solid light entertainment in these times.
My wife and I have a theory that Adam Conover is the friend that Robert asks Sam about whenever Sam comes home for a family gathering.
So I wanted to break down these steps. There's no world in which former Secretary Reich would object to this from a copyright stance and I'm only quoting the steps or maybe a line of his response. Would love if folks would chime in.
I strongly encourage folks to access the "Know Your Rights" cards and to understand that you don't need to know someone's status, especially if it starts to matter less exactly what that status is. Don't document status, don't share guesses about status, etc.
Use your right to remain silent, and whatever privilege you have to protect others. This is where allyship matters.
If you can print them, give them out liberally.
Advocating for sanctuary city or state practices are probably a lot harder now, but it's worth pressing if it's doable in your area. But for example, OK plans to ask citizenship status of children enrolled in school, and to share that with ICE "to avoid families being separated during deportation". There is time to protest and advocate against that.
Speaking up when folks assume someone's status or that immigration status is a moral state of being is another way to redirect bigotry.
Right now hate and harassment, and the ripples of the national politics leading to despair are the most dangerous things here. Red states may see much more legalized harassment and an increased acceptance of violence towards queer folks. Trans folks of color are almost always bearing the brunt of this, as well as queer and trans youth who are disproportionately homeless.
Volunteer work, calling out bigotry when it's seen, stepping in (safely, there are excellent resources out there I'll snag if no one else does) when things seem likely to escalate, and advocating for anti-harassment policies are key.
Respecting names and pronouns are suicide prevention, be alert to people drawn in on themselves and make it clear, not just though signs on your door, that you're a safe person to talk to.
Not a lot I can do at the State level, but my governor can "tank" on his own. But many state and local officials will face death threats, harassment and violence if Trump points his followers in their direction. Showing support to school boards for teachers, counties for local officials, etc. can make a huge difference. If a community rallies to protect someone, it's much harder to make them a pariah and an example of the "evils" Trump and his followers like to claim.
I mean look, me quitting Twitter doesn't mean a lot, but large chunks of Reddit quitting Twitter can mean a lot more.
It's not even enabling Trump, it's doing the Nazi thing.
Where you can, do your best to make ethical choices and give that feedback on those customer surveys.
But also, support companies that have stood by DEI and not "bending the knee" as everyone likes to say post GoT. You don't have to shop at all of them, there are lots of intersecting reasons to shop at one place or not, but thank them for what they're doing when you do. They're doing what they think is best for business too, but at least it's the right call.
The economy sucks and money is tight. But contribute what you can, when you can. If you can't, that's ok! Maybe ask for a donation for your birthday or something if you have folks so inclined!
His recommended groups:
I don't have anything useful to add here other than pay attention to the litigation in the news and adjust contributions as needed. The Quakers are also suing
He lists a number of excellent sources, but also, make sure to fact check things. Ask and listen to expert breakdowns of Trump's actions. It can be easy to fall into the "worst case scenario" traps. Catastrophizing is really common.
But understanding is important because often the quieter part, the important parts, are hidden behind the bold statements. "Trans people are inherently dishonest and deceitful" is a fundamental message embedded in his orders banning them from the military. That is likely setting the stage for future persecution. But it also means he has to sell that message.
Trans kids are being abused and don't want to transition is another key message that is being sold under his ban. This is also a lie, but where does that lie take him next.
Edit (have to step away, I need to do some stuff at home)
I just don’t understand why someone being uncomfortable with their kid/neighbor’s kid/niece/nephew being on HRT justifies bullying them. I’ve heard much discussion on how maybe they won’t commit to HRT and decide transition isn’t for them. This implies that there is such a great cost to temporarily adjusting your sex hormone ratio that kids should be discouraged from exploring that possibility. Medically this isn’t the case. So presumably there’s a tremendous social risk. Why? If I knew someone and they tried HRT I’d be supportive. If they decided they didn’t like it I’d be supportive. If your kid is temporarily more androgynous as they explore HRT what harm is coming to you as a parent? What harm is coming to your neighbors? People talk as though this could be a great shame that must be avoided at all costs.
I mean none of anything really justifies bullying people especially kids. The cruelty is the point IMO.
For trans youth they're mostly taking puberty blockers until they're older teens (if they started young) where they might start HRT. Detransitioning is pretty rare and usually happens more because of the stigma of being trans, financial or medical issues, etc, not because the person doesn't identify as transgender anymore. The regret rate for surgery is less than 4% which is better than a lot of surgeries.
None of this is abuse. But if you don't think people should be trans, if you believe in rigid, formal, gender roles and want to enforce them, you have to stop people whose existence proves they're bullshit. Cis men and women will be incredibly negatively impacted by the outcomes of needing to conform to certain attire and behavior to not get accused of being trans.
Anyway I'm rambling. Trump justifies bullying by doing it. He makes it "ok" for all sorts of reasons and I see it in the harassment of teenagers and the behavior of "customers" across the country.
For those not in the know, that’s the thesis of this article (archive) from 2018. This one assertion has stuck with me since then, it’s one of the most useful frameworks for trying to find meaning in Trump’s chaos vortex. The specific headlines mentioned have changed but I think the article is even more salient today than it was back then.
