How do I participate in resistance? Step one: Survive.
I just want to take a moment to say some things that I think need to be said regarding our current situation as citizens of the United States. This has been marinating for a while now, but it’s taken a bit to figure out exactly what I want to say, and what might be useful to hear.
First, and most importantly, breathe. Shit’s fucked. Not gonna get un-fucked just because you’re stressing yourself out, and you are FAR less valuable as a member of your family/friend group/community if you are too dysregulated to function. All of this shit is hitting at once precisely so it has us all too overwhelmed to deal with any of it or respond in any meaningful way. This is not to mean that you aren’t perfectly entitled to a bit of a freak out. As I said, shit is fucked, and likely to remain fucked for a long time. This is a valid reason to have emotions! What I *DO* mean is that there is no moral high ground in perpetually marinating in bad news to the detriment of your mental health. By all means, remain informed, but do so mindfully and give yourself permission to disengage from it when possible to recharge.
Second, this is not a race. I know we’ve read books and watched films all our lives that portray heroic efforts to wrest control from evil as some deliberate all-encompassing push at once. While that is a thing, films dont really show you all the other shit going on that is essential to the greater good. Right now, our biggest job is to survive. Not just physically, although that is obviously top of the priority list, but mentally and spiritually. There are MANY ROLES in a resistance movement and not everyone is gonna be at the front lines. Many of us are going to be nurturing community, helping others, organizing mutual aid, using our talents to keep up morale or educating others. Sometimes our role is just to hold space for one another and let each other be vulnerable. To share tips on how best to handle stress, or keeping ourselves safe when dealing with unsafe people and institutions.
Third, and I cannot stress this enough, stop shaming and judging others for how you feel they are contributing – we’re all stressed, angry, and afraid – and turning on one another out of that fear and anger is not part of the solution. We do not have time for that shit. You don’t know what someone else may be going through or doing themselves. Not everyone is public about their moves, and frankly that’s not a bad idea especially for those most at risk for persecution. Focus on what you can do. Coordinate with like-minded people in your circle to strengthen bonds and plan for emergency response efforts. Lift one another up. Be the community we all need right now because THAT is what will get us through this.
Finally, again, shit is fucked. Probably gonna remain fucked and get even more fucked as time goes on. There is no universe in which we all get a happy ending in the short term. Our best-case scenario depends on us surviving long enough to make a difference, and that means we are in this for the long haul. As someone with CPTSD from long-term trauma, I can tell you first hand that if you are going to survive this, you need to find some coping tools that work for you. You will not be here to fight (however that fight looks for you) if your mind and body break down under unsustainable levels of constant stress and panic. You need to give yourself permission to relax. To enjoy things you love. To spend time with others. Even in the worst of times, people have endured because they had something to live for. Don’t deny yourself these comforts because it is a necessary part of survival.
We are not singular entities. We are links in the unbroken chain of human progress. Focus on being the best link you can be.
I haven’t historically used this space for my own writing, and I think that’s a wasted opportunity. My identity as an artist is very much a part of my identity as an activist/human being, and I have never made a secret of my beliefs. In the same way that art history is simply a part of history, one cannot exist without the other. So, here I am. If you disagree with my politics you probably won’t like my art, and I’m okay with that.
