docholligay:

Now is the time for CONCRETE ACTION, American followers. Not
reblogging, not sharing on facebook, but actual picking up a phone and doing a
thing.

Stephen Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist-elect, I suppose we’d
call him, is a white supremacist and an anti-Semite, anti-Muslim, jackass. This
appointment is dangerous to a lot of people you claim to care very much about.

Look up your Senator here: http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/

House of Reps: http://www.house.gov/representatives/

And call them. Don’t email them, emails get ignored.

A sample script:

Hi, my name is ______________. As a constituent, I need my
Senator/Representative to know I oppose Bannon’s appointment, and I am
horrified such a man is even being considered. I hope that (legislator) does
not stand for open racism as an appropriate attitude in a chief strategist, and
that this doesn’t signal his/her approval of white supremacist ideology. I hope
(legislator) is planning to formally oppose the appointment.

I mean, jazz it up if you want—I know my audience and so
spoke about how Nazi ideology has no place in Montana, how we’re supposed to be
a land of hard work and fair play, not somewhere that supports blaming others
for our individual problems. I talked to my republican rep’s intern about how
this is why so many people have a bad idea about republicans, and it’s so
important to show we’re not like this, that Zinke truly believes in his
Christian ideals that all men are equal (I am not even slightly a republican or
Christian but also I have literally no issue lying about it to this dude). Know
your audience.

Everything I said about being ready still goes, but don’t
sit back and just let this happen, pick up the damn phone. If you want to send
me an ask about why you can’t do this—skip it, I’m not interested. You’re the
only one who has to live with you, you’re not answerable to me.

I finally just did this. You’re turn! 

cassandrashipsit:

geekdawson:

A thing about “The Safety Pin”:

An identifying marker like that is not symbolic. An identifying marker like that is to say to people who are regularly in REAL danger “I am safe. I will help you.” 

This is not a small thing you are undertaking. If you pin one on yourself, and a guy is harassing me in a bathroom, I am going to turn to you for back up. Please get yourself in a mental place for that possibility, this is not an abstract mark of solidarity. If you can’t do that, that’s ok, but then don’t wear the pin because I’ll suddenly be turning to someone who can’t help me. 

If you have never been in physical danger for living your life, understand that a lot of people have been. Get your head around the reality that they are now going to expect you to step up, they’ll be relying on you as a safety net. You are now in danger by association. That is brave and beautiful and I hope what you intend. Don’t mistake this thing for a symbol, it is not. It is a weapon you have drawn against the status quo.  

I have a scar on the back of my head from ten stitches and general weather ache in my ribs and lower back because I’m queer and trans and I’ve been beaten for that. If you want to stand in solidarity with me and mine….know what you are getting in to. Be mentally prepared for that. 

^^^^^^^^^^

I’m seeing people jumping on board this trend who can’t even tell of their racist friends/family members on Facebook, I do NOT think they are ready to engage in person. I think to them it’s like throwing that French flag filter on their FB picture – it’s just a bit of performative allyship they aren’t even really thinking about. This isn’t about smiling at the pretty hijabi woman on the bus, it’s about being there for her when the 6′2″ white dude starts standing over her shouting at her for being a terrorist. It is real, it’s ugly, and you better know what the fuck you’re getting into.