Like many, when I read The Diary of Anne Frank, I wondered why people let The Holocaust happen. Now, in the United States, we see the Republican Administration promoting similar inhumane actions, and I'm wondering what I can do to stop the inhumanity. I never thought I'd see this kind of hate and harm in the United States, and beginning with the January 6th revolt at the United States Capitol, we've witnessed a stream of harmful, hurtful inhumane actions coming from Republican leaders in our country. What can we do?
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| This is a horrifying image of a prison in El Salvador where some who did not receive due process and are thought to be innocent are held. This could happen to any one of us or our loved ones. |
What can people do? Research shows that when 3.5% of the population stand up for change, change happens. With that in mind, we have to protest when we can in order to protect our rights and democracy. We also can't cower in the face of threats--those in power want us to be afraid to speak up and peacefully act against acts that threaten our humanity and freedom in any way.
We also have to assess the peaceful powers we have to make change. Which of these powers do you have?
- work hard for peacemakers; don't work hard or work at all for those that promote inhumanity
- spread the truth, not disinformation
- read, research the truth of the matter, don't be fooled by the propaganda that's being spread all the time
- ignore the distractions--many distractions by way of information and photos are spread in order to distract people from the truth of the matter
- prioritize the information that's most important. For example information related to gross injustice that harm and hurt individuals is a priority whereas information that is clearly lawless propaganda is not as important and will likely go away if no one pays attention to it.
- don't subscribe to "entertainment" channels like Fox that mostly deal with propaganda, instead choose to follow a number of truthful information channels and experts--people and channels known for reporting the truth of the matter (Note that Fox News was challenged in the courts for promoting falsehoods, and their response was that they were an "entertainment" channel, not a news channel.)
- keep your humanity at your center--in your daily actions, choose humanity over inhumanity
- keep your phones handy and rather than putting yourself in danger when you see acts of inhumanity--photograph and video those events, then send them to news sources
- don't spend a lot of time or energy on those who promote inhumanity towards others in any way
- if you have extra dollars or time, support leaders and initiatives that promote the common good and work to retain our democracy and freedom for all
- as many experts are saying, take care of yourself--this is a time when the government is not focused on your health or welfare so do what you can to be strong, happy, and healthy. The current government knows that it's easier to manipulate unhealthy, uneducated, weak, fearful individuals--resist falling into that trap
- plan happy, positive events--the Republican administration wants to point to an unhappy, depressed people that need them. Demonstrate that you're fine without their inhumane acts.
- join peaceful protests--there's strength in numbers
- vote with your pocketbook--don't spend your money on people or places that promote inhumanity, instead identify companies and people that who do promote the best of whom we can be.
- Enlist your family members in these actions. Educate them about what's possible, make protesting a celebratory family affair.
