lemkininstitute.com/red-flag-a…
It occurs to me that I don't hear very many of you talking about this. The link is to a Red Flag Alert (their 3rd) about an impending genocide against trans people occurring in the United States of America.
The Lemkin Instititute for Genocide Prevention and Human Security is the organisation which has made the determination. That page explains the particular outlines of this attempt at genocide. And confirms that this attempt is happening.
This is why activists like me are running around with our hair on fire. In fact, it was seeing this coming if Trump won again that got me started working on asylum for trans people in January of 2023.
Yes. 2023. Almost two years before the election that brought Trump back, I started a petition to the Canadian government to help head this off.
M. Trudeau did not have any interest in doing anything about this, in his inspiring program of "sucking up to Trump in every snivelling way he could grind his nose into the orange gasbag's exhaust hole."
Mark Carney makes a big show of his Elbows Up theatrical bit, but he's just as authoritarian as Trump, he's just got actual social skills and knowledge and stuff, so he's doing it quietly and competently.
But he's still doing it.
This is why I want y'all, you Canadian trans folk, or indeed anyone trans or who loves trans people and lives in Canada, to contact your Member of Parliament. And just ask them to please advocate for this Safe Third Country Agreement to be suspended with regard to trans people from the US and UK.
I don't use the word genocide lightly. Ever. Even if I weren't truly convinced by the experts whose opinions I've read, all of which agree that that's what this is.
The Shoah gave us the idea of the Righteous Among Nations, people who risked, and often lost, their lives protecting Jews from the Nazis.
That's your role, cis folk. Righteousness. For us.
Star12Mt@Masto.NYC
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Julien Sueur
in reply to Star12Mt@Masto.NYC • • •Got your Point. Well, Resistance Starts with the Truth... I'd Rather Shit on It like you Say at Least for Making a Constructive Point. I Actually Call this Lifting Up and Being Realistic Preventing Going in the "Wrong" Direction Once Again. I Don't Think Imperfection is Better than Perfection lol
Valerie Roney
in reply to Julien Sueur • • •@juliensueur
First off, unless someone asks for your critique of how they are doing, it is very likely unwelcome.
Secondly you have failed to grasp the core concept of what I stated. Just because you think shitting on someone else's efforts is helpful (and unsolicited criticism is 100% shitting on someone) doesn't mean you didn't just shit on them. And what I am saying is don't do that.
It's demotivating and the opposite of helpful. And what you want is to help.
@Star12Mt @kerravonsen
Julien Sueur
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Valerie Roney
in reply to Julien Sueur • • •@juliensueur
Sigh.... You've now had two opportunities to listen, and squandered them both.
So here's some Unfiltered Truth to help you Do Better:
Interacting with you has been profoundly unpleasant. You seem to be quite the asshole. Which is why I am blocking you now.
soaproot
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •I read the first reply, thought, hmm, looks blockworthy (hostility, lack of engaging in any constructive way). There's almost always a second message which confirms that and this time there indeed was and I blocked. Then saw this thread about other people reaching the same conclusion.
I say that not because I deserve a medal (I'm sure I don't), just encouraging other people to recognize this pattern of behavior and don't be afraid to block people if it seems warranted to you. @juliensueur@vivaldi.net
Valerie Roney
in reply to soaproot • • •@soaproot
Yeah, I am trying to leave more space for the climb down; I get that everyone is strung out and grumpy and sometimes needs a nudge back to humanity.
This was not a a successful nudge.
secretsloth
in reply to Julien Sueur • • •secretsloth
in reply to secretsloth • • •Valerie Roney
in reply to secretsloth • • •Well said! Beautiful rant. Thank you. 🥰
@Star12Mt @kerravonsen
Julien Sueur
in reply to Star12Mt@Masto.NYC • • •Thanks for the Blocking. You Know, in This World, Everyone is Kind of Disabled, Psychologicaly or Physically. Me First lol. And for Answering, I am a Nobody just Passing By Waiting for my Own Death.
Gareth Kitchen
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Danil Suits
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Dustin Mitchell
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Perrin42
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Valerie Roney
in reply to Perrin42 • • •Cheeky answer:
It's hard enough getting people's hearts and minds aligned, to get butts all lined up to shit in solidarity would be a real challenge.
More seriously, cheering on individual efforts is still an act of solidarity.
Perrin42
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Valerie Roney
in reply to Perrin42 • • •😆
*snortlaugh*
Kerr Avonsen (she/her)
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Those who punch down are expressing their anger in all directions. Perhaps they think that scolding will prick people to greater effort; perhaps not.
Yes, it is not enough, it is never enough, because, as you say, no single action is going to solve everything.
As the saying goes, "The perfect is the enemy of the good." Those who demand perfection are always going to be disappointed.
cognitively accessible math
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Curious Loth-cat Ghost
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Frank Heijkamp
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •babble encat
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Oggie
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •How do you eat an elephant, indeed.
One bite at a time.
Valerie Roney
in reply to Oggie • • •Sune Auken
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Wortex17
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Yes please!
This is true for so many things that may not register as "resistance" as well.
If it's the direction you want the world to go, celebrate it, encourage it, don't belittle it, even if it's not <there> yet.
Valerie Roney reshared this.
Tormod
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •I made this a few years back.
Valerie Roney reshared this.
Maria Langer (has been here 4 years)
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •@grumpy4n6 You are absolutely right and I am probably guilty of doing this. Sorry.
