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I've seen a few people talking about getting off Twitter now that Joe's in, or wondering what to do next, and boy do I have some ideas! So #Resisters listen up! First we gotta acknowledge that voting every few years doesn't cut it; complacency in the status quo brought us trump.
One thing that's hugely helpful is to get involved at local levels. There's been a huge push for people to run for something, and that's not wrong, but it's also not right. I want y'all to find out if your city council meetings are in-person or virtual, and attend them.
Educate yourself on what decisions have been made over the last few years with special attention to budget allotments. Then write up your List of Demands and start researching how other cities/states have achieved those goals. Refine that into actionable steps.
An example list would be: break all contracts with ICE (most jails are contracted with them), convert all public buildings to solar panels/renewable energy, and create non-police crisis response teams (CAHOOTS in eugene could be a template). It doesn't have to be a long list!
But if it is a longer list, that's good! If you can get a group of people together to be present and support this list, do it! Then your task is to show up consistently and just wear them into the ground over time if your list isn't immediately adopted.
Simultaneously, hook into at least one local mutual aid or activist group, if you haven't already. Find what breaks your heart and try to fix it. If you're new, sit quietly and learn, do what the organizers tell you.
There's been so much propaganda about "Antifa" that many on the left will need to interrogate themselves and their assumptions, because having bodies on the ground in action is hugely important. You'll need to learn that there are many types of actions, and many ways to help.
Obviously safety is important, so follow these instructions for a mask, making sure to get the proper filters which make it better than an N95, and buying nose clips if needed to get a tight seal. https://www.scribd.com/document/457604064/TM-2020-PATTERN-4-17-2020
If you're unable to leave the house, that's fine too! There's a place for everyone. You can do things like: follow the action items on doxxes, be a communication hub for protesters, boost mutual aid requests, keep in touch with all your reps to voice opinions on bills, etc. etc.
If you're white, your job is to leverage your privilege on behalf of others, and part of that is recognizing the sense of reprieve you feel isn't shared by those less privileged than you. A return to the status quo is actually not safe or healthy for them.
There's gonna be more to this, but I've gotta find a link off my computer first. I'm just hoping the fervor against trump can be lassoed into a fervor for being agents of change, instead of slipping back into waiting for politicians to change things for us.
