First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.—Martin Niemöller
In 2023, and we are speaking out, but they are still coming.
I started this post a week or two ago, after a comment from MomSense got me thinking. Here’s what she wrote:
I think we are at the point in this democratic experiment where each of us needs to decide what we are prepared to do to protect the LGBTQIA+ community, black and Latinx people and women.
The GOP, the various white supremacist groups, Qanoners, and others are working themselves up to do even worse things. That they are so organized in the legislation they are passing means that they have big money behind them and organizational strength.
I am definitely not saying we need to prepare for violence but we do need to organize, and get serious about non violent resistance training.
I didn’t see any responses to her comment, and I’m not entirely sure what I think about the non-violent resistance training, but I definitely agree with the rest.
What we are seeing now is no more a grass roots action than the tea party was. These anti-everything bills and protests and not everyday people rising up – it’s big money and outside agitators who are behind this. I don’t know who’s funding it, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s ALEC on steroids, and its reach is really frightening.
I thought we might want to put our heads together and talk about this. There has to be some good trouble we can get into, right?
Open thread.