tuesday was the last hope. we are living the worst-case scenario and it's not going to get better. figure out what you need to do to get out of the country NOW. you have a little less than 2 months
Not everyone will have the resources to do so. Don't throw these people to the wolves.
In order to help everyone: Start mutual aid networks. Help your siblings and build dual power from the ground up.
agreed. if you can't leave, then you really need to start organizing. covertly
I am having this conversation with my wife. I'm 16 years into a military career (so 4 years from retirement), and she was talking about moving to Canada. So for a thought exercise, I looked it up, and with my skill set it would be pretty doable.
But I reminded her that we aren't the ones in danger. A cis-het white family of natively-born Americans in the military with the economic stability to fly to Canada on a moments notice for an abortion (she was worried about our daughter) is not in particular danger. But us leaving means we can't fight against this, and makes it worse for those who can't just leave.
We'll see how it is in 2029 when I'm due to retire, if the country can pull its head out of its ass or if Project 2025 goes full swing followed by no legitimate election. But for now, we'll stay and push back.
Genuine question: AFAIK the Republicans would like to use the US Military against its own people, as well as disband institutions like the FBI. What would you do if they actually went ahead with that?
I am not in the part of the military they would send for that. But if it were to happen in general? I am not going to pretend to know what I would do until the event actually came up.
Incidentally, when I joined the branch I did, one of the recruiters asked me why I specifically wanted the Coast Guard. I told him if I decide to join something, and doing that put me in a position where I had to do something morally reprehensible to survive (like shoot a 12-year-old protecting his home in some far off country), the fact I had no choice in the moment would be irrelevant, as my choices put me in that position. There's nothing morally ambiguous about saving a person from drowning. (Side note, he thought that was a terrible reason, and I think that guy can fuck himself). So not being put in a position to be used against my own country can be added to that as well (except enforcing boating safety, PUT A LIFE JACKET ON YOUR KID GODDAMMIT).
Oh, and all that was before I learned about the migrant and drug interdiction missions in the Coast Guard, so now I just try to avoid Florida and Southern California for where I get stationed.
You're right that leaving is your best bet. That isn't a reality for millions of queer people, however. Leaving isn't always feasible, or many of the queer people still in deep red states would already be gone.
It's time for us to make moves to prepare ourselves to contend with this administration and political agenda. Networks need to be made, connections between suppliers of DIY hormones and communities at risk of losing Healthcare need to be established.
As much as we need to help people get out, we also need to confront the fact that not everyone can, and this is the reality we live in now. I'm just saying, "Get out while you still can" isn't enough. We need to ready ourselves for a much more long-term fight against this system. Everyone who can should be getting involved.
Disagree, the most vulnerable who can't leave need our help. Stay.
I've been instructing LGBTQ acquaintances to use encrypted messaging services like signal and to get a VPN that doesn't log like mullvad and that your phone company can track your location without gps on but you should still turn off gps/bt/WiFi/mobile data when you're not using them.
That's good advice, though I may have heard concerning stuff about Signal recently? Maybe not, kinda hard to keep up with everything.
By and large though I think it's wise for folks who could end up targets to do what you're saying, and to get safe communications operational at a minimum, now, while it's still easy to do.
I have some skepticism about whether the worst will come to pass, but it's wise to prepare in ways like this.
Every time people find a supposed security flaws with signal it turns out to be nothing, so signal is probably fine.
Good enough for me, and ultimately "good enough" is about as good as anything is gonna get.
I have some skepticism about whether the worst will come to pass.
Homosexuality has been illegal in the not too distant past as has "sodomy"
I thought I also saw something about signal being an issue as well but I didn't remember what the problem was. They did recently introduce usernames and the ability to keep your phone number secret. You still have to use a phone number to create an account. It's also the app that is targeted the most by nation-states trying to decrypt it. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that it has been decrypted but they wouldn't use that to go after the average person and only use it to spy on other countries.
I wouldn't be surprised to find out that it has been decrypted
I don't think we need this sort of fear-mongering. Signal's encryption is fully open source, it has been vetted by cryptographers far more experienced with this stuff than you or I. They even introduced, a few years back, an encryption algorithm that's future-proof against quantum computing.
All you are doing is potentially pushing people away from one of the few known-safe options. That's the opposite of helpful.
Thanks for the info on Signal. I'm under no illusions about the severity of our situation, truly. I know our history, and I know the history of fascism elsewhere. And I see what's happening in front of us.
I have some skepticism about whether the worst will come to pass,
saving this
I just mean the literal very worst. I'm not downplaying the situation.
Lol no one wants us
i mean.. I don't want us. can you blame them?
If it's someone who wants to leave, they're obviously not part of the shitheads that voted in fascism.
Also, the US is one of the easiest countries to immigrate to. Canada, most of the EU, and much the Western world at large will really only let you immigrate permanently if you have an ancestral claim that you can directly prove, or if you have certain degrees or skills.
Pick countries that are geographically distant from maga land.
Australia could use more Greens/Labor voters. Please come dilute the LibNat vote.
The same issue still arises, that the people who need to immigrate most, cannot afford to and won't be allowed into our country. If you want to change that, get your arse down to your local MPs office and push for asylum status for trans americans.
I'm going to stick around and fight like hell
What does fighting like hell consist of?
Honestly, just existing is a part of the fight. If people know a queer person personally and see that they're human too just like them then they're a lot less likely to dehumanize them and are more likely to help protect and fight for them. It's easy to dehumanize and be cruel to a group that you've never interacted with. But if it's your neighbor, friend, or colleague then it's no longer just some abstract concept.
I love and live by this quote at the end of Paris is Burning. by Dorian Corey, one of the founding Mothers of ballroom.
It's a 1 min clip worth hearing her say it, but for those who can't watch:
Everybody wants to make an impression, some mark upon the world. And then you think, you left a mark on the world if you just get through it and a few people remember your name. You don't have to bend the whole world. I think it's better just to enjoy it. Pay your dues, and just enjoy it. If you shoot an arrow and it goes real high, hooray for you.
That's cool. Most Americans won't though.
Wait, that was a secret?
He tried hiding from it to get the "latinos for trump" vote.
Well he got it, so I hope they’re happy.
This week they are
Point out that other people are in charge, not him, and he will torpedo it. His ego will not tolerate people saying he's a puppet.
If i wasn't an ADHD high school student struggling with the last grade and living with my parents, i'd have spun up at least a Tor node, i know people will need privacy more than ever.
They will, but this is just twitter troll sewage.