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Comment by dgacmu | Hacker News Reader

You said you didn't know what to do, so some ideas to start the ideas flowing for you:

- support media, particularly local.

- there are protests to attend if that's your thing. Tesla takedown is one set that's getting a lot of traction. (Note: these are peaceful protests; don't hurt people's cars). There's a broad "hands off" protest April 5, as another example.

- build and stay in touch with community.

- encourage others to do the same. Can you get folks to move off Twitter? Get some web site you're associated with to replace their twitter share icon with a masto/bsky one? Get folks to make a plan to vote in the next election? To themselves support local media or organizations? Perhaps to run for school board or other local office?

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> support media, particularly local.

Agreed. No argument on that.

> there are protests to attend if that's your thing.

I'm afraid they're not. I'm happy to donate money to causes for people to protest but just being honest, I'm probably not going to do it.

> Tesla takedown is getting a lot of traction

I don't really want to damage strangers' property. I don't own any car as I just take public transportation, so I can't really say I'm "boycotting" Tesla any more than any other brand.

> Can you get folks to move off Twitter?

None of my family or friends were really using Twitter even before Elon bought it.

> To make a plan to vote in the next election?

All my family and friends vote in every election anyway.

> To themselves support local media or organizations?

Again, agreed on that. I'll mention that to parents next time I talk to them.

> Perhaps to run for school board or other local office?

I've debated it, but I think I'm a bit too eccentric to be a good politician. I am also afraid it would turn me evil.

I don't really disagree with anything you said, just that I'm already doing most of what you suggested.

> I don't really want to damage strangers' property. I don't own any car as I just take public transportation, so I can't really say I'm "boycotting" Tesla any more than any other brand.

Divest of Tesla. In a 401k move from index funds to other funds without or less TSLA. Or invest in inverse EFTs that essentially short Tesla - TSLS, TSLQ, and TSLZ. Not buying a Tesla or torching a Cybertruck are not the only options.

> I don't really want to damage strangers' property

You know you can hold up a sign and chant insulting pro-democracy insults at Elon Musk without destroying property, right?

Tesla takedown is not about damaging property - it's strictly peaceful protests to discourage people from buying Tesla, and to raise awareness of Musk's role in DOGE and breaking the government.

Editorializing: A lot of folks bought Teslas because they wanted to do good in the world. Most of the Tesla drivers out there are allies of sanity. Except maybe those ugly trucks. :) :)

Personally, I respect reluctance to protest. Protest is situationally effective and sometimes necessary, but holds a dramatically outsized place in public imagination. So much of effective politics happens elsewhere.

The core of politics is building coalitions of cooperation that can sustain and grow themselves, ideally around habits of ongoing participation and policy goals that have wide benefits.

That means you have to start by developing habits. You are a political organization of one. What habits of schedule and focus will sustain that? How will you widen them into an organization of two, of six, of twelve, and more?

> I've debated it, but I think I'm a bit too eccentric to be a good politician.

There may be an example or two of people who many would find eccentric who are currently holding elected office. You never know.

> I am also afraid it would turn me evil.

The key is making sure that you don't ever place yourself outside relationships of accountability. As long as you can think of recent conversations where you've engaged in reflective give and take with a personal or public critic that you have sustained relationships with, chances are pretty good you're OK.

How have those methods worked against authoritarian governments historically? I think we need to start being more realistic.

Every situation is unique. The US is a mess in part because of oligarchical control of media, and we still have lots of media organizations that maintain high quality journalism standards. Nationally, ProPublica is doing a great job, for example. Locally it's more spotty - in Pittsburgh, WESA (our local NPR news station) is a reliable and good source of information about local goings-on.

In Russia, you'll probably get thrown in prison if you protest against some of the state-sanctioned oligarchs. That's not the case in the US (i hate that I probably have to say 'yet' here) if you're a citizen. How much good will it do? Hard to measure. Most attempts to resist regimes like this are a matter of trying a lot of things and seeing what sticks.

Call your representatives and senators. Do it at least weekly. They're more responsive to things that take time. Show up to their town halls if they're brave enough to host them. Pick a few issues, learn enough about them to comment intelligently, and get involved. Say, opposing HJ 44 (a proposal that would roll back Biden-era lead water pipe replacement requirements). Your senators and reps can probably be doing more. Encourage them. :)

Vote your wallet and your retirement account. Divest of TSLA. Bias towards companies that are pushing back.

It's better to have a regular schedule of things you participate in that try to move the needle than to feel helpless. Tyrants rule through helplessness. We're not. We're not even close.

As far as I can tell my local media and government are more corrupt than national / federal. All local newspapers, radio stations, and TV "news" are owned by a handful of entities.

Citizens who practice free speech are being disappeared to El Salvador.

If you organize resistance, you will be targeted by billionaires and their massive media networks.

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