F
> Is voting for lesser evil *effective*, is the question you
> should be asking yourself.
Look at the history of Black people in this country. First of all we have a vision of the USA as a multicultural nation. Not just with white and black Christians but people of all religions or none. And not just black and white either. Some of the progress has been political and through the system some had to be outside of it.
@apophis @johnzajac @richpuchalsky
Oh! I forgot the biggest one!
Do not be a part of the system of oppression. Do not write code for them, do not make dinner for them. Do not work for them. Do not join a police force or army.
@apophis @johnzajac @richpuchalsky
Protests do work. But just like "voting blue" it's not a total solution.
Really I think that being informed comes first, educating others next, then direct mutual aid using your skills and money to help people directly. After that I put protest and voting in a tie.
If you want to help do the ones that you can!
@apophis @richpuchalsky @DavidM_yeg
"Blue MAGA" is very loud and has more access to the press. Also the press likes them a bit better because they don't really care about "contentious" issues, they will play ball with the culture war stuff which is wonderful for ratings.
They do not want to hear from a teacher who wants to raise their taxes. For example. A mild one.
If he's the pick I will be just as sour as ever. And I think that's a problem... not just for me but because of what it says about how the party is functioning.
"we're not them!"
it ain't enough for many people
I do not think he would be a good presidential candidate. He's trying to have a different "style" but it's the same substance of the kind of Democrats who have lost.
IDK run down the list. It's bad.
He is being funny I guess but ...
I don't know what is it supposed to do? I guess if it cheers people up that's good? Maybe it could just make the online posting space messy and gross for everyone? Part of the Trump effect a kind of psychological warfare and modeling an obnoxious ignorance that makes it harder to work with people.
Does it help something if that's going both ways?
Is anyone learning anything from Newsom's sh*t posting? IDK.
This is both lovely and kind of gross. I like it.
I love the soft colors and sense of light in this photo!
Of course mutual aid helps more. I feel like you are saying anyone who talks about elections is doing it instead of more direct work.
Having better leadership would make it easier to do the mutual aid.
I WAS helping students get recommendation letters and discussing what they wanted to study. Now I'm also helping them find more people to help with immigration and having nightmares about them getting beat up by ICE. This is worse. It's not good. 
I guess I'll also add that there are people I care for even though they are rude in some way because I know they aren't doing it on purpose and I just know them very well. Like a friend who just never calls me for five weeks for no reason. I know why she does that and it's not about me.
Maybe if I had an older relative who was forgetful this could apply. But that is a very personal thing? If someone knows something hurts they should care.
For example. I used to not remember names well. I never really cared if someone remembered my name or not. This isn't typical. Most people care a lot about this.
When I started making an effort to remember everyone's name suddenly everyone thought I was so personable and polite.
I guess I'm saying it's normal and good to feel hurt by that kind of thing. Not that you need my permission, but that is what I think.
I have also been misgendered a few times in my life. Mostly when I was younger by white girls who were trying to be mean to me. It was really hurtful.
I also remember that.
The only case where there might be confusion is if there were someone who just didn't see how it's rude even if it's done to them? That could be possible I guess. But part of getting along with others is just learning what people care about.
As a cis person however I've been told that I've misgendered someone (if they are cis or not) I'm really embarrassed, alarmed and worried about not doing it again. For this reason I can remember the FIVE times it's happened in my life with photographic clarity. Because it's a big deal. I don't want to be an asshole.
Even before I knew much about trans people I felt this way. It's just rude.
It's normal to feel uneasy about someone who is rude.
Why does this apply to the genocide but not the other harm?
Some people had the opportunity to have a small amount of influence in a choice between bad options. The camps on my doorstep, the calls for "mass deportation now" seemed worse to me than a likely similar foreign policy and NOT having that operation in our country with the goal.
It's not an easy choice. It's not glamorous. I don't even know if I am doing the best thing.
LGBTQ people I care about are being harmed, science is experiencing a huge disruption, racism and sexism are resurgent. This makes it harder for me to be a helpful ally as I'm suddenly very busy.
At the same time there is a rot, that's being expelled from the Democratic party and that could be a good thing.
But how many people will be dead of polio before that happens?
Will the world pull the breaks on the genocide in time?
Is everyone who voted for Harris "Blue MAGA" ?
I'm sincerely torn on this. I can't bring myself to be angry at people who didn't vote for Harris over Gaza. I don't even think they were "under-informed" ... they just didn't care about other issues where the difference is much greater as much as I do.
(If they voted for Trump I think it's incredibly simple minded)
I think since there are other less high profile people who benefit from this ... like the Epstein files, it has been allowed to slip away.
When these things happen with no shame there isn't any material recourse to redress the harm.
THAT is the problem.
And when it becomes clear to people inclined to exploit others that there are no social consequences if they kiss the right rings (or something else) more leaches and bottom feeders will exploit vulnerable people. More people will be harmed.