Resistance Frequencies, Vol 2
Last Updated Nov. 18th, 2024
“A fascist is one whose lust for money or power is combined with such an intensity of intolerance toward those of other races, parties, classes, religions, cultures, regions or nations as to make him ruthless in his use of deceit or violence to attain his ends.” Henry A. Wallace
As I mentioned in my essay one of the things I plan to do moving forward is to share ideas and thoughts around Resistance 2.0: what to expect, how to prepare, etc. Some of these will be my own thoughts, many will be inspired by others. Feel free to comment with your thoughts and I’ll add to make this a “living breathing document” to help us all.
Improve your mental state: block some Nazis.
Really, take some time and go through your social media and block, unfollow, unfriend, whatever anyone who supports American carnage brought to you by the MAGA fascists.
Block, block and keep blocking
When MAGA enters the post/thread/chat, immediately go to their profile page; but before you block them, first block all of their followers and following, and block the OP last.
Content Theft and Personal Safety
The “unroll" and "thread reader" apps are content theft. “The thing that separates a useful tool from an abuse of data is, and always remains, CONSENT. Does the tool take someone's work and put it outside their control? If it does, it's theft, and you should not do it to someone who has not indicated they don't consider that use theft.”
Mental health and social media
Take more time to reconsider which social platforms do you really need and want to keep. Do you research, ask questions, make tough decisions. My recommendation is to move over to Bluesky that has added 700,000 new users in a week. Bluesky, where the block isn’t just a block. It’s a nuclear block that erases that person from your feed, your mentions, and—eventually—your brain. In many ways it feels like early days of Twitter. Keep that in mind as YMMV.
Speaking of the devil. Don't quit Twitter. I am very tempted to give myself some mental peace and decrease Elon’s hellscape of a platform number of users. For example, The Guardian is no longer posting on Twitter. However, ignoring fascist spaces is bad. Silence implies condoning, accepting, normalizing and legitimizing. You don’t need to be too active, but whenever you can, tell the truth in their post and threads, like leaf letting an occupied French village.
It's not all bots and trolls. It's also victims of those bots and trolls, who need to know there's honesty out there, there’s truth, there’s a way that’s better and more human.
Though, in as much as possible I personally plan to limit my activity in spaces either occupied or affiliated with the MAGA movement. I am downloading my Twitter archive and then deleting all data from my account. The same goes for TikTok, though I personally don’t have an account and it’s not a MAGA platform.
If you do move over to Bluesky, here’s a great way to get started with, well starter packs of course! Here’s a great primer for Bluesky in general and especially those moving from Twitter:
Adopt a new policy of not arguing with people in comments in order to really improved the ol’ social media experience.
Women Health
There's now a "vagina Privacy Network (VPN)" which is a campaign that gives women a 6 tip "how to guide" on accessing healthcare while protecting their privacy so their data cannot be later used against them. Tips:
Use a browser that doesn't track your digital movements
Chat through encrypted messaging app and have disappearing message turned on
Delete apps you don't use
Use a prepaid phone
Leave your phone at home when going to appointments and use public transportation or park away from the clinic
Use cash, as certain forms of digital payment can be tracked
The fact that guides like this are needed to help people access healthcare and protect themselves highlights how dystopian our nation has become amidst the Republican war on women
Following the results of the election, online sales of Plan B surged 1000%. Many people are purchasing these meds for themselves and those they care about due to the uncertainty surrounding if these meds will remain available after the inauguration. Shelf life of these meds:
Misoprostol is 2 years
Plan B is 4 years
For anyone unable to afford abortion meds or plan B there are Community Support Networks operating in every state that can provide these medications free of charge. You can often reach out to these networks through local abortion funds or by contacting the National Abortion Federation (800) 772-9100) hotline for assistance.
For those looking for an online pharmacy to purchase Plan B, Wisp is one option. Plan B sells starting at $18 and the site accepts FSA & HSA. Another option is company called Julie. There’s always Planned Parenthood, at least for now.
This is insane. Yet here we are. If you are considering this step, consider the potential impact after January 20th.
Trans Rights are Human Rights
Top 10 tips:
Trust yourself: amid the widespread social distrust start by trusting yourself. Tune into your inner voice and become more mindful of how what you see, hear and feel affects your overall state.
Connect with people you trust: social isolation is the foundation of fascism or any totalitarian regime; loneliness is a core ingredient of autocracy. Make sure you are not alone, you have a support system of friends, relative, likeminded individuals to support each other.
Allow yourself to grieve. Go through all the stages. Take your time. Don’t bottle up your emotions, release them. Drop the weight before we have to move on.
Let go of what you can’t control: no one can address everything all the time. Let it go. If you can’t directly impact something, focus your energy on something else. Don’t rely solely on public venting or symbolic actions like rallies and protests, seek out more effective ways to engage.
Discover YOUR way: it could be protecting others by supporting those impacted directly like trans individuals, immigrants, people seeking abortions, etc. You could help building alternatives, protecting and defending civic institutions and normalcy, but most importantly:
Refuse to comply in advance and avoid self-censorship: speak up, they can’t silence us all.
Redefine your own political landscape: we are no longer living in a simple left/right or liberal/conservative discourse. Figure out where you stand. Practice empathy and face the reality no matter how hard it might be.
Face the reality of power: understand what we are up against, if you plan to act be sure and know what the specific goal of your action is.
Manage fear: this isn’t about suppressing it; it’s about constantly redirecting it. Refuse to be intimidated and cause them to lose their power.
Know what the future is about.
Self-Care
Your nervous system has been through a lot. Unplug. Take a moment or a day for yourself. Hug your loved ones and/or your pets. Go outside, enjoy nature's beauty. Make time for self care.
Health
If you're a veteran and you get your healthcare from the VA, please make appointments with your PCP and specialists before January 20th, and make sure to update all your vaccines and order your meds.
Everyone else, if you have any health-related expenses coming up, check if you can take care of these now.
Most definitely get all of your vaccines now!!
Better be prepared
I saw this idea posted by a friend on a private facebook page. I completely agree with this assessment and already plan to act on this. So here's an actionable item for everyone. We know that Trump intends to implement tariffs on everything from China to 60%, and tariffs on everything else between 10% and 20%. Yes, Trump has a very lengthy history of lying, including his campaign promises but he also did implement tariffs last time around, so better be prepared, right? Cuz is he is telling the truth a lot of stuff is about to get a lot more expensive.
Here's the actionable bit: If you think you will need something expensive that's imported - a new phone or laptop, a new kitchen appliance, a new car, solar panel… if Trump does what he says, all of those things are about to get A WHOLE LOT MORE expensive. If it's made in China, even if it’s a small part, it will be 60% more expensive. If it competes with something from China... 60% more expensive. Chinese components? Components that compete with Chinese ones? Yup. Yup. Go on, buy now.
Similarly, if you were thinking of construction or renovations, consider doing it ASAP. The labor will soon quickly escalate in costs while the supplies and parts will also become more and more expensive.
This is very practical. Want a PS5 Pro? Buy it now, don't wait for the spring. Want a fridge? Ditto. Hot water heater? Dishwasher? Landscaping? Car?
And, for the record... I am replacing my phone a year earlier than I originally planned and we are moving full speed ahead with our kitchen and living room renovations.
Speaking of practical, if you have any outstanding or upcoming paperwork or dealings with federal government, renewing your passport or some such, do it now, don’t wait till after the inauguration.
Stages of grief
Every few hours I have to stop and think “wait is that really happening? Like REALLY-really happening? We really just going to pretend that the 47th President of the United States is NOT an illiterate, narcissistic, senescent criminal and adjudicated rapist who has attempted a coup and got away with it and who happens to be a fascist with Nazi rhetoric???!?!
There are usually five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Somehow I completely missed or skipped anger and bargaining while being stuck in an endless loop of denial and depression. I guess this is my way of moving towards acceptance.
Take good care of yourself. Figure out where your mind is. Focus on it. It’s important, more than anything. In times like this it is paramount to stay sane, centered and focused.
411
Take five to ten minutes to put your US Rep, US Senators, and state and local elected officials into your phone contacts so you can instantly call, text, email them whenever there is an urgent need to get their attention.
Make sure you look up the info for current as well we those coming into office in 2025 if there is a change.
Education
I am by no means a constitutional scholar but suspect there's a pretty high likelihood that the Supreme Court will explicitly overturn Brown v. Board of Ed. It all goes back to Bush’s “no child is left behind” and the launch of school vouchers and charter schools: Private schools across the South that were established for white children during desegregation are now benefiting from tens of millions in taxpayer dollars flowing from rapidly expanding voucher-style programs.
With plans to eliminate the Department of Education, it’s difficult to know how the proverbial chips may land vis a vis state rights and resistance from the blue state Governors. There is a very clearly possibility if not outright likelihood that you may need to look for a new school for your child (reasons might be different depending on specific state) or perhaps even start your own charter school (yes, I know what I said in the paragraph above).
Similarly, with zealots from Musk to Rufo around, there will be a significant negative impact on the higher education. What are Donald Trump’s plans to overhaul US colleges and universities?Expect DEI crusade and anti-woke crusade. Supposedly Texas is already eliminative all courses that contain “woke” verbiage…
Make plans for your children’s education now.
Learn more about Project 2025
You need to know and understand what’s coming and what to expect and how it will impact you based on who you are. Make sure to educate yourself:
Read the "Mandate for Leadership" document: This 900-page document outlines Project 2025's goals and strategies. While it's lengthy, understanding its key points is crucial.
Follow only reliable news sources
If you can, get involved:
Support organizations: Donate to or volunteer with organizations that oppose Project 2025.
Contact your representatives: Let your elected officials know your concerns about Project 2025 and urge them to resist its implementation. Write letters or emails using templates from advocacy organizations. Schedule a call or attend town hall meetings with elected officials. Monitor legislative actions linked to Project 2025 policies. Use tools like GovTrack or Congress.gov to track bills and votes.
Participate in protests and rallies: Join demonstrations to show your opposition to Project 2025 and raise public awareness.
Join or form local groups to address community-specific impacts.
Research and connect with grassroots organizations aligned with your priorities. Host or attend community meetings to discuss strategies. Create or participate in mutual aid networks to support vulnerable neighbors. Share resources and skills within your community.
Most importantly, prepare yourself and your family for the expected impact:
Understand the risks: Identify the areas where Project 2025 could directly affect you or your community (e.g., healthcare, environment, social programs).
Protect your health and well-being: Secure access to reproductive healthcare for yourself, your loved ones and those you can help personally. Research local clinics and telehealth options in case of changes to healthcare access. Stock up on essential items, such as birth control or emergency contraception. Explore self-defense classes or fitness programs to build confidence and physical strength.
Develop coping strategies: If you anticipate negative impacts, prepare strategies to mitigate them (e.g., financial planning, legal advice).
Build a support network: Connect with like-minded individuals who can offer support and advice during challenging times.
Strengthen personal and financial resilience: review and adjust your financial plans and budgets. Build an emergency fund or diversify investments. Explore career development opportunities if your field could be affected.
Here’s a starter pack:
Project 2025: What it means for women, families, and gender justice
How Project 2025 Seeks to Obliterate Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
How a second Trump presidency will impact women across the globe
5 Ways Donald Trump’s Plans Are Even More Extreme Than Project 2025
People For the American Way Announces New Campaign: Resist Project 2025
Quick Guide to Resources to Emigrate out of the US
To legally move to Europe, Americans need to apply for a visa and/or residence permit from the country they intend to live in. The first step is to apply for a visa from the US that allows entry into the desired country. There are many types of visas for long-term stays, including work, student, retirement, investment, business, self-employment, and more.
