helping from behind a keyboard

[mellowtigger]

Okay, I'll try to refrain from the moralizing this time, because it's just too easy and obvious these days. If, instead, I look at the hard task of effecting change, what can I as a lone, old, and white dude do?  I used some of my Covid-19 government check to support a few good causes.

Remember that this effort is, at least in part, an anti-fascist one.  Look to the idealized heroes for lessons in how to tackle this ingrained problem.

Remember honest Wonder Woman with her antifa lasso. It compels truth. Let's start there.

• Archive.org records information found online for history's sake.  It seems to be buckling under a weird strain this week.  For instance, there are numerous archives (like this one) that fail to load reliably.  That particular archive shows the original curfew order which plainly states that it's okay to be on your own property and porch.  Our government edited that statement, however, so it now says that you'll probably have to go inside anyway.  Police were disobeying their original order, and my state government acquiesced to them.  Forces were filmed firing at residents in their porch, despite what the curfew order had originally intended.  So apparently you have the right during curfew to remain on your own porch, until the thugs arrive to compel otherwise.  This archive of government changes is important.
  
  • You can support them financially.  I did today.

• Unicorn Riot has provided indispensable journalism, documenting life on the ground here in Minneapolis (and elsewhere).  They give microphones to actual human beings to let them speak.  Not just quick sound bites, those short quotes useful for an evening news segment.  Some of what you hear is hotheaded nonsense, but sometimes you see real people thinking through real issues, and it restores hope in humanity.
  • You can watch them on YouTube.
  • You can read them on Twitter.
  • You can support them financially.  I donated today through GiveMN.org.

Remember wealthy Iron Man with his Damage Control company that helps rebuild destroyed city structures.  Let's look there.

• WeLoveLakeStreet.com distributes money to local small businesses and non-profits.  (They are recommended by CBS.)  I donated today through GiveMN.org.

• Migizi.org supports native youth but lost everything in the fires.  My former landlord foeclan pointed out that they are collecting donations too.  I donated today through GiveMN.org.

• There are lots and lots and lots of organizations helping after the riots.  Choose any of them to assist.

• The last time I checked, almost every grocery store was closed here in north Minneapolis.  Only So Low is still open.  Lesser riots happened here than farther south at the 3rd precinct.  There are popup food giveaways happening repeatedly, here and here.  If anyone knows a reliable way to donate money to them online, please let me know.

Remember clever Batman with his strategy and tactics.  Let's look there.

• "Qualified immunity" protects police from prosecution of their crimes.  Even conservatives agree that something has to change here. I tweeted my state and national representatives to inform them.

• Famously, British police do not carry firearms. I spoke about the militarization of police back during Occupy, and it's long past time to do something.  Trump made it easier, and now we have to demand making it impossible. I tweeted my senators and representative to support work on H.R. 1714.

• White supremacists intentionally infiltrate police departments.  The FBI said so back in 2006.  If anyone has suggestions here, I'm open to ideas.  I find this well researched webpage at the Green candidate for president.  I'm all for community control (not merely oversight) of local police.  I'm open to suggestions on how to create this reality, and quickly.  I already vote Green.

• So-called "broken window policing" has been detrimental, pretty much all around.  End it.  I tweeted my city and county representatives.

I very much like organic metaphors for complex problems.  The one that I rely upon here is an immune system.  Organisms rely on their internal immune system to protect against disrupting forces.  When the immune system attacks the normal body itself, however, that condition is clearly diseased and must be corrected.  In some cases, it is wise to eliminate the immune system and start over with a bone marrow transplant.  Painful... but necessary.

We need drastic changes, not just window dressing.

Comments

[foeclan]

A couple others of note, particularly for the Twin Cities fandom community:
- Uncle Hugo's and Uncle Edgar's bookstores burned down. There's a fundraiser for them here, which is now official (I got the link from their website).
- Dreamhaven was broken into and looted, but as they put it, thankfully they had incompetent arsonists whose fire went out. Their fundraiser is here.

[mellowtigger]

I just donated to Snopes as a fact-checking organization. A very important activity during fascist gaslighting.

https://twitter.com/MellowTigger/status/1288215354968346629