Trump and the MAGA movement are fundamentally defined and motivated by an ethos of cruelty. It’s a worldview and moral framework that directly informs every action taken by his administration. It permeates the culture of the right. It’s a deliberate dismissal of anyone who opposes them. By “dismissal” I mean an unflinching refusal to ever consider their perspective, a denial of their basic human dignity, a public vilification of their character, and a continuous reflexive mockery of their personhood, values, and worth.
I hear a lot of attempts to summarize what Trumpism and its associated factions are “about,” but nothing rings as true to me as its full-throated embrace of cruelty as a virtue.
I don’t understand this.
@DefinitelyNotAFae is saying that anti-trans sentiment won’t neatly land on only trans people. Cis people will also face some of it, particularly cis people who don’t conform to standard, traditional masculine or feminine gender expression.
A more femme-presenting cis guy who paints his nails might be accused of being trans, for example. And with new executive orders and social stigma against trans people being emboldened, it’s likely he could face real personal or professional consequences for that. As such, there’s now a significant pressure for him to change his presentation to avoid accusations of transness, and that would be done by more readily conforming to standard masculine gender norms.
EDIT: I now see that she already responded in the time I typed this up. You’re FAST, Fae! I was hoping to save you a response, since you’ve been so busy here recently.
Honestly this is what hyperfocus and passion will do for you. I cannot change the world but I can share some knowledge. 💜
𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊
Cis women with short hair and flat chests have been harassed by people calling the police and could be arrested for going into women's bathrooms in places with bathroom bans. If you don't perform your gender "correctly" according to these rigid roles, you stand out and could be accused of being queer or trans even if you're not.
Restricting trans and gender non-conforming people requires that tight control on what is acceptable for men and women to wear. A woman wearing a suit for a wedding or with a shaved head is now breaking those rules and will face societal or legal consequences depending on the situation and how much worse things get. Cross-dressing used to be illegal. Anti-drag laws and anti-trans laws bring that back. There are people who don't want women to work or wear pants. There are people who would demand men have short hair.
Cis folks will not escape that control just because they're cis.
Sadly, this isn't even hypothetical. I had a young family member talk to me about how she was bullied at school for using the girl's bathroom after getting a short haircut. These were elementary school age children bullying another cisgender girl over a common haircut. Strictly enforcing gender norms quickly gets ridiculous.
I saw a video of police being involved in harassing a cis lesbian in Florida after their ban. It happened immediately.
I think this article by Sam Thielman does a good job of framing the way gay and trans people are seen in conservative evangelical circles. Even if Trump himself doesn't give two figs about religion or morality, there's a strong overlap between his base and the religious right / Christian nationalism movements.
The article also digs into the hypocrisy of this position:
That is, it's not about protecting the children, that is just a pretext for hating gay and trans people.
An important piece of it is what Catholics call natural law theology and evangelicals call gods will for creation.
They infer divine commands from our physical form and appearance. God demonstrates God's will through creation. Refusing your assigned role by transitioning is seen as disobedient and sinful and unnatural.
I think you will have the most luck with the social media apps here. If someone is still watching Fox News... At least it's not OAN or something worse? Idk.
If your workplace plays Fox news try to advocate for something less stressful, not because it's conservative, of course, just because "it's always so negative."
Many of us have been frustrated at national Dems not doing enough. We can shift the window back at the local level. It is not enough to be unhappy with our choices every four years. Compromising on the presidency will feel less shitty if the progressive wing of the party gains ground.
Also, when tragedies happen, don't abandon your principles and pivot right. The Laken-Riley Act is an example of that. It's reactionary, expensive, cruel, and likely unconstitutional. It furthers the argument that certain groups don't deserve due process which is in alignment with the anti-birthright citizenship movement.
Workers uniting together is a good thing. Not every union is perfect and I'm the first to say that the police unions are one of them, but people uniting is key. Support strikes and respect picket lines. Don't jump to a boycott if the union isn't asking for it, they usually have a strategy
This one can be tough, we can look backwards at a dark history and forwards at an uncertain future. But. The idea, the ideals, the people who have worked for a fairer, more equitable country since before she existed, there is hope there, and there are good people here.
If we give up, they win. And the cost of no one standing against them is far too great.
Back when Marvel was young there was the scene of a Holocaust survivor who refused to kneel to Loki. How did that make you feel?
Acts of defiance, even against insurmountable odds and incredible power are meaningful. We remember a single man standing in front of a tank for a reason. A single woman refusing to move from her seat. But never forget they weren't actually alone and they were working in a community of people dedicated to their cause.
And don't give up on yourself.
This is such an important point to keep in mind. Yeah, Rosa Parks did something incredibly courageous, but she had people that put their weight behind her, who planned ahead for the legal action and the boycott. People cooked meals, used family cars to give rides, walked to work, and organized around that moment. It was the symbol for the bus boycott, but there was so much more involved.
Yes! We remember her, but we forget she was a volunteer who was chosen to be the test case. A Black disability activist- Imani Barbarin - has pointed out that people have been taught that the "protest" or the "March" is the action and that we now fail to understand, no, the hard work of the boycott, learning how to take a beating from the police and not fight back during a sit in, tolerating jail and abuse, and not giving up were the actions. And that this failure to understand will likely get folks hurt and killed.
We have to have community. We aren't Steve Rogers, but we can be Fred Rogers.
-Becky Chambers