Some countries are easier to move to than others. Portugal and Spain are considered more affordable and have an easier route to residency. The Netherlands and Germany are good options for freelancers and business owners. Bulgaria, and Poland are budget-friendly and expat-friendly countries in Eastern Europe.
Once in the country, you can apply for a residence permit. The specific documents required for a residence permit application vary by country and visa type, but may include: Valid passport, proof of sufficient funds, criminal background check, passport photos, health insurance, proof of accommodation, etc.
Most visas do not lead to permanent residency or citizenship, and will require leaving the country after the visa expires.
When choosing a country to move to, you can consider factors like:
Visa and residency options: which country offers the right options for you
Employments which country you can find a new job or which country you can work from remotely with your current job
Finances: How much money you have saved up
Family situation: Whether you're moving with a family
Resources:
Boycott Vishy Media
This is an incredibly important point. As the 4th Estate continues to normalize and legitimize fascism, it's critical that we boycott such "news sources:"
Unsubscribe from NYT and WaPo.
Cut the cord with MSNBC and CNN.
Trim the lists of people you follow.
More practical advice
In one of the groups on Facebook I saw a question regarding opening a bank account with an overseas bank as an American, you know just in case if they do go ahead and make it illegal again for women to own property or money or have a credit card. Here’s some practical advice from that post:
To open an overseas bank account as an American, you need to research and choose a reputable foreign bank, gather necessary documents like your passport, proof of address, and documentation proving the source of your funds, and then contact the bank to initiate the account opening process, which will typically involve submitting your information online or visiting a branch in person; however, be aware that due to US regulations, you may face stricter requirements and need to disclose all foreign accounts to the IRS.
Key points to remember.
Strict reporting requirements:
US citizens are subject to strict reporting requirements regarding foreign bank accounts, so you must declare any overseas accounts to the IRS.
1. Documentation needed:
You will typically need a valid passport, proof of address (like a utility bill), and documentation verifying the source of your funds.
2. Choose a reputable bank:
Research banks in countries known for financial stability and privacy, but be aware that even these banks may have stricter requirements for US citizens.
3. Consult a professional:
Before opening an overseas account, consider consulting a financial advisor or lawyer to understand the legal implications and ensure compliance with US regulations.
Steps to open an overseas bank account:
1. Research and select a bank:
Look for banks in jurisdictions with strong asset protection laws and a reputation for privacy.
2. Gather necessary documents:
Prepare your passport, proof of address, and any other documentation requested by the bank.
3. Contact the bank:
Reach out to the bank either online or through a local branch to start the account opening process.
4. Complete application:
Fill out the application forms, providing accurate personal information and financial details.
5. Verification process:
Be prepared to undergo identity verification procedures, including providing additional documentation or attending an in-person meeting.
Important considerations:
Minimum deposit requirements: Some banks may have high minimum deposit requirements for US citizens.
Transaction reporting: Be aware that international transactions from your overseas account may be subject to reporting requirements.
Tax implications: Understand the tax implications of holding money in an overseas account and ensure you comply with US tax laws.
Here’s a resource for opening a bank account in Canada.
It takes a village or how to be anti-fascist
I read recently (and unfortunately did not save the link) that: “Most of the popular podcasters aren't out here just screaming about how much they hate women. They voice very valid and real frustrations with mainstream media and other institutions. But they also come to associate those institutions with feminism and threats to masculinity.” Kamala Harris campaign managed to thread the needle between accusing Trump of being a fascist without becoming antifascist themselves. If it wasn’t a morally untenable and politically incoherent position, it might have worked.
The reason calling MAGA a threat to democracy didn’t work is not because the Democrats were wrong, Trump really is a fascist and he has a lot of Nazistic tendencies, but because they made no plans to defend democracy, win or lose: the Democratic Party spent years rightfully claiming that Trump will end democracy, yet they devised no contingency plan for what to do if he won again? The Democratic Party has no plan for channeling anti-Trump sentiment into an effective opposition and it shows.
