#resistance movement

[cosmicluci]

If you are trans in the United States, SAVE YOURSELF

Seriously, the government had already started erasing us, but now two things have taken place that for me as a genocide scholar are the ultimate emergency alarm bells: halting of any "DEI" celebrations, which include Holocaust Remembrance; and not providing passports to trans people.

The second is more important, so I'll start with the first one: stopping Holocaust Remembrance is halting a work to memorialize genocide, to help people understand what it was, what it meant, and what are warning signs of such a thing happening. The only people who benefit from that are those who wish to commit such atrocities.

Now, the lack of passports is the most concerning, because it means they don't want trans people to be able to travel freely.

Now, genocide always starts from a feeling of wanting a group gone. The most natural firs measure is to push them away, isolate them in society, and even ethnic cleansing. That's what's being done with immigrants right now. Normally, if the group is just leaving, that works. It achieves the objective. BUT, when a regime wants a group gone and ALSO doesn't want them to leave, that means they've decided on a course of action: mass killing.

That has is the state the United States are now in. They have declared and made abundantly clear, through speeches and policy, that they want us gone. And now they're taking steps so we can't leave.

PLEASE if you're trans in the United States, GET OUT OF THERE. Make plans to leave as soon as possible. Now, again, they're not making it easy. It's never easy for refugees. But it is survival. Go, however you can, to other countries. Plenty of countries in the Americas have good LGBTQ+ protections in the law, such as Brazil. Closest to the United States, there's Canada, Mexico (seriously, Mexico has long-standing protections for the community), and Cuba (which has been making significant strides in that field). You can go either to those countries, or to an embassy of a country, and request asylum (embassies can get people out). I can't promise they'll give it, but I would bet at least some would. France, if I remember correctly, has stated they're open to American queer people.

That said, if you are able to (physically, emotionally), do stay. Stay and fight. Find or form militant groups. A militant group won't fight and beat the regime head-on. Work to weaken the regime (research all the various tactics used by resistance movements throughout history. It's always surreptitious, guerrilla tactics, counter-propaganda, sabotage). But MOST important is the work of helping others. Protect those who haven't left yet, set up routes to help people leave (safe houses, trusted people, including in the government, creating documentation, etc), establish partnerships if you can.

Please, do what you can. The situation is dire, and moved far faster than I thought it would. But it is not the end. We survive, we persevere, we fight back. They never succeed.

P.S. If you're a transphobe, a fascist, or a Republican or Trump supporter, kindly fuck right off. You have supported a regime and policy of destruction and death, and so many are about to suffer and die. It is your fault. And just as you decided that you do not want to share the Earth with trans people and likely several other groups, no one else has to want to share the Earth with you. One day you will be judged as harshly as those who supported other such atrocities.

P.P.S. If you're queer, and you are faced with any of the people in the P.S., consider they have supported the stripping of your rights, your oppression, your death. Consider how they are hateful of diversity, that thing that makes life worthwhile and humanity flourish. If you're in the United States, consider also that Second Amendment which the right is so fond of. Consider all of that, and act towards them on that basis.

[cavenewstimes]

The Global Crisis of Willful Ignorance: How Defunding Education is Destroying Our Future

A Silent War Against Knowledge Education has long been the foundation upon which societies build progress, innovation, and equality. Yet, across the world, particularly in the United States, we are witnessing a systematic effort to defund public education, distort historical truths, and undermine critical thinking. This is not merely a budgetary issue—it is an orchestrated assault on knowledge…

[tmarshconnors]

“How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause?"

Sophia Magdalena Scholl was a German student and anti-Nazi political activist

Born: 9 May 1921, Forchtenberg, Germany

Died: 22 February 1943, JVA Stadelheim München, Munich, Germany

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Yugoslavs Fighting at Home, to Train Here," Brantford Expositor. May 27, 1942. Page 3. ---- By FRANK FLAHERTY, Canadian Press Staff Writer ---- OTTAWA. May 27 - (CP) - While Gen. Draja Mikhailovitch and his elusive Chetniks battle the Nazis in the mountains of their native Yugoslavia pushes plans for the training of a new army and air force in Canada, to fight the Nazis from the outside.

