Years of Lead

I'm going to skirt the issue we all know I'm talking about, as I do from time to time. The far-right are actively trawling the internet and social media looking for people speaking out about it, and this administration–having an appetite for repression and pettiness–doesn't even have to lift a finger for the media machine behind it to create real consequences for folks exercising free speech. So. We all know. I am torn about how to respond to this issue because on one hand my instinct is always to urge caution, but on the other hand we need to be claiming ground where we can. This administration is already building concentration camps, snatching people off the street, and using the military as de facto law enforcement–we are running out of new places from whence the repression should come, and why. Being boisterous in this moment, decrying people like that in general, draws a boundary. It lets people know where you stand, and, hopefully, makes them think about where they stand.

I think that we have officially entered the American Years of Lead (if we hadn't already). What I mean is that we have entered a period of violent instability as both sides of the political spectrum see either lack of recourse or lack of repercussion. It's irrelevant that we're seeing some of this violence as inter-right wing–eventually, they purify their party and focus on us. Don't expect these sorts of fights to take care of our enemies entirely.

Our Response

If you are not already a public figure or prepared to face consequence, say nothing online. Say nothing on your phones. Whatever you want to say, say it in person, unrecorded. This is good advice going forward in general, as we are going to be tracked more frequently and with more fallout across platforms that were previously, to some extent, safe. My recommendation is in-person meetings and conversations with those you trust, Signal when that's not possible, and ideally the development of community-based mesh, encrypted radio, or intranet-style networks.

Surveillance is a real concern for our movement, and even for people who are largely on the sidelines. A fairly innocuous comment, as demonstrated by recent events, can result in life-upending consequences. So while I wish for us all to express ourselves as we please and think that we should be screaming from our bellies generally, for this particular moment I think the better route is discretion. That's not to say that we–as I've seen it stated–give the right permission for what they were already going to do. It's to make sure you think twice before saying something glib that you should absolutely be able to say but could get doxxed for, fired for, get your shit rocked for. That's not worth it. If you've got something substantial to say, by all means.

Next Steps

I do think that we've got room to push back against some of the fallout, here. There have been memorial marches and co-opted events that have been overrun with Neo-Nazis (as opposed to just plain fans of the deceased–the distinction is razor-thin). Where people are trying to laud the deceased, or where people are taking advantage of the moment to drum up membership in right-wing organizations, is where I think we should be directing our energy. Counter-protesting in this moment, I think, could be useful. The way the media is all lining up and eulogizing is the way the Overton Window shifts to the right; pushing back against that by being out in the street, by telling people we know, by calling out friends and family–every little thing–may help claw back some of the ground they gain from this. It's inexplicable that this is how it's breaking down, but we can't change that.

To that point, build a response team in your community. This isn't necessarily a community defense team, armed up and kitted-out (although it could be)–but rather just a group of people who are able to rush out when needed to respond to a situation. ICE warrants such a team; Nazi marches warrant such a team; fascist speakers and impromptu gatherings warrant such a team. Think about who in your group of comrades is in a position to drop everything to push back in moments like this. If that's not you, that's okay. But you probably know somebody who can. And maybe they know somebody. And you, perhaps, can support. You take care of the kids, or dogs, or are the person on the lookout online for things to which this team responds. This team should be prepared to record events, to educate people on their rights when an arrest is being attempted, and to simply be loud when some jackasses are trying to push a white supremacist agenda. That's not nothing.

These are the dark times. That's not going to change soon. But we're who brings that change–so every little thing you do counts. Every friend group, every neighborhood, every community. We can push them back, inch by inch, if we have to.