A Trump administration order banned refugees from entering the United States on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The Resist Trump non-book Reading List
Books may be time-consuming or unavailable for some folks, and our ability to share them far and wide is limited. Here’s a list of online articles available for free, plus archive.org links.
- “Ur-Fascism” by Umberto Eco [mirror link] – an essential description of what fascism looks like.
- “Autocracy: Rules for Survival” by Masha Gessen [mirror link] – avoiding complacency and deceit.
- “Forget ‘Why,’ It’s Time to Get to Work” by Anil Dash [mirror link] – activism and consistency
- “Don’t Let Anyone Tell You It’ll Be Okay” by Craig Martin [mirror link] – a very important debunking of all the rationalization going on around us.
- “A madman has been given the keys to the surveillance state” by Cory Doctorow [mirror link] – a good reminder of why, even if all you do is talk to your niece on Facebook, we need to protect our digital freedom.
- “No, We Won’t Calm Down” by Robothugs [mirror link] – how to avoid shutting out our marginalized allies, and how to recognize when someone is doing it to you
- “The White Flight of Derek Black” by Eli Saslow [mirror link] – a powerful read on what it takes for a person to leave white nationalism behind.
- “How to Help the Cause When You Need Help Yourself” by Carrie Cutforth [mirror link] – helpful reminders for activists with chronic illnesses or mental health issues. Read Spoon Theory, too, if you haven’t, for a helpful framework.
- “On Arguing with the Upper Class” by The Coquette [mirror link] – why arguing with your friends on Facebook isn’t activism and it isn’t like what happened to Derek Black.
- “A People’s History of the Third Reich” by Megan Carpentier [mirror link] – on collective responsibility and commonplace evil.
- This post on fascist tactics from @smarmyanarchist [mirror link] – how to identify white supremacist bullshit and engage with it effectively.
Via [Tumblr](http://thebatlord.com/post/153822227733/a-stop-trump-reading-list).
5calls.org
For me, the idea of calling people about the Issue of the Day is… daunting. Exhausting – also that – but just kind of overwhelming. Who do I even call? What do I say? What if I forget something important? What if I miss something I really wanted to do something about.
And… I'm a talker. I don't know how folks with anxiety do it at all.
Kate asked me about these exact same problems tonight, and I said "Hey let's check out this site 5calls."
And I have to tell you, after looking through what the site does to help you out with these kinds of things – to help you make a difference – I got really excited.
So I made a short video explaining the whole thing, because it's cool, and because I want you to know about it and maybe get excited too.
Check it out.
What's the Most Secure Phone?
The answers range from 'not terribly useful' feature phone, to an iPod Touch with a bunch of options disabled (note: is not actually a PHONE), and wander into less secure territory from there.
"It's a security first-principles dilemma: the most secure device is likely to be the least useful to the average person."
Making a good smartphone choice could be the difference between being hacked and keeping your data safe.
HELLO DONALD I NEED TO REPORT SOME VOTER FRAUD
Steve Bannon is registered to vote in two different states maybe you have heard of him.
So is this dude Steve Mnuchin MAYBE YOU HAVE HEARD OF HIM ALSO.
I suggest a thorough investigation and also reducing the number of white motherfuckers named Steve in your Cabinet by 100%
Steve Bannon registered to vote in two states despite Trump’s cries of ‘voter fraud’ | US news | The GuardianI Sent a Letter Today
Here's the gist:
This is a message of support for Mayor Hancock, regarding his stance on Denver as a "Sanctuary City."
In a recent interview, the Mayor said: “We are going to […] make sure we remain an inclusive city,” and echoed statements from both NYC and Chicago mayors in standing up to the current federal administration, which has threatened to withhold federal funds from Sanctuary Cities.
I am PROUD to see Denver stand up for the rights and opportunities of immigrants, and want to offer my heartfelt support and hope that the Mayor and his office continue to stand up against federal pressure.
Raise our taxes – do what you have to to make up for the lost federal funds – but DO NOT GIVE IN.
This is Colorado – we are used to rough weather – we can take it.
Thank you, sir.
Denver and Aurora stand to lose millions of dollars in federal funds if Donald Trump carries out a pledge to isolate so-called “sanctuary” cities that do not compel its police officers to enforce i…
Here is the Problem with this Trump Believes Millions Voted Illegally” Headline
It’s wrong.
In Germany in the 1930s and 1920s, the Nationalist party was blaming everything they could on the Jews (and Romani and gays, but stay with me).
None of it was true, obviously. Everyone knew it wasn’t true. Even the Nationalists knew it wasn’t true.
But it was what they needed to get out there as a narrative, because they needed to use that narrative to do what came after.
When Trump talks about 3 to 5 million illegal voters, he doesn’t actually believe there are 3 to 5 million illegal voters. No one he’s talking to believes it either – there’s no evidence for it at all. I think the total illegal voting attempts for 2016 is something like… 14. Fourteen people. A football team, plus placekicker, water boy, and coach.
He’s not saying it because he believes it, and we shouldn’t THINK “he’s saying it because he believes it.”
He’s saying it because he needs to get that narrative out there to justify what comes next.
And that particular narrative is the one you need to take the right to vote away from millions of Americans who, in general, won’t vote for him or the GOP.
AND HEY GUESS WHAT? Immigration and deportation is on his agenda tomorrow. WHAT A CRAZY COINCIDENCE.
People really need to stop saying crap like “This looks like it could be some kind of diabolical plan, but seriously does Donald look like he’s a planner?”
He. Is. WINNING. Over and Over Again. Against people who do not make a habit of losing.
That’s not an accident, and everything he does is on purpose.
President Donald Trump believes millions of votes were cast illegally in last year’s election, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on Tuesday, but he wouldn’t provide any concrete evidence for the claim, which has long been debunked.
I Know I am a Filthy Political Noob (Open letter to Political Veterans)
Dear Sir,
I have not always been an especially political poster.
I've had my opinions, but I've gone a long ways through my life not often bothering to point out current news and what I see as pretty obvious facts.
That's changed. Obviously. Partly because what I thought of as obvious facts are, to a significant portion of the population, neither 'obvious' nor 'facts.'
And here I am.
My posting has invited some great conversations and comments, and I love that.
I don't love… all of it.
I don't always love when the Political Veterans drop in.
Don't get me wrong: they have good insight, they've been "here" longer, and their comments and additional information are great, and I mean that sincerely.
But sometimes (sometimes often) they drop a comment like "this is not new" or "it's been like this for years" or "all this is part of their playbook" that, while absolutely TRUE, comes off as a sort of hipster "I liked/hated this band for YEARS before the rest of you caught on."
And that's not especially helpful.
Now, I know, Political Veteran, you've been doing and feeling all this for longer. Far longer, maybe. And I also know some people WON'T get that, and think you came in with the rest of us noobs, and there is a legitimate need to establish credentials.
It's just kind of… off-putting. I love what you bring to the conversation, and I TRULY VALUE historical information as it relates to what can be done NOW, so I hate that it sometimes has that negative effect, because I think it dilutes your contribution.
And here's the thing: the noobs may not always have all the details, but we'll usually acknowledge that a lot of this has been going on for awhile in some form or another.
But the ongoing fight is, by definition, now. People are waking up now.
So when new allies show up and start shifting sand bags, reminding them the rain started falling years ago isn't going to keep them coming back to the fight.
With great respect,
A Noob