Dr. Izidor Cankar, first Yugoslav Minister to Canada, in an interview with The Canadian Press today expressed appreciation of the hospitality granted by Canada to the forces of his country. "The Canadian Government has published an order by which it ex- tends the hospitality enjoyed up to now by the Belgian, Norwegian, Polish, Czechoslovak and Netherlands troops to the Yugoslav army and air forces which our Government intends to raise and train in this country," he said. "We are very grateful to Canada for this generous action by which we shall be enabled to join the efforts of the Allied Nations and combat our common foe from abroad as our people are combatting them in conquered Yugoslavia." MANY AVAILABLE Dr. Cankar said he hoped training of Yugoslav forces would start soon, but declined to say where it would take place. He said there are a considerable number of Yugo- slav citizens in various parts of North and South America, some of whom may join the forces of that country. "The struggle of the Yugoslav people at home is terrible. Indeed it is repugnant to think of all the horrors which are committed in my country. THE NEW ORDER "The famous new order means there is a diabolical pride, an inhuman disdain of mankind if they are not German. It means cruelty, robbery and fatal moral drunkenness caused by the shedding of in- nocent blood and by the suppressed fear of what will happen if Germany loses the war. "The reaction of our country to this new order is obvious. We love freedom as we love life itself. We can be conquered but we can not feel well and we can not keep quiet until we are free. "Our people have been warned against lightly-provoked sacrifices, . but they did not care. There is only one fight from the boundaries of Italy to Bulgaria, from the boundaries of Hungary to Montenegro.

"There is the lonely hero Mikhailovitch with his Chetniks, but not only Cherniks are fighting. The whole nation is engaged in the fight. The feeling of Yugoslav national unity now is higher than ever."

[thenalexica]

Different dystopian plot structures by genre

Science Fiction:

Surveillance state monitors all citizens Resource scarcity creates class warfare Tech corporations control society Mandatory genetic engineering AI systems regulate human behavior Environmental collapse forces underground living

Post-Apocalyptic:

Surviving tribes battle over resources Search for lost technology/knowledge Raiders vs peaceful settlements Rebuilding civilization from ruins Mutations create new threats Fighting over clean water/food

YA Dystopian:

Teens rebel against rigid social systems Mandatory career/life assignments Testing determines social worth Romance across social boundaries Secret resistance movement Coming of age during rebellion

Political Thriller:

Underground resistance forms Government propaganda exposed Political dissidents disappearing Secret police maintain control Media manipulation revealed Corruption at highest levels

Cyberpunk:

Megacorporations rule cities Virtual reality escape from reality Black market tech/augmentations Hackers expose system corruption Street gangs vs corporate power Digital consciousness control

[focusgroupentertainment]

A Dark Glimpse into a Dystopian Amaerica 2027

In 2027, the sky over Detroit loomed a dull, stormy gray. The streets were quiet but felt tense, as though something was waiting to break through the silence. Andre trudged along the crumbling sidewalk, careful not to attract attention. It was barely sunrise, but he had to reach the supply station early before things got complicated. Under the 47th president, the government had reshaped every…

[pebblegalaxy]

Echoes of Resistance: Alba de Céspedes' Harrowing Tale of Survival During World War II

The Life in Shadows: Alba de Céspedes’ October Escape In the chilling autumn of 1943, as the flames of World War II engulfed the ancient city of Rome, a narrative of courage and desperation unfolded in the dense woods of Italy. Alba de Céspedes, a noted Cuban-Italian journalist and novelist, found herself a fugitive, hidden in the bosom of nature, shielded by the foliage from the ravages of war…

[sayruq]

I figured I should list setbacks and consequences (including signs of internal collapse) faced by Israel in the past couple of months. I'll make this as chronological as possible. Add any you think I missed.

