this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2024
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[–] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 72 points 4 months ago (3 children)

How about we do something about it instead of expecting someone else to?

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 21 points 4 months ago (3 children)

You go first. Let us know what and how it worked out.

[–] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 39 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

I don’t even know what this text is in reference to and I have no concrete suggestions immediately. But I will be thinking, connecting, and sharing in the coming months as a strategy emerges. Trumpism can still be defeated. The election was plan A but it’s time to come up with plan B. I am thinking that it’s going to take massive organized civil disobedience. We directly disrupt their ability to govern and harm marginalized people.

But it’s going to take more than just me, so I ask everyone here to be ready and participate in whatever capacity you can.

[–] Asafum@feddit.nl 9 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

I went to DC and yelled at a bunch of brutalist buildings. I'm sure someone in one of those knows a guy who knows someone who sometimes gets close enough to see a representative. I did my part!

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 2 points 4 months ago
[–] bloup 6 points 4 months ago (2 children)

if you want things to change, first you have to find a way to be able to confidently say “I’m ready for things to change”. Then, you have to help other people find a way to say it too. And when there’s finally enough people, nobody has to “go first”.

[–] TranscendentalEmpire@lemm.ee 2 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I mean that's a nice sentiment, but it's not the late 19th century anymore. Even if it was, that's not really how revolutions worked in the past.

The majority of revolutions that have been successful in the past have sprung from pre-arranged hierarchical bodies like the military. There is a reason the US military was developed to be domestically apolitical, and is forbidden to operate in any real sense within the United States.

If there is some sort of revolution it's perfectly reasonable to assume there will be Martyrs, it's also perfectly reasonable to not want to willingly participate in martyrdom.

[–] pyre@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

There is a reason the US military was developed to be domestically apolitical, and is forbidden to operate in any real sense within the United States.

well buckle up...

[–] bloup 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I honestly don’t understand how you can read what I’m saying and think that I must be specifically talking about people martyring themselves or violent political revolutions and I would really appreciate it if you could just take my words for granted without making broader inferences about them.

[–] TranscendentalEmpire@lemm.ee 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

And when there’s finally enough people, nobody has to “go first”.

I mean, it's what the person you responded to was talking about..... Am i supposed to "take your words for granted" and also assume you were making a point completely disjointed from the original context?

[–] bloup 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

so like I’ve spent a lot of time studying history and revolutions and political movements, so personally when I see somebody say something as vague as “we should do something about this ourselves instead of expecting other people to” it’s very hard for me to assume that they must be talking specifically about violently overthrowing the government.

[–] TranscendentalEmpire@lemm.ee 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

If you've spent a lot of time studying history and revolutions......in your opinion, what does it mean when someone says "we should take care of this ourselves"?

In reference to our current political situation, how else would an individual or a small group of like minded individuals "take care" of the situation?

[–] bloup 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

it could mean a lot of things, such as widespread civil disobedience. It’s also not necessarily asking anybody to do anything right now, but to be open to the idea of organized direct action. The real point I’m trying to make is when a person says “you go first” reactively in response to any call to action, they actually become part of the problem that needs to be overcome.

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 1 points 4 months ago

I agree with you on that.

[–] Elgenzay@lemmy.ml 14 points 4 months ago

Yeah! You first

[–] SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social 6 points 4 months ago (2 children)

It's the perennial coordination problem. Consider these truths: 1. Anybody who stands up alone will get viciously hammered down. 2. If a large number of people stand up together, they can make a difference. 3. People have to trust others to stand up with them, otherwise see #1.

How do we organize a large crowd of people that trust each other without the people in power catching wind of it and viciously hammering down the organizers? It sure would help to have some support from people already in positions of power...

[–] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 2 points 4 months ago

I’m reading a book on this topic right now. It’s called civil resistance. Hope to find the answer soon!

[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 2 points 4 months ago

This is part of why, as much grief as it gets, the 4B movement is something that can plausibly gain traction. Because it doesn't really require anyone "outing" themselves and thus putting themselves at risk, it can be done without coordination, leadership, and trust. Boycotts function on a similar premise.

They are a useful tool in some ways, but the issue is the relatively limited scope of what these sorts of efforts can accomplish.