This article was originally written by Action Alliance Executive Director Kristi VanAudenhove for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Northern Neck. As we witness attempts to undo decades of antiviolence movement building and public health responses at the federal level (re: HHS layoffs and elimination of programs), it is our hope that the below article may provide guidance to sexual and domestic violence advocates and survivors who are looking for ways to resist and persevere in the midst of a federal campaign of chaos and destruction. Read more below.
These are times that call on all of us to do our part to defend democracy. A recent article in The New Republic written by Timothy Noah titled “Fighting Back, a Citizen’s Guide to Resistance” offers four time-tested strategies that work.
#1 Lawsuits. Noah suggests that the most obvious arena in which to stop a lawbreaker is the courts, and that is where Resistance 2.0 begins. Attorneys play a vital role in this strategy, but so do all UUs! Witness the recent news from the UUA, plaintiff’s in a multifaith lawsuit challenging the ending of ICE’s sensitive locations policy and opposing an interpretation of law which would allow immigration raids in houses of worship and religious ceremonies.
#2 March. Join one of the local marches or the national march this Saturday, April 5, a National Day of Protest. Learn about other marches that are being planned—or post your own so that others can join you at The Big List of Protests.
#3 Pester. Specifically, pester your elected officials. The best form of pestering is an in person visit or participation in a town hall. Next best is to make a phone call. You can plan your calls to Congress using 5 Calls, which provides policy guides, office numbers for your representatives, and call scripts that you can use as a guide to craft your personal message.
#4 Keep Up. (and I would add, Keep it Balanced) It is going to take long-term sustained work to steer our country in the direction of a thriving democracy. Keep up with the news, and take a break from the news. Consider narrowing the focus of your actions. Choose Democracy’s interactive Choose Your Own Adventure activity is a great tool for exploring where you would most like to focus. In “What can I do to fight this coup?,” the group offers drop-down menus of resistance techniques arranged by level of difficulty. It also provides training agendas on everything from de-escalation to mutual aid.
Daniel Hunter of Choose Democracy suggests four possible areas to focus your attention and action:
Defend existing institutions. Voting, public education, the neutrality of the courts…these are just a few of our core institutions that are under attack. Keeping friends, family, and community members informed about what is happening to these institutions might be your focus.
Protect folks who have been targeted. Queer youth are under attack in the current administration and trans youth are losing access to care and support, including physical health care. Actions focused on supporting and protecting these youth, or any of the other targeted populations, will save lives.
Envision and create alternative institutions. Systems are going to crumble in the months and years ahead. Without building blocks in stock for a more just future, it will take much longer to recover, and we are likely to re-build the same flawed systems. Be a part of making alternatives possible.
Engage in strategic civil disobedience. Act up, act out, keep it peaceful and keep it going. Repeatedly in history, persistent and well-planned civil disobedience has turned the tide!
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