It costs me less in every sense to incur the penalty of disobedience to the State than it would to obey. I should feel as if I were worth less in that case. (Civil Disobedience, 1849)
Rachel, I often get asked about "where are the leaders." This occurs in the context of folks asking about "what to do." I keep reassuring people that it will become obvious and it sure has but yet there is too little action. You are the leader that folks have been waiting for! May everyone follow your example.
We must get comfortable with not complying. Hard to do when none of us understand (especially those of us who are white) our lifetimes of shared cultural socialization into “criminalization” as an everyday practice of white supremacy.
Nicely shared. It is indeed hard to know what to do. I come up with just two basic ideas: (1) fight the authoritarian (this means litigation for me), and (2) persuade the independents to get on board with us. I don't know how to do the second one in the literal sense of what can I do, personally, to reach them.
Active Voice, on your point 2, #tendandbefriend is my thought.. Too mild mannered, yes, but at least it suggests a further question, which is: do I actually know any independents to tend or befriend? Where would you go to strike up a conversation…? Not just asking to be facetious—it seems that if you feel an allergy, so to speak, with both parties, the idea of political conversation itself might feel repellent, or certainly unpleasant. Do you think that’s so?
This made me cry. It can feel so paralyzing not knowing what to do or what support will be there for me if I do choose to take a risk. Joanna Macy also talks about Hope as the act of aligning ourselves with our values, regardless of the outcome of those actions. She also saw the need for a guaranteed outcome of success as one of the big problems holding us back from taking action. Highly recommend her book Active Hope and World as Lover World as Self. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Rachel, I often get asked about "where are the leaders." This occurs in the context of folks asking about "what to do." I keep reassuring people that it will become obvious and it sure has but yet there is too little action. You are the leader that folks have been waiting for! May everyone follow your example.
We must get comfortable with not complying. Hard to do when none of us understand (especially those of us who are white) our lifetimes of shared cultural socialization into “criminalization” as an everyday practice of white supremacy.
https://truthout.org/audio/the-trap-of-law-and-order-under-fascism/
Nicely shared. It is indeed hard to know what to do. I come up with just two basic ideas: (1) fight the authoritarian (this means litigation for me), and (2) persuade the independents to get on board with us. I don't know how to do the second one in the literal sense of what can I do, personally, to reach them.
Such a great read. Thank you for addressing something that’s really been on my mind!
YES to all of this. Thank you for leading the way, Rachel!
Thank you for your sacrifice, and for sharing your experience and insights.
Active Voice, on your point 2, #tendandbefriend is my thought.. Too mild mannered, yes, but at least it suggests a further question, which is: do I actually know any independents to tend or befriend? Where would you go to strike up a conversation…? Not just asking to be facetious—it seems that if you feel an allergy, so to speak, with both parties, the idea of political conversation itself might feel repellent, or certainly unpleasant. Do you think that’s so?
#act
This made me cry. It can feel so paralyzing not knowing what to do or what support will be there for me if I do choose to take a risk. Joanna Macy also talks about Hope as the act of aligning ourselves with our values, regardless of the outcome of those actions. She also saw the need for a guaranteed outcome of success as one of the big problems holding us back from taking action. Highly recommend her book Active Hope and World as Lover World as Self. Thank you for sharing your experience.