Should We Resist Trump?

[Rhondazvous]

I don't think that fear should be a part of your personal risk to benefits analysis.

Under some circumstances fear may play a major role. Not everyone is a hero, and I wouldn't know how courageous I'd be if the remains of my livelihood are on the lines. Or if resisting earns you a prison sentence as it already is the case in Turkey.

That's why I don't even judge the ones presenting a low profile during the nazi regime. Only the ones actively contributing.

I don't want to think of myself as a coward. I want to say that I'm bold and courageous. But to tell the truth, I won't go to some websites because I know they're being monitored. They'd put my name down on a list somewhere. Some people tell me my name is already on a list. That is as may be but I don't have to put an asterisk beside it.

I got the newsletter from the Richard Dawkins foundation. They're going to be fighting this. I want to help them, but I don't want the people at my bank to see his name on my debit card. I live in the buckle of the bible belt. So I get one of those single use credit cards from WalMart.

[abaris]

It's got nothing to do with being a coward. If society is still strong enough to support resistance against certain ideas - and the American society is not giving any reason for doubt as of yet - go for it. If a society turns into something like Turkey, everyone has to make the decision on a moment's notice.

I haven't been in that position, so I can't say what I would or wouldn't do.

[Rhondazvous]

We shall resist him on the beaches, we shall resist him on the landing grounds, we will resist in the fields and streets ..

You know, it's just a damn shame that we didn't resist him at the ballot box where the job could most handily have been accomplished.

There are still the midterms.

[brewer]

Under some circumstances fear may play a major role. Not everyone is a hero, and I wouldn't know how courageous I'd be if the remains of my livelihood are on the lines. Or if resisting earns you a prison sentence as it already is the case in Turkey.

That's why I don't even judge the ones presenting a low profile during the nazi regime. Only the ones actively contributing.

I don't want to think of myself as a coward. I want to say that I'm bold and courageous. But to tell the truth, I won't go to some websites because I know they're being monitored. They'd put my name down on a list somewhere. Some people tell me my name is already on a list. That is as may be but I don't have to put an asterisk beside it.

I got the newsletter from the Richard Dawkins foundation. They're going to be fighting this. I want to help them, but I don't want the people at my bank to see his name on my debit card. I live in the buckle of the bible belt. So I get one of those single use credit cards from WalMart.

Rational fear good, irrational fear bad.

[Whateverist]

We shall resist him on the beaches, we shall resist him on the landing grounds, we will resist in the fields and streets ..

You know, it's just a damn shame that we didn't resist him at the ballot box where the job could most handily have been accomplished.

There are still the midterms.

Please gawd!

[abaris]

Rational fear good, irrational fear bad.

You know, there's one thing sticking in my memory as if written on stone. It was in 1983 when it got my physicals for military service for the second time. I was still going to law school at the time, but decided to change to history later that same year.

The pschologist working there told me he could get me off the hook at a moment's notice. But then he added something that I will never forget: "But you know how it is with data protection. There may be difficulties when you apply for some official position."

That was still in the pen and paper days, so try to imagine how things look now where a simple mouse click is sufficient to look up all the trails any person ever left. Our surveillance systems are largely depending on the intent of the ones having access. That's what I always warned against. As long as there's a largely democratic force in power, it's probably not a problem. But if that ever changes, the tools are already in place. They just need to be used.

[Edwardo Piet]

Anyone who doesn't resist Trump has very low sexual standards.

[Rhondazvous]

To answer the OPs question, you should resists - with all the tools democracy provides you with. Taking to the streets, forming or joining grassroot organisations fighting for change.

It may very well be that I find myself in the same situation in one months time. I will take the streets again, after 20 years of absence and I will look for like minded people trying to keep the damage to a minimum. I'm a member of the green party for the last 20 years because they always fought the right. Their environmental agenda was secondary for that decision. I never was an active member and I more or less forgot about it all, but now it's at the forefront of my mind again. In our situation they can make a difference since our system ensures they will always be represented at parliament, getting between 12 and 14 percent of the votes in general elections.

I also find myself in the peculiar situation that our churches are our natural allies. They also fight resentment, bigotry and most of all being intrumentalised by the right. Churches in Western Europe are nothing like Americans may be used to. Both Catholics as well as protestants stand up against exclusion, help refugees and the needy. The protestants are even socially liberal for their most part and also the Catholics have strong factions fighting for social change. Bot priests and laymen.

That's interesting, what you're saying. The right wing is using American Christians the same way Hitler used German Christians. Now the German Christians know better, but here the Americans still have to learn what the Germans learned long ago. Hopefully America will learn and be wiser and less credulous for it.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Maybe the first step the 'resistance' should take is to find an aggressive, electable liberal and start grooming him/her now Look at the difference between the campaigns of Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton. Get yourselves a firebrand.

Boru

[Rhondazvous]

Rational fear good, irrational fear bad.

You know, there's one thing sticking in my memory as if written on stone. It was in 1983 when it got my physicals for military service for the second time. I was still going to law school at the time, but decided to change to history later that same year.

The pschologist working there told me he could get me off the hook at a moment's notice. But then he added something that I will never forget: "But you know how it is with data protection. There may be difficulties when you apply for some official position."

That was still in the pen and paper days, so try to imagine how things look now where a simple mouse click is sufficient to look up all the trails any person ever left. Our surveillance systems are largely depending on the intent of the ones having access. That's what I always warned against. As long as there's a largely democratic force in power, it's probably not a problem. But if that ever changes, the tools are already in place. They just need to be used.

When you consider that it was the military who created the internet to begin with, that's no idle warning.