@autistic_anthony I can’t knock doors in my area - I’m surrounded by milita. It would put my life and my families life in real danger.
I tried phone banking and texting during the last election and I don’t have the stomach for the abuse.
what I’ve decided to do instead is to keep watch on my Facebook feed (for I’m back there for the time being) and reaching out to friends, family, and former students who have indicated disgust or being on the fence about even voting - my 3 F’s to convince them to vote and vote for Biden this year. Over the last week I’ve gotten two. It’s what I can do to combat exactly what you’re seeing.
if you know anyone in those comment sections keep gently reaching out to them.
I will respectfully disagree. Liz Cheney did perform the country a service, however, she is still an arch conservative who voted with Trump ~93% of the time. Perhaps we could fine more of a middle of the road candidate.
@autistic_anthony I can’t knock doors in my area - I’m surrounded by milita. It would put my life and my families life in real danger.
I tried phone banking and texting during the last election and I don’t have the stomach for the abuse.
what I’ve decided to do instead is to keep watch on my Facebook feed (for I’m back there for the time being) and reaching out to friends, family, and former students who have indicated disgust or being on the fence about even voting - my 3 F’s to convince them to vote and vote for Biden this year. Over the last week I’ve gotten two. It’s what I can do to combat exactly what you’re seeing.
if you know anyone in those comment sections keep gently reaching out to them.
@DannyBoy -- I can't knock on doors, either...I suffer from social anxiety, and I'd end up telling off all of the ridiculous people whom I'd encounter. The campaigns wouldn't WANT me door-knocking on their behalf, haha. Other people have that social grace and tolerance for stupidity that I simply don't have.
I don't know how to drive, so my mobility is very limited. I have trauma from when I worked as a telemarketer, so phone calls are also out, for me.
I honestly believe my role in this campaign is branding messages through my writing skills for public consumption. And passing those talking-points along to other activists (most of whom hopefully have wider and more visible platforms than I individually do).
I will respectfully disagree. Liz Cheney did perform the country a service, however, she is still an arch conservative who voted with Trump ~93% of the time. Perhaps we could fine more of a middle of the road candidate.
@JackOfHearts -- I agree with you that Liz Cheney is the wrong person for the top of a future presidential ticket.
As far as saving democracy, however, she's the perfect ally. She's staunchly conservative in her own ideology; yet she wants a free public forum where all dissenters from across the political spectrum can hash out the policy details in front of the public. She opposes an authoritarian state. She's also a rare Republican lawmaker open to compromise, which I think has been partially influenced by her sister, Mary, who is a conservative lesbian woman.
Also, the fact that Donald Trump has said Liz Cheney should be prosecuted for "treason" in front of a military tribunal...just another of the many examples we can point to as evidence that Trump is simply unfit for office.
For me, the most disheartening and scary part is when I read the Comments Sections of YouTube videos, TwitterX, and online articles. You see multiple people chiming in who clearly DON'T want a Trump dictatorship; yet, they express defeatism and helplessness, declaring that democracy is now permanently dead.
A very important thing to keep in mind when reading comments is that social media is absolutely infested with bots, foreign agitators and other bad actors who are trying to force their narratives & control the conversation. While there absolutely are genuine people who are feeling defeated & hopeless, the overwhelming 'we should just give up now' attitude is straight up astroturfing.
Breathe. Take a step back from social media. Unplug entirely if you need to! Protect your mental health & wellbeing. But most importantly - don't give up. Don't give into the fear, doom & gloom. It's not going to be easy, but we still have a chance to turn this around for the better.
But only if we don't give up.
@jackofhearts I'll try to elaborate a bit. I dawned on me that with climate change and environmental collapse, we all need to pull in the same direction, and unfortunately by the time enough people realize we need to do something it will be too late. Like many in here have pointed out the old system has to die. Free will is an important principle, so we can't punish or cut out the people who are not willing to go along with a green new deal or whatever plan we come up with. Rather people have to chose their own fate without feeling forced.
