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Since 2016 I always have posted something this time of year, a general call to rms, a reminder to take care of yourself, an outline for hanging in there and surviving this. I've been delaying instinctively, I think. I've been asked to write something posative. It's hard; this dark of the year is extra grim as one by one the lights go out and Australia and the U.K. electorate votd to join us in a terrible place. I honestly don't know if i can do it.
The thing I keep remindng myself is that people keep protesting, people keep resisting all over the world. I've been trying very hard this last couple months to remind people of that, to remind myself of that, by checking in with the prostets in as many countres as I can manage over and over, even as the forces of autocracy bring down terrible violence against the young in particular.
Somewhere people keep saying no in the face of the full force of the state that lies that any discent at all is terrorism.
There is so little time left in this country to save ourselves. There is so little time left until we find out once an for all if we have rule of law, if we still have democracy, if al the promise of this countries flawed, but still beautiful constitution has been pissed away or if we can still save it with determination and protests and votes.
I hope to fuck we can.
Some of us are very likely going to be dead if we can't. People are already dying in this country because the power of the state to do harm is unchecked and getting worse. People are dying in other countries in protests, in purges, and/or at the hands of police or government backed gangs.
I am terrified of how bad it is now and how much worse it may get.
I believe that there are still chances for us to put on the brakes, and reverse this here and in other places. As scary as all this shit is there is still hope.
In 2016, I warned you all that this was a marathon, not a sprint. Here at the end of 2019, with less than a year to our next elections in the U.S., I know we are all exhausted and dishearted, but some countries are holdingback the tide.
We can do that here.
We can protest. At state and local offices of politicians. In mass ralleys.
We can call, write, and fax our dissent.
We can volunteer with campaigns and with protest organizations.
We can help raise money.
We can talk people into registering to vote and get them to show up for primaries/caucuses and the big election in November. we can vote in every ddamned race on the ballot and get everyone who cares about us to do the same.
We can help make protest signs even if we aren't up to protests or provide other emotionl and materal support.
We can refused to be slenced and refuse to give up. They are counting on our despair to help them win.
We can take care of ourselves and each other and take break when we need to because that's the only way to keep the momentum going. If you need to pick one or two things to focus on, do it, but keep fighting.
We can have each other's backs. This time, we leave no one behind. This time we keep the fight intersectional and show the fuck up for each other.
We can't afford to let them win. The more ground we cede, the harder fighting gets, so make them fight for every single inch. Make them drag each civil right and liberty from our hands one by one after the longest struggle we can give them. Make it cost the time and energy.
A list of organizations to help you run for office: http://lovingmyselfishard.tumblr.com/post/167330144634/psst-hey
The Indivisble guide exists to help you organize effective resistance: https://indivisible.org/
Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can not protest in person, here are some other options:
Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
This App phones your rep for you: http://takeastance.us/
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resistbot.io/
The thing I keep remindng myself is that people keep protesting, people keep resisting all over the world. I've been trying very hard this last couple months to remind people of that, to remind myself of that, by checking in with the prostets in as many countres as I can manage over and over, even as the forces of autocracy bring down terrible violence against the young in particular.
Somewhere people keep saying no in the face of the full force of the state that lies that any discent at all is terrorism.
There is so little time left in this country to save ourselves. There is so little time left until we find out once an for all if we have rule of law, if we still have democracy, if al the promise of this countries flawed, but still beautiful constitution has been pissed away or if we can still save it with determination and protests and votes.
I hope to fuck we can.
Some of us are very likely going to be dead if we can't. People are already dying in this country because the power of the state to do harm is unchecked and getting worse. People are dying in other countries in protests, in purges, and/or at the hands of police or government backed gangs.
I am terrified of how bad it is now and how much worse it may get.
I believe that there are still chances for us to put on the brakes, and reverse this here and in other places. As scary as all this shit is there is still hope.
In 2016, I warned you all that this was a marathon, not a sprint. Here at the end of 2019, with less than a year to our next elections in the U.S., I know we are all exhausted and dishearted, but some countries are holdingback the tide.
We can do that here.
We can protest. At state and local offices of politicians. In mass ralleys.
We can call, write, and fax our dissent.
We can volunteer with campaigns and with protest organizations.
We can help raise money.
We can talk people into registering to vote and get them to show up for primaries/caucuses and the big election in November. we can vote in every ddamned race on the ballot and get everyone who cares about us to do the same.
We can help make protest signs even if we aren't up to protests or provide other emotionl and materal support.
We can refused to be slenced and refuse to give up. They are counting on our despair to help them win.
We can take care of ourselves and each other and take break when we need to because that's the only way to keep the momentum going. If you need to pick one or two things to focus on, do it, but keep fighting.
We can have each other's backs. This time, we leave no one behind. This time we keep the fight intersectional and show the fuck up for each other.
We can't afford to let them win. The more ground we cede, the harder fighting gets, so make them fight for every single inch. Make them drag each civil right and liberty from our hands one by one after the longest struggle we can give them. Make it cost the time and energy.
A list of organizations to help you run for office: http://lovingmyselfishard.tumblr.com/post/167330144634/psst-hey
The Indivisble guide exists to help you organize effective resistance: https://indivisible.org/
Have something you want to tell your Congress Critters? If you can not protest in person, here are some other options:
Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the representative of your choice.
This App phones your rep for you: http://takeastance.us/
Here is one that will send your reps a fax: https://resistbot.io/