How, When, and Where to Resist

I have finally started a project I’ve been meaning to for a while. I’ve been looking around and seeing a huge amount of progressive organizing since November. All over the country, people have been in the streets, calling their representatives, setting up websites and taking direct action in all kinds of ways. But, it’s not always easy to find out how to get involved in one or more of these events. Websites aren’t readily apparent or easily linked. Facebook has such a fake news problem it can be impossible to separate the legitimate from the lies. A lot of times, unless someone I trust actually points out an event, I don’t hear about it. I know a lot of other people who experience this, too.

So, I’ve started a database of reputable progressive organizations. I’ve listed organizations that connect activists to events; organizations that support specific causes; and organizations that can help fund and support activists. I have 25 different organizations right now, and I plan to add to this list. The first column is the website of the organization, the second is a brief description, and the third are keyword tags if you just want a quick idea of what they are about.

These are national and international organizations based in the US. But, I am looking for local and state organizations and organizations based in other countries. If you have any suggestions for organizations to include, list them in the comments or email especiallysnakes@gmail.com. I’m looking for progressive or liberal organizations, preferably ones citizens can join without too much trouble.

Important note before I end with a link to the list: Just because I link an organization does NOT mean I agree 100% with everything they do or will do or have done. I pick organizations that I think are broadly good for people, and for the country. There’s no such thing as a perfect organization. I am perfectly willing to support and suggest places that I disagree with on some things. I don’t support organizations that don’t fact check or use shaky science as a general rule. Everyone gets it wrong sometimes, but there are groups that regularly promote junk science or propaganda without checking it. That doesn’t help anything. But, I recognize that there are many ways to take direct action on causes. So, if an organization is reasonable, helpful, does their best to be factual, and doesn’t encourage extremist tactics I’ll probably at least respect them even if I disagree with some things.

Resistance and Activism Organizations Updated on 30 Jul 2017

Mini Post Enjoy To Fight Another Day

I will get back to the Deadly Fears series, and my take on what’s happening around us. But right now, I have two mini-posts of encouragement. It is important to understand when we fight, and how to fight. It’s just as important to remind ourselves of why we fight, and why we take a break sometimes.

It is important to engage, and there are lots of ways and places to do so. Call your representatives and email people and talk to your friends. But you can't be outraged all the time. At least, I can't. And I don’t know anyone who can be, honestly. It is imperative to take time to do what you like to do, to have fun, to love, to be friends, if for no other reason than to remember why you are fighting the dark in the first place. Today I archived family papers and photos. I made jewelry hangers out of fabric and bulletin boards. I am sewing lace onto a skirt. I talked to my friends and watched Harry Potter all day. I do these things because I need to feel joy. I need to feel something other than sick and angry. I need to remember why I engage the things that hurt me and others. I also want to add beauty and color to a world that is increasingly dark and dangerous. For me, bright colors are a symbol of courage. Fear can make people fade into the background, and do everything they can to hide and not attract notice, even when this means that other people are harmed. By creating things and wearing things and reading things and saying things that make it impossible for me to hide, I remind myself to speak up. And, lastly, I sew Minnie Mouse skirts and read romance novels because they make me feel good. It’s fun. I enjoy it. It is not selfish or wrong to do things just because you want to. It is not selfish or wrong to choose to check out of activism for a little while because it’s gotten to be too much. Pause from time to time, and go enjoy your life. Doing so means that you live to fight another day.

Mini Post: Almost is Close Enough

I will get back to the Deadly Fears series, and my take on what’s happening around us. But right now, I have two mini-posts of encouragement. It is important to understand when we fight, and how to fight. It’s just as important to remind ourselves of why we fight, and why we take a break sometimes.

It’s dark and dangerous out there, and there are still Dementors and Death Eaters everywhere. It’s easy to think that only total victory is a victory, and that all loss is catastrophic. I think that what happened with the failure of “repeal and replace” shows that even partial victories, and narrow losses, actually help. The entirety of the government is red. We failed to take even one branch last election - that is true. However, we narrowed the margin of the GOP majority in the Senate considerably. They now hold it by only 2 seats. This became incredibly significant recently. The GOP tried three times to repeal and replace the lifesaving and durable ACA. But because that majority is so small, we the people were successfully able to stop this from happening. We will continue to stop this from happening. Our votes made a difference last time. We lost, but in such a way as to win a big victory. So don't give up. Keep calling. Keep voting. There is always more to do, and there will always be more ways we can claw a victory from the jaws of defeat. Our political system is complex, and this works in our favor. So don't give up just because you've lost the battle. You can still win the war.