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Newsletter: A message to those asking “what do I do now?” How to protect yourselves, and how to fight.

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Wind the clock

Molly White (Citation Needed)
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in reply to Molly White

Molly White
Molly White
• •

I am disappointed. I am sad. I am afraid. But, you see, I was disappointed, sad, and afraid before the election, too. In and outside of the United States, across the political spectrum, governments are and have been failing their people.

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in reply to Molly White

Molly White
Molly White
• •

And it is the people who have been fighting not just to protect themselves, their communities, and the things they love, but also fighting for people they’ve never met, in places they’ve never been, living lives they’ve never lived, facing horrors they’ve never faced.

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I had allowed myself to hope that American voters would choose the better of the presidential options available to us, and I was wrong. I am disappointed. I am sad. I am afraid. But, you see, I was disappointed, sad, and afraid before the election, too. In and outside of the United States, across the political spectrum, governments are and have been failing their people. And it is the people who have been fighting not just to protect themselves, their communities, and the things they love, but also fighting for people they’ve never met, in places they’ve never been, living lives they’ve never lived, facing horrors they’ve never faced. No matter how the United States election went, the fights were going to continue. A Harris victory would not solve our problems, domestically or worldwide. Nor would it change the fact that a sizable portion of people in this country are buying what Trump and his allies are selling. The only open questions were who the specific adversaries in the White House would be, who among the fighters would keep fighting, and who would join the fight. The first question has been answered. Now the questions are: if you have been fighting already, are you going to continue to fight? If you haven’t been, are you going to begin?
Illustration: Three arrows: a black arrow pointing right, a blue arrow pointing up and slightly to the left, and a red arrow pointing more to the left
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in reply to Molly White

Molly White
Molly White
• •

Maybe you’re not ready to read how to fight yet. It’s okay to take some time to rest, grieve, be angry. When you're ready, read on.

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in reply to Molly White

Molly White
Molly White
• •

First, take steps to protect yourself. Find community. Take care of your health. Learn how to protect yourself digitally. Find and nurture sources of reliable news and information.

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Now what? First things first, protect yourself. Even if you think the threat of authoritarianism is overblown, take steps to defend against it. If you’re a journalist, maybe read this section twice. Find your communities. Most people have many communities: the friend group you hang out with in real life, your family, your neighbors, your internet friends, your coworkers, your church or synagogue or mosque or other religious community. Strengthen these communities. If you don’t feel like you have much in the way of community, begin forming them: join new social groups, and try to meet likeminded people near you. Introduce yourself to your neighbors. Join (or start) a union. There’s strength in numbers, and especially if your industry may fall under threat, you’ll want to unionize now and not wait for that threat to materialize. Consider taking proactive steps to obtain healthcare that could become challenging to obtain in the future, if you are able. For example, if you need to replace or are considering getting an IUD, now might be the time. Use end-to-end-encrypted messaging apps for your communications. I use Signal heavily, but there are other options. Please know that not all apps that advertise E2EE enable it by default or offer it for group chats (looking at you Telegram), so double check that. Consider choosing a VPN to help protect your privacy online, and learn about the pros and cons of using them. Learn when, why, and how to use Tor.
Consider reducing your reliance on centralized social networks controlled by billionaires, and instead establishing a web presence you control. Evaluate the risks when choosing hosting providers, make backups, and make it as easy as possible to switch hosts should the need arise. Consider no longer using apps that collect and store sensitive data, such as period tracker or fertility apps. Be cautious about location tracking and other tech-enabled surveillance. Find and support trusted sources of news and information. If you rely heavily on mainstream news outlets owned by billionaires who were first in line to congratulate Trump on his victory, consider diversifying your media diet. ProPublica, 404 Media, and Flaming Hydra are a couple of great publications, or the Institute for Nonprofit News has a great directory of many more. Subscribe to and/or financially support independent solo writers like Parker Molloy (The Present Age), Erin Reed, Marisa Kabas (The Handbasket), and Seamus Hughes (Court Watch). Pay for a subscription to your local newspaper. Maybe also subscribe to a non-US paper while you’re at it. Consider supplementing your social feeds with an RSS-powered blogroll.
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