While Hezbollah targets Haifa, Golan Heights, and new settlements

Gaza continues to punish the invading army

More and more western publications are forced to admit that Israel cannot defeat the Palestinian resistance

“This is a very high number that encompasses many sectors. About 77 percent of the businesses that have been closed since the beginning of the war, which make up about 35,000 businesses, are small businesses with up to five employees, and are the most vulnerable in the economy,” Yoel Amir, CEO of Israeli information services and credit risk management firm, CofaceBdi, told Maariv. The report adds that “the most vulnerable industries are the construction industry, and as a result also the entire ecosystem that operates around it: ceramics, air conditioning, aluminum, building materials, and more – All of these were significantly damaged,” according to CofaceBdi’s risk ratings. The trade sector has also been severely affected. This includes the service sector and industries including fashion, furniture, housewares, entertainment, transport, and tourism. Israel is in a situation where “there is almost no foreign tourism,” the report said, adding that “damage to businesses is all over the country, and almost no sector has been spared.” This includes the agriculture sector, which is based mainly in the south and the north – both considered active combat zones due to the threat posed by the Palestinian resistance and Lebanon’s Hezbollah – whose support front against Israel has significantly contributed to the downfall of the economy. The CofaceBdi CEO estimates that 60,000 Israeli businesses are expected to be shut down by the end of 2024.

ICYMI, Yemen's armed forces have said they got a direct hit on Eisenhower, a nuclear powered aircraft carrier, forcing it to leave the Red Sea

Israel's attack on Yemen is playing a role in bringing Yemen's civil war to an end.

Etc, etc.

The point of this post is to encourage everyone who reads it. Keep talking about Gaza, keep boycotting, keep protesting, keep resisting.

[ghost-37]

Black people have culturally subsidized this country since our arrival

[nenestansunsthings]

FINALLY FINISHED THEM!!!!

after like 34 hours of drawing my illustration of pearl n etho fighting in the ballroom arena is done!!! hope u guys like it!!

[chronicallycouchbound]

PSA: Please don’t ask participants to do grounding/mindful/somatic/etc practices at your events

Grounding exercises should not be an activity in large group settings, especially unsolicited and without warning, especially if you’re not aware of every single person in the space’s mental health conditions, physical health conditions, and personal relationship to their body.

Practices such as mindfulness, grounding, somatic exercises, breathing techniques, body scans, etc. are very helpful therapeutic tools to help manage stress. They can (and do!) help plenty of people– when taught safely and used effectively!

HOWEVER for people with conditions that cause psychosis and/or dissociative conditions such as depersonalization/derealization, these techniques are contraindicated and can make their symptoms significantly worse. They should only be used with guidance from their mental health team and adapted to their needs. For people with conditions like anxiety and PTSD, being aware of breathing can trigger a trauma response or anxiety attacks.

And for people with conditions that cause chronic pain or other uncomfortable bodily sensations, becoming re-centered with their bodies can cause more awareness of the pain they are in, which a level of (ideally functional) dissociation is actually helpful. For people in wheelchairs and powerchairs, touching the ground beneath their feet isn’t always an option. For people with cardiac and pulmonary conditions, deep breathing can be impossible or can trigger asthma attacks. For disabled people in general, doing body scans can be impossible due to paralysis or limb differences. They can bring awareness to things the person wasn’t aware were wrong to begin with (which is helpful in certain spaces, but not a great ice breaker at a retreat!)

And for trans people, binders and other garments can restrict breathing, and taking repeated deep breaths while binding can cause rib damage (which is why you shouldn't bind at night, while coughing from sickness, while exercising, etc). Becoming centered in a body that makes you dysphoric can be deeply distressing, again, a level of functional dissociation helps.

This also goes for plenty of other people in marginalized bodies, such as people of color, people who use substances, queer people, and more. Becoming grounded in your own marginalized body can be a heavy weight to carry, and needs appropriate and individualized care to be a beneficial experience.

As an alternative, I suggest doing a round of gratitudes instead, it allows for people to choose their level of vulnerability in spaces, while not being generally contraindicated for many people. Doing fun (and appropriate to the setting) icebreakers are great. Ask what brings someone to the space. Check-ins about basic needs such as if people need to use the restroom, eat, drink water, are rested, etc. can be more appropriate body check-ins for folks to do.

I don’t recommend doing these exercises even with a warning beforehand. If I'm in the room while someone is leading a breathing exercise, even if I try to ignore it, I (and most people) would automatically become aware of my breathing. The same goes for any other techniques. These techniques can cause real, life-threatening levels of harm for some people, and can even just be deeply uncomfortable or distressing for others. Dissociation is not inherently evil or bad or harmful. It is the way the body and mind naturally respond to adverse experiences (note: it can also cause distress and at higher levels, can be disordered) it is best to allow people to exist as they are in communal spaces. Let people show up as they are.

