Proactive, sensible ways to organize, dissent, stay safe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are routine ICE stops on my commute at least once a week (the Clara Barton). Thinking maybe I'll dress-up as an ICE agent as I drive by... hoodie, masked, all in black, no id. Maybe we should all dress up like ICE agents at the next NO KINGS protest? Well, probably not a good idea, but like thinking about this.

I do think it's wise to wear a hat and sunglasses, and maybe a face mask at protests. Cover up anything that could identify you, ie cover up your backpack and wear nondescript clothing. Do not let them use AI and face recognition to find out the names of all the protesters.

Help us know what an ICE stop look like since ICE isn’t wearing identifying clothing. How do you distinguish an ICE stop from other kinds of stops (eg, drugs) by LE.

Well, the ICE stops I have been involved in involve several Park Police stopping cars on the Clara Barton. Standing behind them are like 10-20 masked menacing looking ICE people waiting for the Park Police to stop someone - they look for ‘commercial vehicles’ which technically are not supposed to be on that road - ie landscapers, other contractors. Then they pull them over and I guess take them away. I usually just keep driving and try to take a photo discretely. That’s been my experience. It’s scary.

Hmm. That doesn’t really seem helpful. I’ve seen those kinds of stops pre-Trump. No way to know for certain that’s an ICE stop.

I sometimes see 4-6 cars for traffic violations once a car is pulled over on secondary roads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are routine ICE stops on my commute at least once a week (the Clara Barton). Thinking maybe I'll dress-up as an ICE agent as I drive by... hoodie, masked, all in black, no id. Maybe we should all dress up like ICE agents at the next NO KINGS protest? Well, probably not a good idea, but like thinking about this.

I do think it's wise to wear a hat and sunglasses, and maybe a face mask at protests. Cover up anything that could identify you, ie cover up your backpack and wear nondescript clothing. Do not let them use AI and face recognition to find out the names of all the protesters.

Help us know what an ICE stop look like since ICE isn’t wearing identifying clothing. How do you distinguish an ICE stop from other kinds of stops (eg, drugs) by LE.

Well, the ICE stops I have been involved in involve several Park Police stopping cars on the Clara Barton. Standing behind them are like 10-20 masked menacing looking ICE people waiting for the Park Police to stop someone - they look for ‘commercial vehicles’ which technically are not supposed to be on that road - ie landscapers, other contractors. Then they pull them over and I guess take them away. I usually just keep driving and try to take a photo discretely. That’s been my experience. It’s scary.

Hmm. That doesn’t really seem helpful. I’ve seen those kinds of stops pre-Trump. No way to know for certain that’s an ICE stop.

I sometimes see 4-6 cars for traffic violations once a car is pulled over on secondary roads.

Well, it’s true that as you approach the road checkpoint you might just assume it’s some sort of routine police activity or construction stop or who knows what. But as you get closer you start to see a large number of masked people lurking about. That’s when you know it’s an ICE checkpoint. I have never seen masked law enforcement before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friends and I created a support group that meets every week to talk about politics and what we can do. It's very helpful to maintain our faith in the goodness of humanity and how we can use our collective strength to end the evil that is the Trump regime and its billionaire clique.

This is great for you personally but please consider taking action. It could be a simple as writing postcards and calling your reps daily.
Check out 5calls.org for call scrips and postcardstovoters.com for postcards.

We all need to take action.

Feel like we are past the point of postcards.
Honestly protesting feels performative. We need to organize and we need a leader, maybe an economic strike. Where are our previous presidents? George W, where are you? Painting dogs? People need to speak out against this. I mean, how bad does it have to get?

The thread is about what everyday people can DO. Complaining about George W is just, well, complaining.

Protesting is absolutely not performative. It signals to others w discontent. If nobody protested that would signal we accept the situation.

But, protesting is the minimum, not maximum thing to do.

Call your leaders and demand they take action. Not just in congress. Hound your local and state governments to go beyond dropping F bombs.

Insist they have noncooperation agreements with ICE and curb immunity for civil law enforcement- because ICE are CIVIL, not criminal law enforcers. They shouldn’t even be allowed to carry guns.