I think most people want to collaborate and help each other. Then there are a few ones who are happy exploiting others for their own benefit, but they pack this ideology into messaging like "end wokeness" or other meaningless words aimed at making people angry. I think it's been a necessary phaze to let the alt-right grow, giving certain people the illusion that they have the population with them. There used to be certain thoughts people would keep to themselves in order not so become a social outcast. Now they feel safe spewing all sorts of hateful rants. I think we've reached the point where they are saying the quiet part out loud en masse. I see the supreme cour ruling as one of the most important pieces here. I think a lot of people will finally snap out of it, and we'll be left with a small group of extremists that are going to feel very naked and exposed indeed. People will see them for what they are and what they stand for, and we'll finally be able to move on.
The odd thing I can't quite figure out in my vision was I saw the extremists will get the choice between cooperate in solidarity with humanity and earth, or go "somewhere else". In the vision they all boarded a ship and sailed off. They were super stoked about it, convinced they had drawn the longest straw. I have no idea what the ship symbolized or where it was going, but we didn't have to worry about them anymore.
I think the future holds something very different for us. Something that goes beyond traditional party lines.
@cindy Thank you so much for taking the time to say all of that! I agree and I'm struggling. I shouted to the universe to PLEASE HELP ME GET THROUGH THIS DARKNESS AND GET BACK TO LIGHT. HELP ME DEAL WITH THESE FEELINGS PLEASE!
My point is, that these are their lessons and Karmic debt to deal with, not ours. We are just a part of the equation, not the solution. Don't stress yourself thinking you need to do more or be more when that may not be your role. Simply let your light shine, and do what FEELS right for you.
I decided yesterday that I need to do more work on myself before I can help others. So I dug out ALL my Michael Newton books. His research on reincarnation and lives between lives rings true to me. There is no punishing afterlife where you pay for your sins, but Im getting distracted.
I'm searching for my own peace and understanding of where we are and what I can do about my sliver of the planet and that must be good enough. It's not my job to change the world though I would if I could! I still embrace all of my sides (good bad and ugly) equally. I like me! I just want to feel like I'm more in control of my emotions.
I was in the ER struggling to breathe the other day and a obnoxious Trumper was "preaching" to several others in the waiting room about how Joe Biden is a puppet and is ruining this country. I stood in front of him and honestly wanted to just throat punch him and be done with it. But I didn't. I explained that to me Joe Biden is an awesome president. I mentioned a couple things while he laughed but the room changed. The people that were nodding in agreement were chiming in that TFG is NUTS and a dictator! I thought I'd have to take on the room but it seems like the others were just going along to get along!!! Which makes me SICK but I realized it took one person to turn that room! ME! I must admit to you all that I'm not perfect! I did suggest to the nurse that called him back that he likely required a lobotomy and "y'all should do some serious research on his brain!" But I tend to make jokes in uncomfortable situations. And dark humor is part of who I am! Ha!
I know I have work to do. I'm learning I'm a control freak! Which I knew but never put much work or thought into. I feel the need to manipulate my environment to make things less uncomfortable for me. I need to learn to cope and ride the waves better.
I am so grateful to have found this space and all of you!
@ak I agree but we Dems are NOT KNOWN for our backbones unfortunately. I would LOVE to see Biden test this COURT!!!!!
I love the story about the emergency room intervention. That is something I would not have the courage to do, being very introverted. The ability to speak out is likely your "superpower" and all you have to do is tame it and use it wisely.I decided yesterday that I need to do more work on myself before I can help others. So I dug out ALL my Michael Newton books. His research on reincarnation and lives between lives rings true to me. There is no punishing afterlife where you pay for your sins, but Im getting distracted.
I'm searching for my own peace and understanding of where we are and what I can do about my sliver of the planet and that must be good enough. It's not my job to change the world though I would if I could! I still embrace all of my sides (good bad and ugly) equally. I like me! I just want to feel like I'm more in control of my emotions.