Most spaces are not equipped or appropriate to respond to emergencies, difficult feelings, and all the varied responses that can come from folks doing mindfulness in group settings.

I personally do some things before large gatherings and events to feel centered on the activity I’ll be doing, and afterward, I decompress. Encourage participants to lean on their natural supports and offer suggestions for it! Be creative in your caring!

This also doesn’t mean to discourage these practices! If you see someone doing deep breathing, check in with them, offer a space for them to decompress, care for them! Worksheets or posters on techniques like square breathing and 5 senses check-ins are great for a quiet room or spaces where participants can decide if they want/are able to engage with those tools. It should be a fully consensual opt-in, rather than being forced to opt-out. Having to leave a room when a group leader says “We’re going to start a mindful breathing meditation, please feel free to leave if you have psychosis, chronic pain, or are trans” is obviously othering and outs people.

Sincerely, someone who has psychotic symptoms, dissociation, chronic pain, is trans and whose body is marginalized in many ways and is really tired from trying to explain this at every event I go to

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“14 Belgians Sentenced to Die Evidence B.B.C. Stirring Revolt,” Toronto Star. April 14, 1942. Page 1. ---- London, April 14 - (CP) - Evidence sabotage, possession of weapons, that British broadcasts are arousing the inhabitants of Nazi-occupied countries against the German occupation forces was given today in an exchange telegraph report from Stockholm. It said a German court at Ghent had sentenced 14 Belgians to death on charges of murder, sabotage, possession of weapons,  Communist activity and anti-German propaganda. 

The court, said the agency, decided that the accused were "to a  high degree influenced by broadcasts from Britain" and imposed the sentences as an example to others  who listened to the BBC's hints for secret work against Germany.

[pencopanko]

Pro-Palestine Brands That You Can Support!

In the spirit of the BDS Movement and other boycott attempts done across the globe, here is a thread showcasing brands that are pro-Palestine (or at least unaffiliated with Israel as of October 2023).

Worth noting is that someone on the thread above mentioned that Ben & Jerry's are pro-Palestine. This is partly true as the FOUNDERS of Ben & Jerry's, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield filed a lawsuit against Unilever to stop all sales in Israel. Unfortunately, they lost the case and the brand instead has stopped all sales in Palestine while still being available in Israel.

I have seen a lot of beauty brands being mentioned such as e.l.f, Pat McGrath Labs, Charlotte Tilbury (whose brand ambassador is Bella Hadid, famously known for being pro-Palestine and is half-Palestinian herself), Fenty Beauty, and even Dior (09/11/2023 edit #1: Dior is no longer on this list as they replaced Bella Hadid with an Israeli model, along with Fenty Beauty as Rihanna is also a brand ambassador for Puma and they had released a collaboration with the brand on September) but besides from Huda Beauty and Delhicious I have yet to see any explicit showcase of support from any other major brands so please take any information regarding beauty brands outside of the ones we are boycotting with a grain of salt.

You can also help by ordering Krispy Kreme (side note: this excites me because I love Krispy Kreme) from this link as it is for a fundraiser by students at the UCLA. Krispy Kreme may not be directly involved, but it is still good to know that this is a viable option. (09/11/2023 edit #2: corrected some missing info)

Here is also a list of ten Palestinian-owned brands that you can support.

May I also add, if you live in a country that is for the most part if not 100% politically supportive of the Palestinian cause like Ireland, Indonesia (where I live), Malaysia, etc., chances are your local brands are pro-Palestine, at least in spirit, so you can opt for them instead. If you also know any local businesses owned by Palestinians in your area, support them as well!

That is all for now, may your watermelons taste fresh and sweet.

🍉

Salam Semangka, Penco

[violottie]

Normalise Resistance!! We're in this for the long haul!

"Got some conflict fatigue? You probably do if you possess a soul. The Man wants you to burn out, to feel hopeless and forget about everything… and here’s a message about that." from Greg Stoker, 28/Mar/2024: