miniaturefirefan

[miniaturefirefan]

Admitting Defeat - But Not Giving Up

Guys... I've hit an all-time low.

If you've been keeping up with what's happening in the US right now, or if you're even passingly familiar with the general thrust of US politics, you'll know what I'm talking about. But here, let me explain.

Our Glorious Leader, Orange Cheeto Man, Mango Mussolini, Tangerine Dictator - I'll say it outright, Donald J. Trump, the Fascist - and his people are moving so fast and being so violent and breaking things so thoroughly that I can't keep up. And that's the point. They have planned and designed their actions to have this effect: to be so overwhelming and so frightening that we can't fight back because the human brain simply can't take in that much information in the face of anxiety and fear and uncertainty.

And it worked. They beat me. This morning, I woke up and cried like a fucking baby because I was afraid that my spouse might end up in a Trumpist concentration camp. I'm disabled. I can't work, and the government doesn't seem all that interested in giving me the money I need to continue living under a capitalist system. This administration is on the brink of stripping me of everything that makes my life livable and then removing my means to stay alive, not because I've done anything wrong, but because I exist.

My fear is paralyzing me. My anxiety is preventing me from functioning. Daily tasks like doing the dishes and folding the laundry are becoming unmanageable because staying on top of the news drains me so thoroughly that I don't have the energy for anything else.

But I want you to know that if you're in the same boat as me, that's okay. The fact that we can't make the frankly super-human effort to process all their shit and do all the things we want to do to keep them at bay is more of a reflection on them than it is on us. It is a blatant flag being waved from the top of a mountain of shit, screaming "we are the bad guys - we are the invaders that can only accomplish what we want by manipulation and force and cheap tricks."

They want to ruin lives. They want people destroyed. They want people dead. No amount of hair gel or silk ties or pretty words can make us forget that.

Do Not Forget That.

I can't do what I set out to do - which was to at least provide others with the tools to act, if I couldn't act on my own. To facilitate community activism. To DO SOMETHING. I have been forced to delete my news apps, unsubscribe from my newsletters, stop listening to the radio. I can't handle it, if I want to keep living in the present moment.

But that doesn't mean I'm giving up.

I'm weak, and I know my limitations. I will need someone else who has the energy and the intelligence and the resources to tell me what I can do to help. I will need to wait for directions from someone who knows better than me.

But when that call comes, I will answer.

I promise right now that I will answer, whether it's showing up at a protest, or withholding my money from the businesses that support this regime, or picking up a weapon to join the revolution. When the time comes, I will answer the call.

And I hope that you'll join me.

Yours in hope, Echo

[miniaturefirefan]

Limitations

I started this blog and literally days later my father-in-law died. I wasn't close to him but it really threw a wrench in my ability to focus on anything.

For a number of reasons, I want to let you guys know that not being able to engage with this stuff is okay. It takes a lot of mental and emotional resources to stay up-to-date with the news, particularly with how fast things are moving and how much information needs to be parsed on a daily basis just to keep up. If you have work or family or self-care needs that are taking up your energy, that's valid.

If trying to read the news every day causes you so much anxiety that you can't really function - that's okay too. Find a level of engagement that's healthy for you. Self-care comes first. Political activism has to build on top of that, and if there's no foundation for it to sit on, your activism will crumble and possibly take you with it.

Take care of yourselves, alright?

[miniaturefirefan]

Template & Script

As promised, I've drafted the script for calling your senator or rep, in addition to a template that you can insert information into (your name, and the name and address of your elected representative) concerning the USAID shutdown.

I'm also linking this webpage where you can look up your congressfolk's names and contact addresses, and this page where you can send free faxes to the senate.

I cannot say this enough - FLOOD THEM WITH MESSAGES. Emails, faxes, snail mail, phone calls, messages through contact portals. As many different methods as you're comfortable using, use them. Send the same message several times. Do not let them forget that we care about this.

January 1, 2025

Honorific, Senator/Representative Name Street Address City, State, ZIP code

RE: Dissolution of the USAID

Dear Senator/Representative [NAME]:

I am writing to express my extreme concern over the current administration’s actions regarding the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). I urge you to speak against the efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to dissolve or control the agency, as I and many of my colleagues are deeply invested in both the reality and the reputation of our nation’s humanitarian ethos, and believe that the effort to dissolve an independent agency is illegal on several fronts.

I do not believe that the United States can call itself a “defender of freedom” if we choose to openly place our own capitalist interests above the physical wellbeing of civilians, especially those put at risk through our actions. Our consistent support of Israel throughout this conflict and many before it have directly impacted the ability of civilians in Gaza and the surrounding areas to live in peace and safety, and we should take responsibility for that.

Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward to seeing what solutions you and your colleagues propose.

In Hope,

[NAME] Pronouns Profession

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Phone Script for speaking to a Congressperson about the dissolution of the USAID

Note: You will very likely be speaking to an aide or secretary, not directly to the elected official in question. This is acceptable and is not cause for concern.

Hello, this is [name] and I live in [city]. I’m calling with some concerns about the recent events around USAID. Who am I speaking with?