Actual resistance could look like tracking ICE apprehensions and accounting for all victims, running a support hotline for impacted families, providing legal aid to immigrants, tracking ICE locations and sharing this information with immigrants at risk, maintaining a list of ICE license plates.

So when I say postcards, it’s for stuff like this or to help elect new folks to state and local governments. That is where the real power lies anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friends and I created a support group that meets every week to talk about politics and what we can do. It's very helpful to maintain our faith in the goodness of humanity and how we can use our collective strength to end the evil that is the Trump regime and its billionaire clique.

This is great for you personally but please consider taking action. It could be a simple as writing postcards and calling your reps daily.
Check out 5calls.org for call scrips and postcardstovoters.com for postcards.

We all need to take action.

Is it time to flip the script and for us to move to El Salvador and Honduras where we will be much safer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wasn’t sure where to put this.

I’m one person with no power. I have both tried to keep aware of the world with quality writing and broadcasting of the PBS NewsHour type, and to otherwise engage with real books, ideas, and my real life and family; I’m sure many of us have. I can’t mainline MSNow anymore, it’s not good for me, and most of the broadcasters aren’t that great. I have chronic illness and need to actually care about my stress.

That said, the one two three hits of Maduro’s kidnapping, the Greenland fever dream moving forward, and the ICE murder of Renee Good have me despairing. I do not work as an attorney or organizer, or in public office.

What concrete steps can we do? Can we also discuss the risks of protest? I’m terrified of the surveillance state, and I don’t know how seriously to take advice I see on Reddit in re masking, burner phones, and avoiding even reading about advertised upcoming protests.

We have obligations to our children and to each other. What can we do, that is legal and yet effective, without risking our lives, let alone traumatizing those who depend upon us?

Mods: if there’s a master or pinned “what we can do” thread please of course merge.

"The 4 basic steps that a nonviolent campaign must follow according to MLK:

"In doing so, he also created a blueprint for future movements to follow when campaigning for social change. In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps:

(1) Collection of the facts to determine whether injustices are alive;
(2) Negotiation;
(3) Self-purification; and
(4) Direct action."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wasn’t sure where to put this.

I’m one person with no power. I have both tried to keep aware of the world with quality writing and broadcasting of the PBS NewsHour type, and to otherwise engage with real books, ideas, and my real life and family; I’m sure many of us have. I can’t mainline MSNow anymore, it’s not good for me, and most of the broadcasters aren’t that great. I have chronic illness and need to actually care about my stress.

That said, the one two three hits of Maduro’s kidnapping, the Greenland fever dream moving forward, and the ICE murder of Renee Good have me despairing. I do not work as an attorney or organizer, or in public office.

What concrete steps can we do? Can we also discuss the risks of protest? I’m terrified of the surveillance state, and I don’t know how seriously to take advice I see on Reddit in re masking, burner phones, and avoiding even reading about advertised upcoming protests.

We have obligations to our children and to each other. What can we do, that is legal and yet effective, without risking our lives, let alone traumatizing those who depend upon us?

Mods: if there’s a master or pinned “what we can do” thread please of course merge.

"The 4 basic steps that a nonviolent campaign must follow according to MLK:

"In doing so, he also created a blueprint for future movements to follow when campaigning for social change. In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps:

(1) Collection of the facts to determine whether injustices are alive;
(2) Negotiation;
(3) Self-purification; and
(4) Direct action."

Spiritual & Mental Preparation: It's a process of self-reflection, prayer, and meditation to purify motives and ensure inner readiness for struggle, as described in his "Letter from Birmingham Jail".

Preparation for Suffering: It involves steeling oneself to accept physical blows, jail time, and abuse without retaliating, a cornerstone of nonviolent resistance, say King's followers and analyses of his work.
Part of a Four-Step Process: Self-purification follows fact-gathering and negotiation and precedes direct action (protests, sit-ins).
Transforms Opponents: By demonstrating disciplined nonviolence, protesters create "creative tension" that forces opponents to confront the injustice and their own complicity, according to Bartleby.com.
In essence, it was about ensuring the activists themselves were pure in heart and purpose, making their nonviolent action a morally powerful force for change, notes The Clapham Institute.

