This is like a continuation of the conversation recently (last month? last week? what is time anymore) about feeling sort of scattered and unmoored, so I can't help but think of my current thoughts as a continuation of that, too. I think we are definitely in a moment of finding our bearings, if we have made it through the recognition of the aforementioned scattered and unmoored. We're figuring out how we can keep moving in ways that are sustainable. Some people need to pause for a moment to do that. Some people (like me), keep moving hoping that clarity will make itself more apparent over time (for me it is!).
I have been part of conversations in which people are realizing that it's hard to get people to show up for a weekly protest. And while it's a bummer for the person who shows up alone, it's good for organizers to consider how much and how often and what to ask of people with the knowledge that we are all tired and scared. People are reassessing in ways that will ultimately be so much better. I see less reacting and more strategizing.
The banality of evil has, I think made us realize we're in a marathon not a sprint. Lots of people need to stop and tie a shoe, or change shoes or take a break.
Am I, the perpetually cranky old punk, pep-talking you, the perpetually kind and wholesome community-builder? How the tables have turned. Maybe it's that I kinda feel like I've been training my whole life for this. I finally have somewhere to direct all this righteous indignation. Ha.
This is such an empathetic way of approaching this question-- people can't all show up, at the same pace, every single day, and we have to build spaces and movements where they are still welcome to show up when they can.
Recent learnings: it's a lot easier for even good buddies to skip past FB posts if they ask too much, focus on too many issues, or if there are too many of them in a single day. Visuals, especially of people, really matter and call attention to the issue. I now post for friends with hopeful news and post publicly with a single issue a day.
Reaching out to senators who are 4 or 6 years away from reelection might help the tally, but not the motivation to step up. Promising those coming up on election that I'm already in campaign mode seems to be more useful.
Taking the extra minute to reach out to those who are fighting the good fight anywhere along the pipeline, but especially in Congress, MATTERS. If we're exhausted, imagine how truly exhausted they must be; the thank yous feed their will to keep going.
My sticker is too small. Close friends coming into our neighborhood, stopping at that stop sign, never see the sticker. Larger ones might definitely get vandalized, but they'd be visible for a while. If we got a sticker fund going, could they be enlarged? I LOVE the concept, Garrett, and the time you put into these ways to support us; just wanting more validation for your hard work.
The most galling aspect of all this is the silence of the press.....and a lot of social media, where it's business as usual.....it's why I left FB, etc. so i could listen to and engage in some intelligent dialogue about these monsters.
I think one advantage we have over the first Trump administration is that a lot of us learned to be much more thoughtful about our media diets (less social media has been helpful for me, for sure).
By the way you all, I’m of course no stranger to discovering dumb typos after I press publish, but thanks for your patience this week with me dropping one IN THE TITLE (forgot an apostrophe, it’s fixed now).
Don't feel bad. As we were listening to "beachy" music on our road trip Monday, I happened to notice The Mamas & the Papas committed apostrophe crimes on one of their album covers. Hey, it happens. And at least you could go back and change it. Theirs lives on forever ... ;)
This is like a continuation of the conversation recently (last month? last week? what is time anymore) about feeling sort of scattered and unmoored, so I can't help but think of my current thoughts as a continuation of that, too. I think we are definitely in a moment of finding our bearings, if we have made it through the recognition of the aforementioned scattered and unmoored. We're figuring out how we can keep moving in ways that are sustainable. Some people need to pause for a moment to do that. Some people (like me), keep moving hoping that clarity will make itself more apparent over time (for me it is!).
I have been part of conversations in which people are realizing that it's hard to get people to show up for a weekly protest. And while it's a bummer for the person who shows up alone, it's good for organizers to consider how much and how often and what to ask of people with the knowledge that we are all tired and scared. People are reassessing in ways that will ultimately be so much better. I see less reacting and more strategizing.
The banality of evil has, I think made us realize we're in a marathon not a sprint. Lots of people need to stop and tie a shoe, or change shoes or take a break.
Am I, the perpetually cranky old punk, pep-talking you, the perpetually kind and wholesome community-builder? How the tables have turned. Maybe it's that I kinda feel like I've been training my whole life for this. I finally have somewhere to direct all this righteous indignation. Ha.
This is such an empathetic way of approaching this question-- people can't all show up, at the same pace, every single day, and we have to build spaces and movements where they are still welcome to show up when they can.
Recent learnings: it's a lot easier for even good buddies to skip past FB posts if they ask too much, focus on too many issues, or if there are too many of them in a single day. Visuals, especially of people, really matter and call attention to the issue. I now post for friends with hopeful news and post publicly with a single issue a day.
Reaching out to senators who are 4 or 6 years away from reelection might help the tally, but not the motivation to step up. Promising those coming up on election that I'm already in campaign mode seems to be more useful.
Taking the extra minute to reach out to those who are fighting the good fight anywhere along the pipeline, but especially in Congress, MATTERS. If we're exhausted, imagine how truly exhausted they must be; the thank yous feed their will to keep going.
My sticker is too small. Close friends coming into our neighborhood, stopping at that stop sign, never see the sticker. Larger ones might definitely get vandalized, but they'd be visible for a while. If we got a sticker fund going, could they be enlarged? I LOVE the concept, Garrett, and the time you put into these ways to support us; just wanting more validation for your hard work.
These are all such wise learnings, Gail, and also-- I do have a couple bigger stickers left over if you'd like one. Let me know!
Yes, please! Also wondering about a letter to clergy to help
them apolurically make these points with biblical references
The most galling aspect of all this is the silence of the press.....and a lot of social media, where it's business as usual.....it's why I left FB, etc. so i could listen to and engage in some intelligent dialogue about these monsters.
I think one advantage we have over the first Trump administration is that a lot of us learned to be much more thoughtful about our media diets (less social media has been helpful for me, for sure).
By the way you all, I’m of course no stranger to discovering dumb typos after I press publish, but thanks for your patience this week with me dropping one IN THE TITLE (forgot an apostrophe, it’s fixed now).
Don't feel bad. As we were listening to "beachy" music on our road trip Monday, I happened to notice The Mamas & the Papas committed apostrophe crimes on one of their album covers. Hey, it happens. And at least you could go back and change it. Theirs lives on forever ... ;)
Proud to share apostrophe crimes with the Mamas and Papas