One friend had a very interesting suggestion: stop people in the street and talk to them! I am a bit ambivalent about that strategy – social norms and all (not polite to talk about politics or religion with strangers). However, that said, it is true that most of the suggestions I’ve shared to date are lonely ones – signing petitions, calling the offices of representatives, and writing letters. Women in Black is more of a social experience, which is one of the reasons I included it.
I would probably prefer striking up a chat with someone sitting next to me on a bus or at the next table in a café than stopping someone in the street. In our paranoid and angry time, these might be safer contexts.
It doesn’t have to be complete strangers. You can talk about your concerns regarding the rise of fascism in your book club, after services, or during a neighborhood gathering. But, what to say when you want to strike up a conversation about fascism? Using the word “fascism” as a opener probbably isn’t always a good idea. I did a little research and questions like: “What are your thoughts on the direction the neighborhood/city/country is moving in?” might work. “Do you think that the administration is making the right decisions presently?” could be another chat starter. “How did you come to that conclusion?” might be a way to deepen the conversation. At issue isn’t even whether you agree with the other person. It is to have an exchange with another human being. If it gets unpleasant, one can always politely stop the discussion. If you have suggestions about how to talk to strangers about regime change, please share them!
There seems to be a lot of organizations out there that are interested in dialogue and creating opportunities for exchanges across political borders. I found the Listen First Project as one example, although it appears that a lot of big companies are financing it (Facebook, Target, MacDonalds, etc.), so I’m not sure that they are truly non-partisan. If you have any information on this group, let me know. But, they do have links to a lot of organizations and seem to have some good tips. If you are aware of others that are creating fora for dialogue and ideas about how to go about talking to people face-to-face again, please share.
In terms of an action that you might want to take today, I would recommend that you voice your concerns about the nomination of Robert Kennedy Jr. The Senate Finance Committee will meet on Jan. 29 to discuss the confirmation of RFK Jr., whose stances on vaccines and abortion have raised questions from Democrats and Republicans alike. So, time is of the essence. A good friend suggested this link. 5calls.org has a link providing info on how to call your senator to protest this abominable nomination.
As is probably obvious, I’m a bit of a novice when it comes to all of this. If you would rather than I include you in the bcc: list rather than the to: list, please let me know. I understand that I might have made a faux pas here. Apologies.
True-ish Stories 