We're at starvation levels re: concrete ideas and ways forward. Grateful to everyone who puts out ideas for what actions folks might take or work towards.
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If you have time and people, go directly to their offices. Speak to any staffer that will listen. Topic will vary depending on the specific member but generally f*ck fascism.
Literally watching videos right now on building benches since my community has nowhere to rest unless you go inside a business, and they want you to buy things to use their chairs.
Direct Action means taking over the role of the state in our own lives and communities.
If all else is in short supply, reinforcing our own self-awareness throughout the day is important. How do you make decisions? Do you actually look at other people and see their humanity? This may open the other channels.
One concrete thing many can do is to replace fossil fuel equipment with electrified equipment when it gets old. Buy an EV, install heat pumps for heating/water heating, buy a heat pump dryer, install an induction cooktop, etc. Fossil fuels fund oligarchy.
And the bonus, of course, is that by fighting fossil fools you're also fighting climate change. Koomey, Jonathan, and Ian Monroe. 2022. Solving climate change: A guide for learners and leaders. Bristol, UK: IOP Publishing. [http://www.solveclimate.org]
The problem with EV’s is that they create atrocities in other countries. Other people suffer torture, war and famine so that the US and other predatory countries have unfettered access to the the resources needed to build EVs+. If we survive this, we need to focus on not continuing to be monsters.
I'm aware of these issues but the correct question is always "compared to what?". Fossil fuels create MUCH WORSE atrocities in many more places that will continue for centuries.The correct answer is harm reduction, and that means #ElectrifyingEverything as we also work to reduce harms from mining.
Expose Billionaires.
Mock Billionaires
Criticize Billionaires
Shame Billionaires.
We need to DESTROY TRUST in them the way they have destroyed trust in our institutions.
Be relentless.
Things obvious to you and me are not so for Jonny Q Public.
we need to form larger systems of connection without oversight or regulations. If you are in an FNBs somewhere, reachout to others in different cities in your state.
Consider joining or making an affinity group around disaster response.
start hosting community gatherings at libraries, meet folks
Most people do not understand what is happening. This is the project. All of our institutions have already capitulated to fascism. Institutions and constitutional processes will not help us defeat fascism or survive it. People have to educate their centrist and liberal friends and neighbors
People need to decide whether they want to keep living a normal life or if they want to oppose fascism. They cannot do both. Calling politicians and standing outside with a sign once or twice a month are not it. People need to come terms with doing things that make them uncomfortable and unsafe
Stop resisting an autopoietic system.
Start on your front porch, with your neighbors, building a new system, from the ground up.
Don't organize petition drive to get potholes fixed. Organize work party to fix the potholes. Take control of your community. https://www.modelingforchange.com
With incoming tariffs, ink cartridges will soon become cost prohibitive. Let’s hit senate and congressional offices by drowning their fax machines with messages about Gaza. Attached an example. Just make sure the bg is all black for maximum ink use. Use faxzero if you don’t have a fax machine.
Digital strike. Everyone cancel their subscriptions for a week. Amazon, Netflix, Spotify, etc. do it in the early summer so people get outside and commune.
I am reading a book called Weapons of the Weak by James Scott, an American anthropologist who passed away a few years ago. I also like what Franco Berardi says about abandonment of the system in his book Disertate (Quit Everything). I have found these helpful guidance for action and attitude.
As a bottom line, stop signing up online and start doing things physically and verbally, in person. They are disappearing people, they have all manner of internet surveillance available, and you can do no good if disappeared.
Dump every corporate (and these days, institutional) entity) that supports the fascist agenda.
Dump every candidate that temporizes about "bipartisanship" or "needing a strong GOP" or "decorum".
For now.
Then prepare to defend yourself, and seriously consider what, to you, is acceptable offense.
A thousand personal lawsuits against Trump’s officials. College parents picket Homan’s house and file suit for destroying their children’s college experience
I am making explainer cartoons that people can print out and leave in places the same way evangelicals do with pamphlets. It's a slog. https://jimryan.substack.com/p/medicaid-loss-explainer?r=4itqb. Fellow libs would rather snark to each other online.
Recognize the problem. Study the problem. Come up with ways to attack the problem. Correct the problem or eliminate it. Either is a correction. Move on to next problem.
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I’m not a Star Wars person, but using the force.
Direct Action means taking over the role of the state in our own lives and communities.
We have April 19th coming. Why not start striking then too! Easter Sunday would be a great day for everyone to start!
https://generalstrikeus.com
Mock Billionaires
Criticize Billionaires
Shame Billionaires.
We need to DESTROY TRUST in them the way they have destroyed trust in our institutions.
Be relentless.
Things obvious to you and me are not so for Jonny Q Public.
Consider joining or making an affinity group around disaster response.
start hosting community gatherings at libraries, meet folks
Start on your front porch, with your neighbors, building a new system, from the ground up.
Don't organize petition drive to get potholes fixed. Organize work party to fix the potholes. Take control of your community.
https://www.modelingforchange.com
that's how coal unions were able to gain ground, Appalachia stood with their workers.
Once we're established a little better, we can do a general strike.
https://bsky.app/profile/ecmclaughlin.bsky.social/post/3lgigzwnqbk2y
That said -- start with capitalism and the capitalists that most overtly support fascism.
Dump Prime.
Dump Meta.
Dump billionaire media
Dump Elon's nazi products.
Dump Home Depot.
Dump every candidate that temporizes about "bipartisanship" or "needing a strong GOP" or "decorum".
For now.
Then prepare to defend yourself, and seriously consider what, to you, is acceptable offense.