As for needing to do more work on yourself before you can help others: We can all help no matter what our state of being or abilities. Just a random kind word, sincere compliment, or a small act of politeness or assistance can go a long way toward lifting the recipient's spirits. And that can snowball. If the person feels better, they are more likely to be nice to the next person, and so on.
If we can start enough "snowballs", we can create a population that is less fearful, more hopeful, and kinder- and *that* makes for a better world.
@fjellvandre What if this vision has to do with states succeeding and this would happen if Democrate win....For example, if Texas succeeds then there might be a mass migration in and out of that state. They would then be in charge of their own border, but if some natural disaster happens related to climate change happens, then they are on their own with no help from the feds...that ship sailed...Disclaimer: this is hypothetical speculation, not a prediction.
@theredone The thought ocurred to me. I also wondered when they proposed creating "freedom cities" last year if that could be it. It felt like something very different though. Almost like they went into another dimension. They seemed lost to this world. I can't really make sense of it.
@fjellvandre What if this vision has to do with states succeeding and this would happen if Democrate win....For example, if Texas succeeds then there might be a mass migration in and out of that state. They would then be in charge of their own border, but if some natural disaster happens related to climate change happens, then they are on their own with no help from the feds...that ship sailed...Disclaimer: this is hypothetical speculation, not a prediction.
If, hypothetically, Texas secedes -- do they lose their two U.S. Senate seats? (in other words, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn lose their jobs)
Actually, they entered the spaceship with the aliens to return back to their home planet!
Yes, they would lose their seats.
Personally, if they succeed, let them. Instead of fighting them, we should cut off all support. All federal aid, social security, benefits, etc and tell Texas to pay its citizens themselves. Methinks the citizens will immigrate out of the state quickly.
Places like Texas has been like the abusive husband who talks about how important they are and how problematic the wife (AKA the federal government) is. They go on and on about how they are going to leave and then waive their guns as though they have power.
Yes, Texas. You have guns. But the federal government has the money. They have a better system in place. (The federal government has treaties in place, while an independent Texas has to reach out to countries to get treaties.) Mexico can choose to invade Texas if Texas leaves the US, and the US could choose to let it happen. And if Texas chose to invade the US....well, no offense to Texas, but what can guns do to a country with nuclear codes?
Will Texas leave? Probably at some point, just to show they can. But like the abusive husband, they may be in shock when the day comes and the abused wife celebrates instead of begging them to stay.
@fjellvandre, I can only say that my life's goal is to improve the world. I have two kids, older now, and I just want to know they will be fine. From my perspective, your kids or grandkids must also be fine for mine to be okay.
For my goal, I will gladly accept anyone drinking Kool-Aid today. I believe when we bring out what we are doing, it will be like a road to Damascus for some; for others, it will be a "you get it" response, and for many, many more, it will be "about time." Others will resent what we are doing, and I am OK with that. It is not political or religious, just a better world.
I do count on incredible examples from the US and elsewhere to be held up as "you too can be this," so maybe I look at things through a very long lens and see that world now.
Jeanne, feel free to move to a different thread if need be, I just want fjellvandre to get my response, though this may be better in the rooftop area.
So, how is it that I know this is unacceptable but he apparently could care less?
Justice Samuel Alito reported Friday that he accepted $900 worth of concert tickets from a German princess, but disclosed no trips paid for by other people, according to a new financial disclosure form.
The required annual filing, for which Alito has often sought an extension, doesn’t include details of the event tickets gifted by socialite Gloria von Thurn und Taxis of Germany. Alito didn’t report any outside income from teaching or book contracts.
So, how is it that I know this is unacceptable but he apparently could care less?
Justice Samuel Alito reported Friday that he accepted $900 worth of concert tickets from a German princes
so the guy voted to legalize bribery, and all he got was some lousy $900 tickets to the Scott Baio Unplugged concert? That can't be right. Clearance Sale Thomas must be spewing coke all over his robe in laughter. Surely there were a bunch of zeros in that figure that got dropped along the way.
But what do you expect, from a Boy Scout dropout that can't even properly hang the flag of the country he is trying to destroy. He will probably just blame it all on his wife, again.