It's very frustrating and discouraging when so many people think that their little tiny thing -- signing an online petition, wearing a certain color hat, sharing a meme -- is going to turn the world around. Especially when so many of these people fail to do the big things: vote, call their Senators and Congress people, attend Townhall meetings. It's the bragging about Slactivism that I'm against.
Matt McIrvin
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •I think some of this disparagement activity is ratfucking sponsored by the Bad Guys.
It's kind of like the 1960s adage that the guy in your radical group who tells you you need to stop messing around with useless protests and get violent is the undercover cop.
Valerie Roney
in reply to Matt McIrvin • • •@mattmcirvin excellent point. It absolutely is part of the authoritarian playbook to demotivate and generate a sense of powerlessness and inevitability.
Also, thank you for "ratfucking" that's a new phrase for me. All my old swear words are worn out.
Matt McIrvin
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •It seems to be a term that originated in the context of mid-20th-century college pranks and was applied to national politics during the Watergate era.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratfucki…
Ratfucking - Wikipedia
Contributors to Wikimedia projects (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.)Valerie Roney
in reply to Matt McIrvin • • •Colin
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •if I could pin other folks’ posts… this would be the one.
YESSS.
Valerie Roney
Unknown parent • • •@failedLyndonLaRouchite
Nope.
Unless they ask for a critique re the efficiency of their resistance don't offer one. What they need to hear is "yay you!" or "good job pushing back!"
You are however allowed to ask:
"How can I help?"
Valerie Roney
Unknown parent • • •@kerravonsen @geonz
Good discussion! Whether it's performative or not, a lot of uncertain people trying to find ways to engage with be lurking and would see folks being shot down for being perforative and then doubt themselves and their motives and be less likely to try something out of their comfort zone. It demotivates all around.
It isn't always about who you're talking to, it's also about who's quietly listening.
Kerr Avonsen (she/her)
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •cybershadow
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Viktoria D. Richards/Uddelhexe
in reply to cybershadow • • •@cybershadow
It does!
The humans in power want us to loose hope and think, our small efforts do not matter, but they do.
Every drop counts!
Every light, no matter how small, contributes!
And with many of the little actions, we can become a flood.
Just keep going in your pace!💪
Jigme Datse
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Jonah's Not a Serious Person
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Es Toot Mir Lewd
in reply to Jonah's Not a Serious Person • • •6
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •it just means you should focus on the good parts, and "point positive", towards how to make things even better, instead of negative, of what they did wrong or are in danger of doing wrong
and ofc try to minimize the amount of criticism in any one feedback, too much will just make you feel like you're shit at it, but a little bit of actionable feedback can help you move forward much more easily
Valerie Roney
in reply to 6 • • •@6 Well said.
We need a lot more "yes and..." and less of the "yeah but..."
Focus on where you want things to move and build on that.
Sepia Fan
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •👍
No dunes without grains of sand.
Valerie Roney reshared this.
Valerie Roney
Unknown parent • • •Ivan Bk
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Julé Cunningham
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Valerie Roney
Unknown parent • • •Scary Austin JUST VOTED BLUE!
Unknown parent • • •Yes, thank you for helping me find another person to block! Any time someone makes a great, common sense post like yours, I look through the replies for the jerks I haven't blocked yet.
Nuki Raccoon: gay little shitposter
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Vincent Sparks
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •unless they do something that's actually useless, like voting, or calling their congressional representatives. then it's okay to shit on them, right? /s
and of course if they vote for either of the two major candidates it's our civic duty to call them a fascist
Amanda G in Éirinn
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Valerie Roney reshared this.
Pierre Pebble
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Valerie Roney
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •☝️Two follow up thoughts from the conversations on this thread:
Patience.
For a lot of people, this is their first foray into non-compliance. They are going to start with small things within their comfort zone. This isn't a failure to do bigger things, this is training for it.
Self compassion.
If you are finding yourself angry at how little others are doing, you may be burned out. Rest is resistance too, as is pivoting to joy or humour in how you protest.
reshared this
Chris Were ⁂🐧🌱☕️ and Kevin Davy reshared this.
cliffordheath
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Valerie Roney reshared this.
Chris Were ⁂🐧🌱☕️
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •hanktank61
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •zl2tod
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Tautoko.
If everyone did one small act of resistance today the fight would be over tomorrow.
Valerie Roney reshared this.
hanktank61
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Catherine is not complacent
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Valerie Roney
Unknown parent • • •Yaaaaaaaaaas!
Brilliant point. It's a sign the Overton Window is shifting. Which gives everybody else more social permission to push back. This is the kind of feedback loop that drives change. Wahoo!
fluffy 💜
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Kalshann
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •The November Man ☯️🇺🇦🏳️🌈
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Rania rizq
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •We lost our home, and now my children and I are living in a fragile tent with no protection from the cold, heat, or insects.
My children suffer every day, and I am unable to provide their basic needs 💔
Please don’t leave us alone. Any donation or share could help us survive 🙏🤍
🔗 Help & donation link in bio.
Scott Francis
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •zendao42
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good
argonaut
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •@troublewithwords
indeed. if only people realised getting others in the right **direction** is the real difficult part, and then getting the right progress is just a matter of time…
Valerie Roney reshared this.
Valerie Roney
Unknown parent • • •punIssuer
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •BUT: you talk about being gay. You DON'T talk about doing crime. Ever, to anybody.
Andrew J Spaulding
in reply to Valerie Roney • • •