Cupping the Candle of Democracy:
an open letter calling us together in #solidarity;
may it inspire you to reach out to your beloved companions, trusted colleagues, and friendly neighbors.
https://pqzli1japk.joplinusercontent.com/shares/9YOkpKAwDbLRLpLrUXyB9p
[#]Democracy #MutualAid #CivilDisobedience #ResistFascism #ExistenceIsResistance #CommunityIsResistance #AllPowerToThePeople #SolidarityForever
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The past two weeks have been very hard for me, and many I love and care about, as we strain to thread the needle between desperate catastrophizing, and prudently preparing for probable disasters. You're one of those cherished people who has lingered in my thoughts — someone I regard as empathetic and pro-social, and among those least deserving of upheaval and regression.
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As I work to recenter and refocus myself, to reorient myself to the challenge of this moment, the clearest throughline I keep seeing is how critical connection and solidarity will become. Really, they always were essential — but soon we may have no other bulwarks left to resist the tide of #fascism.
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And although such expressions can seem bombastic or exaggerated with repetition over time, I nevertheless don't make such predictions capriciously or without reference to primary-source indicators, and I genuinely fear for the future — both my own, and everyone I love. It may seem insignificant — but because fascism seeks to demoralize and isolate us, I believe that #community is #resistance, and I don't underestimate it, nor take it for granted.
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Beyond my reconnecting with my immediate social circle, I'm recommitting myself to expand my reach by staying involved in national solidarity orgs, such as the Working Families Party, the Sunrise Movement, and the Democratic Socialists of America.
Working Families Party • @WorkingFamilies • #WorkingFamiliesParty: https://workingfamilies.org/
Sunrise Movement • @sunrisemvmt • #SunriseMovement: https://www.sunrisemovement.org/
Democratic Socialists of America • @dsa_tech • #DSAUSA: https://www.dsausa.org/
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I understand that this isn't for everyone, and it's not my goal to recruit you to any of these, so much as to show where I'm looking for substantive opportunities to do the good work of building up a working-class coalition that supports #equality, #compassion, and especially #democracy. I also believe that volunteer work with local relief orgs — such as food banks, women's shelters, and immigrant refuges — will be more important than ever before.
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At the same time, I recognize that the needful work out-scales any one person by many orders of magnitude. I can see that self-care will also be essential in the coming years, and I will be pacing myself to focus on the few things I can do best — to avoid over-committing myself out of desperate urgency, and remember that it's good enough if I only do as much as I can.
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If you are also feeling #radicalized into action, I encourage you to forgive yourself if you do less than you wish you could: because it is too much for any one person — but together, with personal dedication and a community of support and encouragement, I truly believe we can make a difference. "If everyone does a little, no one has to do a lot."
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In closing, I'd like to share a meditation from Ian Bassin that I heard on Slate's Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick (on Sat 09 Nov), which I shall remember as "Cupping the Candle of Democracy".
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If any of what I've shared here speaks to you, please know that even when we're separated in space and time, I have always remembered you as someone worthy of strengthening the bond of camaraderie, someone that I trust to share similar values of social decency, personal #autonomy, and self-realization.
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I don't know what the future holds — but whatever it brings, I will be there for you: to hear your hopes and fears, to share in your struggles and victories, and to cooperate in solidarity wherever possible.
Your well-wisher,
Comrade in Solidarity
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Cupping the Candle of Democracy, adapted from a meditation by Ian Bassin of Protect Democracy:
@ianbassin
https://protectdemocracy.org/people/ian-bassin/
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« This is a tough moment, but it's crucial that we all stay united and committed to the values we share: to decency, to honesty, to care for each other, for freedom of expression, for dignity and equal treatment --- and to stand up and speak out when those values are threatened. I'm willing to do that with you. Are you willing to do that with me?
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Because if we say we're willing to do that with each other, there's strength in doing that. Let's talk about what it means to stay in touch with each other, and united in defense of those values.
I'm with you, I believe in these values, and I'm willing to stand with you if you'll stand with me in defense of them.
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These are the habits of the heart of democracy: not just a system of laws, but a life-practice of people who work together with others to set a collective destiny. And it is crucial in this moment that we hold fast to that: because the alternative is to retreat into solitude — and that is how the flame of democracy flickers out. »
🕯️
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