(no subject)

[stormdog]

When there were rumors of the creation of a Muslim registry here in the US, I wrote that I would sign my name on it. When Black Lives Matter was [it still is of course] called a terrorist group, I sewed a Black Lives Matter patch on my purse. When there was talk of singling out immigrants for extra scrutiny by authorities, I wrote the Department of Homeland Security and told them that, as a descendant of immigrants, I felt that I merited additional scrutiny as well. (They did not respond.) If the census were to ask me whether I am a citizen, I would state that I am not. If those in power start casting about for people to identify as Antifa, I will be Antifa. I will identify myself with the opressed, and the people fighting the oppressors and reject oppression and its supporters. In the current political atmosphere, this feels in keeping with the spirit of Martin Niemöller's post World War Two observations.

Mine and my partner's and my friends' countries are in such upheaval right now. Fighting between people and groups is vicious. Danae and her brother had a lengthy fight on Facebook that's really disturbed her. I read it and it felt to me like she was doing a lot of work to learn about the claims he was making and respond thoughtfully with her interpretation and he just kept misconstruing her responses and belittling her. I had blocked him well before that, and I told Danae that I could not have remained calm and rational the way she did and that I'm proud of her.

There's nothing I can do about what people think and say in any direct, meaningful way. But I can be public about what I feel and believe and be a part of calling out the evil fringe concepts that have been moving into the mainstream lately.

Comments

[sabotabby]

That is rad, and much respect.

I hope I have the courage if the time comes to do more than just shout at people on the streets and on the internet.

[stormdog]

It's kind of funny you say that because I often feel like you're doing so much more than me. You're going to protests and standing up directly to the fash, while I'm just writing occasional unheeded emails and contemplating bureaucratic civil disobedience that turns out to be irrelevant anyway.