Thread by @maitreemuz

A thread compilation of 27 basic practical things we can do in our individual capacities to counter RW radicalization and propaganda. Request you to comment and add any other suggestions/resources you may have.

1) Deradicalization begins at home. If you quit on dialogue with your near & dear ones, they will just end up consuming more propaganda. Be consistent with dialogue. Not once a week, but everyday. Since that’s the speed at which hate factories are working.

2) We have all been guilty of quitting radicalized family/friends/colleagues WhatsApp groups. Don’t. Stay. Analyse the content. End the chain of fake news. Forward propaganda clips to @AltNews so that they can officially mark it as fake. If it’s on your group, it’s on millions.

3) Make a daily schedule of how to send meaningful content on these radicalized WhatsApp groups. I suggest 4 current news articles daily at such timings when everyone checks their phones - wake up time, lunch, tea break & dinner. This may vary based on your crowd.

4) Along with the news link, ensure you attach a 100-150 word crux of the article since many don’t read the articles. You can copy paste the tweets of handles like @alishan_jafri , @zoo_bear , @MuslimSpaces, etc. This will prevent adding your narrative & amplify Muslim voices.

5) Such synopsis helps (especially in regional language) because news links of @thecaravanindia, @ttindia, @thewire_in etc are tough to read for many. Amplify the work of Muslim journalists & Muslim news channels.

Comment the ones you know here so that everyone can follow them.

6) Analyse the kind/form of content the radicalized person/group is viewing. Is it short videos? Memes? Jokes? Short write ups? If possible, ensure what you send on these groups as a counter is in that same mode so that it matches their attention span.

7) If 2-3 friends can team up, they can collectively form an internal WhatsApp group & take charge of the message content to be sent to their own radicalized family/friends WhatsApp groups. One person can compose for the day. Rotate responsibility. Translate to regional language.

8) If you are friends with your MLA or other influential persons in your region, you can try to compile a regional database of voter contacts. The WhatsApp content should go to all since radicalization is working at mass level. Use regional language. Be consistent and timely.

9) Work at subconscious level. If your radicalized friend/family gets defensive during dialogue or shuts off, have a conversation with a like minded friend, while ensuring the radicalised member is around & listening to your conversation. Sometimes this approach may help.

10) Identify who you can influence and focus on quality over quantity, focus on consistence. It’s better to consistently have daily fact-driven dialogue with 2 radicalized people in your life, rather than having a dialogue once a week with 20 of them.

11) Use art to start a dialogue with a radicalized person/group. It is immensely helpful & underrated! It can be in the form of posters, comic strips, photographs. Eg: You can print out stickers and stick them in your street for visibility and sparking off dialogue.

12) Focus on visuals. Eg: @thecaravanindia front page on Reign of Terror in Yogi’s land may be impactful to you. But to a radicalized person who doesn’t speak English, it may feel like a grand photo of Yogi! In such cases make sure you add content crux in regional language.

13) White washing, radicalising, brainwashing, propaganda, resistance - are terms that your radicalized near and dear ones, of all ages, must be taught.

14) Islamophobia does not have a gender or age. All genders and all ages are capable of being radicalised.

15) Sit with a radicalized member and show them physically how search results on two different phones can very. You may be seeing a variety of news articles while their feed may be hijacked by OpIndia type content. Point it out. Give them food for thought.

16) Use facts. We are compiling a list of resources and simplifying them, incorporating art. Particularly around deradicalization, conflict resolution and trauma responses. If you come across helpful resources, please comment and share.

17) Point out propaganda in mainstream content - films, music, reels, YouTube videos etc. Teach your radicalized folks that social media influencers & Bollywood celebrities are not the authority. Local grass root voices are. Amplify these over the former.

18) Simultaneously focus on teaching your radicalized folks how to wisely vote. Ensure they do not vote for BJP in the next election. Pull those strings of their heart that work. Dialogue is always more effective when you share personal stories! Some examples below-

19) Eg: Do you want your 3-year old son to grow up and auction Muslim women? Do you want me me to harass girls? Remember demonetisation? Remember how mother died because of lack of oxygen during Covid?

Use the personal narrative that directly affects them for more impact.

20) If possible, strategise locally on how regional votes can go to that one party in your region that is the lesser of all evils. Otherwise your votes will get divided between parties and that means BJP comes to power again. We don’t want that!

21) Hinduism/Hindutva are both problematic. Because of the inherent caste system. However, we cannot forget that questioning someone’s religion/faith means questioning their entire existence sometimes. The conversation may become counter-productive. Work slowly and consistently.

22) Analyse & guide your conversations with accountability. There’s no point screaming at the top of your lungs with no impact. If one strategy doesn’t work, try another. One blanket doesn’t fit all.

23) Be mindful of the content your children are consuming. No more lone wolves!

24) Don’t be afraid to lose out on near & dear ones. Don’t be scared of your boss. Share your deradicalization conversations internally with like-minded friends so that you can help each other navigate conversations with radicalized folks based on your previous experiences.

25) Keep listening to all the diverse Muslim voices on the ground. Acknowledge and understand how to show solidarity and support. Be polite & open to criticism. Don’t hijack Muslim voices. Amplify.

26) Raise your voice but ensure that you work within the framework of law!

27) Remember that deradicalization does not happen overnight. Effects of Nazi indoctrination can be seen till today. Keep working consistently. Giving up is a privilege that we cannot afford to exercise.