Thread by @JYSexton

Unfortunately, I spend a lot of time on here talking about the rise of fascism and how that poisonous ideology destroys democracy and society.

I want to take a second to talk about how to fight back on a personal level as it is weaponized trauma inflicted on the individual.

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Fascism, as I've written about, is an attack on reality that's meant to radicalize people by racist paranoia, but also in how it atomizes society, makes us feel alone, powerless, and continually inflicts personal harm.

Here are a few thoughts and resources to combat this.

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Because fascism constantly shifts and relies on propaganda that intentionally fractures objective reality, I endorse @sarahkendzior 's advice to keep a journal.

The internet is shifting type, media cycles are numbing, but we can keep a record of what we know to be true.

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By having our thoughts and experiences in front of us on a sheet of paper that no one, not Trump, not Fox, not social media, can touch or pervert, we can know what we have ACTUALLY seen and it can anchor us when the fascists attempt to destroy reality.

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Like @sarahkendzior has said, make a list of the things you will not do, the atrocities you will not let stand, because fascism absorbs society slowly and things can change without you noticing it.

Anchor yourself in reality and in your principles.

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Likewise, I cannot endorse more the efforts by people like my dear @akmiska whose work centers on trauma and healing in the midst of a fascistic movement that intends to harm us and make us feel powerless and alone.

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tinyletter.com/feelfreewitham…

The personal is political and the political personal. We have to work hard to heal ourselves while we're working to heal society. This is something @akmiska has championed for years, and it's why I keep saying we have to build communities.

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tinyletter.com/feelfreewitham…

Fascists depend on us being isolated, alone, and frightened. When we rebuild our communities and remember that political power should come from the ground up instead of from the state down, we challenge the entire presumption of reality that makes fascism possible.

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Reach out to friends, family, loved ones, neighbors, community members. Rebuild trust and intimacy. These are natural antidotes to fascism and can blunt its power over politics and culture.

They need atomized, isolated societies in order to thrive.

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And finally, remember that the online space is both constantly changing and artificial.

You can keep up on politics without being flooded by it. Trust that you can take time for yourself, to heal, to rest, to reenergize yourself. The internet and politics will wait.

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Part of rebuilding communities to not just battle fascism but to extend beyond this crisis and build a better world is trusting that when you are tired and weary and beat you can take a second to rest and someone will pick up the load.

Log off sometimes. Take a breath.

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This fight is about more than just November, more than just Donald Trump. This is about what kind of world is possible and whether we live the rest of our lives in darkness.

It's going to take a lot of energy, a lot of focus, and a lot of effort. Hang in there.

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If you have resources, whether it's to build community or take care of yourself, reply to this thread.

If you're weary, and I know you are, check out these resources I've provided and the ones below.

Keep your head up and keep fighting.

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