You may want to write down the name and position of the person to whom you are speaking. Then when you follow up via email or contact portal, you can say specifically whom you spoke with and on what subject.

I would like to express some very serious concerns about the current administration’s attempts to dissolve USAID and cease its humanitarian efforts. It seems to me that such actions are illegal according to the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998, in addition to being unconstitutional. What actions will [Senator/Representative Name] be taking to speak against this?

If the response is unsatisfactory, vague, or negative, you may skip the following paragraph and proceed to the next.

I’d like to suggest that it would be seen positively by the voting public if [Senator/Rep Name] were to make a public statement concerning the issue. I understand that there are active legal challenges already in place, and that waiting for those to move through the courts will take time, but public support for those challenges and open criticism of the administration’s flagrant disrespect for due process would inspire a bit more trust from constituents.

It's a scary and uncertain time. We don’t know what’s going to happen and we don’t know who to trust. But a firm stance and public statements of support for respecting the law and what it stands for – that will go a long way toward addressing people’s fear. I look forward to hearing [Senator/Rep Name]’s stance on this issue in the coming days.

Thank you for your time.

You will be asked for your full name, address, and phone number, so be prepared to give those. Be as calm and polite as possible, but make note of any rudeness or push-back you may encounter during the call and include that in your follow-up email.

Note: Your follow-up email can be the above script (with the italicized notes removed) and a short paragraph about who you talked to and whether or not their response was encouraging. It doesn't have to be long or involved or take a lot of your time. It's just another way to let them know - I'm invested in this and I will not let you sweep me under the rug.

[miniaturefirefan]

USAID Update

This morning it appeared that the most pressing story of the day is the planned shutdown and dissolution of the USAID (United States Agency for International Development, an independent aid agency formed and funded by Congress). While our Glorious Leader has never been shy about his disdain for foreign aid, this is the most dramatic move he has initiated in that arena, claiming that the agency is "run by lunatics" and needs to be shut down.

According to sources on both sides, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that he is the new acting administrator of USAID, and some reports (as yet unconfirmed) have named Peter Marocco as Rubio's choice of delegate to the agency. Marocco has been identified as likely present for the Jan 6 Insurrection in 2021, though no public statements have been made to confirm or deny this.

At 12:45AM on Monday morning, an email was sent to USAID staff who have offices in Washington DC, instructing them to work from home that day. Understandably, some employees were unable to read this message, as access to official systems had already been partially shut down.

USAID contractors in the field (that is, abroad in Ukraine, Israel, Egypt, and other locations) are effectively stranded at the moment, unable to access official systems or emails, and do not know whether or not securing transport back to the US will be approved or reimbursed.

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To the extent of my knowledge, these are the prescient facts of the case, but I feel it important to add some flavor text, if you will. The USAID is one of the world's largest sources of developmental and humanitarian aid, and is largely responsible for the disbursement and transport of humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip. Should these supplies be discontinued, there is a non-zero chance that the ceasefire brokered by the previous administration and the French government between the warring factions may fall apart. In addition, sources on the ground in Gaza have reported that due to actions by the Israeli government deemed criminal by the ICC (International Criminal Court) the civilian population of Gaza are in a state of imminent starvation. Without the food and supplies offered by the USAID efforts in Gaza, thousands of civilians will suffer and very likely die.

There is no political goal, standard, or deal that's worth the deaths of thousands of civilians.

Later today I will be publishing templates for reaching out to members of Congress concerning this issue via email, fax, and phone. This isn't something we can stay silent about.

All information has been fact-checked through Ground News, and articles were sourced from across the political spectrum.

[miniaturefirefan]

Salute or Not Salute?

There've been a lot of discussions, videos, threads, comments, news articles, and spotlights on this moment right here.

I find it deeply unpleasant to see that many folk defending this man are saying that he made this gesture not because he's a fully autonomous adult man with 50+ years of experience on this planet and complete control over his own choices, but rather because he's autistic.

Let me be perfectly clear on this point: autism and fascism are not mutually exclusive. You can be autistic and also be a nazi. You can be autistic and also be a bigot. You can be autistic and also be an asshole.

Autism is a descriptor for the way a person takes in, stores, and accesses information. It has nothing to do with personality, interest, or beliefs.

So regardless of whether or not Elon Musk is autistic, this gesture is unambiguously a nazi salute. He did a sieg heil twice, in front of a massive crowd, and received thunderous applause for doing so.

If you'd like to hear a little more on the subject, I would definitely recommend looking into autistic creators who might have a wider base of knowledge on the effects and experiences of autism than those of us for whom autism is not a special interest. In particular, this video by the YouTube channel I'm Autistic, Now What? is informative and thoughtful in its approach to the matter.

[miniaturefirefan]

Trying Something New

The world is on fire. It's terrible. I'm sure I'm not the only one that's stressed to hell and back. So I've decided to do something about it. As an American... I wish I wasn't.

I've started this blog with the intent of fighting misinformation. I want to help provide others with resources for this time. That includes fact-checked updates, templates for reaching out to your reps and senators, resources for checking things yourself.

I hope that this helps.

Stay safe out there.