Noah Berlatsky wrote “about what blue state governors in IL, CA, WA, and other states are doing to try to protect their people from Trump.” Here’s one of them, Pritzker: ‘You come for my people, you come through me’. There was so much promise in the IL/CO “alliance” to resist Trump 2.0 that lasted less than 24 hours until Colorado’s Governor deemed necessary to write a very lengthy post congratulating and looking forward to RFK Jr. appointment to head the HHS.
If we want to make it through the next four years. If we want to come out of this nightmare and have a hope of building a better tomorrow. If we want to have a future we need to work together, it takes a village or in our case, an entire country. Stay on message, stay focused, stay strong and maybe…
…Run for Something.
Since Election Day, more than 2,000 people have signed up at runforwhat.net to run for state or local office with Run for Something - this is how we fight back and rebuild.
If you can’t run for something, let’s help others.
Travel
In less than a week we have a family vacation coming up, going to France. We’ve joked with my spouse that if Trump wins we may not need or want the return ticket. Well, we are of course coming back home, as tempting as staying in Paris might be, but that only makes me think that we need to spend a lot of time TRAVELING outside the country for the next few years. And that’s not a tragedy, just a challenge. As part of taking care of your own self, I think we all should consider more travel over the next few years.
Donations
If you can help with donations, Teddy Wilson, who is a journalist, researcher and a consultant is absolutely correct when he writes that: “all of the wealthy liberals and progressive foundations that will soon be panic donating to the "resistance" — below are nonprofit organizations that monitor, research, and produce in-depth analysis on the far right, violent extremists, and authoritarian movements.”
Teddy is absolutely right, if you are planning on on donating to help think of these truly important organizations. I am essentially trying to boost Teddy’s message, but please feel free to add comments with other ideas and I’ll update this post:
globalextremism was to founded “address the gap in efforts to stop transnational hate and far-right extremism movements, particularly U.S.-based activity that is exported to other countries and across borders."
IREHR seeks to “continue examining racist, anti-Semitic, and far right social movements, analyzing their intersection with civil society and social policy, and to educate the public and assist in the protection and extension of human rights."
CCDHate is an nonprofit organization "that seeks to disrupt the architecture of online hate and misinformation," and seek to "protect human rights and civil liberties online."
ISDglobal provides research and analysis on “extremism in all its forms,” and seeks to “identify and track online manipulation, disinformation, hate and extremism in real time.”
ACLEDINFO is a nonprofit organization that “collects information on the dates, actors, locations, fatalities, and types of all reported political violence and protest events around the world.”
WStatesCenter is a nonprofit organization that works to “lifted up the voices of marginalized communities while providing accessible tools and support for grassroots organizing, civic engagement, and collective action."
AtlanticCouncil's DFRLab works to operationalize the "study of disinformation by exposing falsehoods and fake news, documenting human rights abuses, and building digital resilience worldwide.”
mmfa is a nonprofit organization "dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media."
EXPOSEDbyCMD is a project of the Center for Media and Democracy, which is a "watchdog that leads in-depth, award-winning investigations into the corruption that undermines our democracy, environment, and economic prosperity."
PRAEyesRight publishes “investigative research and analysis on the U.S. Right to support social justice advocates and defend human rights.”
twittlesis is a project of the Public Accountability Initiative, which is an opensource database and network mapping tool that seeks to provide “transparency to influential social networks."
RightWingWatch is a project that publishes research and reporting on far right activists and groups to "exposes their strategies and tactics so we can understand the threat--and fight back."
In addition to several nonprofit organizations, there are independent journalists and researchers that publish research and reporting on the far right, violent extremists, and authoritarian movements. I am not going to link any now to not play favorites, but whoever is your favorite independent news/opinion source might be, please subscribe and support!
“Individual citizens have the duty to violate domestic laws to prevent crimes against peace and humanity.”
The judges at the Nuremberg trials
