I see some folks using #NationalVoterRegistrationDay as an opportunity to vote shame. To understand why that's a shitty and self-sabotaging thing to do, AND what to do instead, you can check out my convo with @TheWayWithAnoa about voter suppression. truthout.org/audio/how-to-d…
Btw it's not enough to say that you are not shaming people who are being prevented from registering or voting bc it's not that clean. The system of voter suppression does not just directly suppress participation. It also grinds the will to vote out of ppl. Shaming compounds that.
I realize people are scared, but that's no excuse for making the situation worse for literally everyone. Let your fear motivate *constructive* action.
Part of the problem is that ppl don't fully understand how voter suppression has *always* worked. Making the process unbearable, unnavigable & potentially legally risky was never just about directly blocking ppl. This system was designed to beat ppl into feeling it's not worth it
People who do not understand those things prop up contemporary modes of voter suppression by shaming people who have become disillusioned, and further polarizing participants and non-participants, instead of blaming the system or working the problem.
Ppl who vote shame often defend their actions by emphasizing how valid their feelings are. But the thing is, it's not about your feelings. It's about what generates the outcome we both agree is essential. Vote shaming actively harms those efforts. It is a gift to the other side.
Trust me, Republicans love it when y'all talk shit about people who don't vote and get all superior about it. They LOVE IT. Bc they know you are alienating those people and making them less likely to team up w you on anything, including the election. Seriously, they adore this.
I know folks who used to vote shame before they got real with themselves about how destructive it is. They are better organizers for this, bc they figured out how to extend asks and ideas about elections in ways that were not harmful or alienating. They challenged themselves.
It's also worth remembering that some of our very valid feelings and complaints in this life are more suited to group chats than twitter.
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