[Anonymous]

What is the best way to anonymously donate to democracy supporting political orgs? Because of my career I can’t have my name out on all the donor lists online.

[Anonymous]

Most experienced protest planners know that you stage the location away from the problem. At least a few miles away. This prevents violence and creates a safe space to congregate. Make it family friendly, with balloons, pets, games, music, dancing.
The inflatable costumes help bring a light touch to protests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wasn’t sure where to put this.

I’m one person with no power. I have both tried to keep aware of the world with quality writing and broadcasting of the PBS NewsHour type, and to otherwise engage with real books, ideas, and my real life and family; I’m sure many of us have. I can’t mainline MSNow anymore, it’s not good for me, and most of the broadcasters aren’t that great. I have chronic illness and need to actually care about my stress.

That said, the one two three hits of Maduro’s kidnapping, the Greenland fever dream moving forward, and the ICE murder of Renee Good have me despairing. I do not work as an attorney or organizer, or in public office.

What concrete steps can we do? Can we also discuss the risks of protest? I’m terrified of the surveillance state, and I don’t know how seriously to take advice I see on Reddit in re masking, burner phones, and avoiding even reading about advertised upcoming protests.

We have obligations to our children and to each other. What can we do, that is legal and yet effective, without risking our lives, let alone traumatizing those who depend upon us?

Mods: if there’s a master or pinned “what we can do” thread please of course merge.

I think you know what you should not do. Why does it take a human life for some idiots to learn?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are routine ICE stops on my commute at least once a week (the Clara Barton). Thinking maybe I'll dress-up as an ICE agent as I drive by... hoodie, masked, all in black, no id. Maybe we should all dress up like ICE agents at the next NO KINGS protest? Well, probably not a good idea, but like thinking about this.

I do think it's wise to wear a hat and sunglasses, and maybe a face mask at protests. Cover up anything that could identify you, ie cover up your backpack and wear nondescript clothing. Do not let them use AI and face recognition to find out the names of all the protesters.

Help us know what an ICE stop look like since ICE isn’t wearing identifying clothing. How do you distinguish an ICE stop from other kinds of stops (eg, drugs) by LE.

Well, the ICE stops I have been involved in involve several Park Police stopping cars on the Clara Barton. Standing behind them are like 10-20 masked menacing looking ICE people waiting for the Park Police to stop someone - they look for ‘commercial vehicles’ which technically are not supposed to be on that road - ie landscapers, other contractors. Then they pull them over and I guess take them away. I usually just keep driving and try to take a photo discretely. That’s been my experience. It’s scary.

Hmm. That doesn’t really seem helpful. I’ve seen those kinds of stops pre-Trump. No way to know for certain that’s an ICE stop.

I sometimes see 4-6 cars for traffic violations once a car is pulled over on secondary roads.

Well, it’s true that as you approach the road checkpoint you might just assume it’s some sort of routine police activity or construction stop or who knows what. But as you get closer you start to see a large number of masked people lurking about. That’s when you know it’s an ICE checkpoint. I have never seen masked law enforcement before.

I would personally just leave the area.

I have a family. I have and a clean criminal record. Neither is worth risking putting my safety in jeopardy, especially since it won’t make any difference anyway.

[Anonymous]

I suggest educating yourself by reading the classics and brushing up on world history and anthropology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are routine ICE stops on my commute at least once a week (the Clara Barton). Thinking maybe I'll dress-up as an ICE agent as I drive by... hoodie, masked, all in black, no id. Maybe we should all dress up like ICE agents at the next NO KINGS protest? Well, probably not a good idea, but like thinking about this.

I do think it's wise to wear a hat and sunglasses, and maybe a face mask at protests. Cover up anything that could identify you, ie cover up your backpack and wear nondescript clothing. Do not let them use AI and face recognition to find out the names of all the protesters.

Help us know what an ICE stop look like since ICE isn’t wearing identifying clothing. How do you distinguish an ICE stop from other kinds of stops (eg, drugs) by LE.

Well, the ICE stops I have been involved in involve several Park Police stopping cars on the Clara Barton. Standing behind them are like 10-20 masked menacing looking ICE people waiting for the Park Police to stop someone - they look for ‘commercial vehicles’ which technically are not supposed to be on that road - ie landscapers, other contractors. Then they pull them over and I guess take them away. I usually just keep driving and try to take a photo discretely. That’s been my experience. It’s scary.

Hmm. That doesn’t really seem helpful. I’ve seen those kinds of stops pre-Trump. No way to know for certain that’s an ICE stop.

I sometimes see 4-6 cars for traffic violations once a car is pulled over on secondary roads.

Well, it’s true that as you approach the road checkpoint you might just assume it’s some sort of routine police activity or construction stop or who knows what. But as you get closer you start to see a large number of masked people lurking about. That’s when you know it’s an ICE checkpoint. I have never seen masked law enforcement before.

I would personally just leave the area.

I have a family. I have and a clean criminal record. Neither is worth risking putting my safety in jeopardy, especially since it won’t make any difference anyway.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are routine ICE stops on my commute at least once a week (the Clara Barton). Thinking maybe I'll dress-up as an ICE agent as I drive by... hoodie, masked, all in black, no id. Maybe we should all dress up like ICE agents at the next NO KINGS protest? Well, probably not a good idea, but like thinking about this.

I do think it's wise to wear a hat and sunglasses, and maybe a face mask at protests. Cover up anything that could identify you, ie cover up your backpack and wear nondescript clothing. Do not let them use AI and face recognition to find out the names of all the protesters.

Help us know what an ICE stop look like since ICE isn’t wearing identifying clothing. How do you distinguish an ICE stop from other kinds of stops (eg, drugs) by LE.

Well, the ICE stops I have been involved in involve several Park Police stopping cars on the Clara Barton. Standing behind them are like 10-20 masked menacing looking ICE people waiting for the Park Police to stop someone - they look for ‘commercial vehicles’ which technically are not supposed to be on that road - ie landscapers, other contractors. Then they pull them over and I guess take them away. I usually just keep driving and try to take a photo discretely. That’s been my experience. It’s scary.

Hmm. That doesn’t really seem helpful. I’ve seen those kinds of stops pre-Trump. No way to know for certain that’s an ICE stop.

I sometimes see 4-6 cars for traffic violations once a car is pulled over on secondary roads.

Well, it’s true that as you approach the road checkpoint you might just assume it’s some sort of routine police activity or construction stop or who knows what. But as you get closer you start to see a large number of masked people lurking about. That’s when you know it’s an ICE checkpoint. I have never seen masked law enforcement before.

I would personally just leave the area.

I have a family. I have and a clean criminal record. Neither is worth risking putting my safety in jeopardy, especially since it won’t make any difference anyway.

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I suggest educating yourself by reading the classics and brushing up on world history and anthropology.

Yeah yeah yeah read Gibbon’s Decline and Fall and sit and smirk when people try to think of more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Buy nothing except food and medicine.
No travel, unless to stay with friends/ family.

We are doing a "low spend" year this year: buying groceries, health expenses, and fixing / replacing appliances and house stuff only if it fails.

No spending for travel, no shopping online or otherwise, no new clothes, we are lucky enough to be able to try to use up everything we already have. No fast food, maybe get takeout from a local restaurant once a month. Emphasizing free activities locally.

Asking for things on our local buy nothing or neighborhood group if we do think we need something.

If the people in charge stop being able to profit from Americans they will be more open to change.

I have read about Buy Nothing campaigns but they don’t seem to be getting off the ground. It’s a good idea.

It’s depressing AF that political power is more consumer power in our nation. I don’t want my or anyone’s life to be reducible to what they can buy.

To the first reply: grow up, please. Anyone reading likely voted. We don’t go to the polls often. What can we do more often without incurring literal bodily harm? We are currently in a violent land where anyone under the LEO or fed agent mantle can effectively hurt anyone not under that aegis with literally no adverse consequences.

Buy Nothing is a rich man’s game. Plenty of people are at that point involuntarily.

Well, so much better when the resistance crosses class lines.

Pointing out this tactic did in no way negate that there are people being hammered by the affordability crisis. I'm not the PP who suggested it, but it is ridiculous to think that the change here will only come from one segment of folks. Please read about successful liberation struggles, not just theory.