Developing Strategies

Welcome to my first blog post on this topic of developing strategies and plans to navigate the next administration in this country. This has been a hard week of just being with the feelings. Trying to navigate my own sense of disbelief and terror about what could possibly be happening for the next four years. Rather than just sit in my feelings, I would rather channel that energy into something more productive and perhaps helpful to those of you who might not have the resources I have.

I cannot say that I am an expert in this field, but I’ve studied a lot of history and I also teach art history at the college level. I’ll just say I have an understanding and a perspective that might be useful in discovering information, verifying that information and communicating it to you. I will do my due diligence to make sure the information I give you is correct and verifiable.

It’s important to remember to make sure the information will fit the situation. Some of us might be in safer places, geographically, have more united communities, physical/emotional support, effective communication, better opportunities. Others might have a very different situations that they are in where the violence and abuse are limiting their lives. For example, many women in this country will be feeling the uptake of violence as some men feel they can harass and bully women into submission or are in marriages or other relationships that are controlling them. We need to try and reach them to let them know there are options and safe places..

This is a terrible direction our country is taken and it is my hope that if we gather together, remain in our humanity that we will get through this to the other side and be able to do something with what is left, but at this time there were so many unknowns so many things that we have not experienced as a country. We have to experience now because of this election.

My goal in starting this blog is to educate and gather accurate, practical, and useful information. The schedule for these will be weekly so I can do proper research. Dropping a new blog every Fridays starting this week.

If you have any suggestions for topics that you would like me to research send me an email.

Recognizing the Signs of Authoritarianism

• Erosion of Democratic Institutions: Attacks on free press, judiciary, and legislative oversight.

• Suppression of Rights: Crackdowns on free speech, protests, and marginalized communities.

• Consolidation of Power: Leaders bypassing checks and balances, extending terms, or neutralizing political opponents.

• Control of Information: Spread of propaganda, censorship, and surveillance.

It is important to stay vigilant and be proactive in how you prepare and stay aware.

We also have to remember that we are never alone in these situations. There are others who might be isolated by fear, geography, and unable to communicate effectively their vulnerability to these kinds of situations. It is important to find them and bring them into the conversation and network. Our strength is in our diversity and unity.

In general, the authoritarian regime is trying to create disruption, the interruption of the services and goods, institutions we need to function as a society under normal conditions. This kind of chaos is part of the mechanism. This can translate to long lines, empty selves in super markets, being turned away for medical treatment and being harassed for needing help or services.

Start with your local community and begin creating active networks of communication to understand who’s safe and trustworthy. As well as how to distribute, information, resources and protect those who are most affected by the violence and oppression.

I know at this point we do not have the full picture of what they are trying to do. What we do know is that they want to dismantle a large percentage of the federal government. This will cause a tremendous amount of disinformation and the slowing down of government process.

This would be a good time to make sure all of your documentation and paperwork for things such as wills, living, wills, medical directives, estate trusts, land trusts, passport, drivers licenses, etc., are up-to-date before they take full control.

It’s also important to remember that resources such as food, medicine, herbal products, dry goods, hygiene products, menstrual products, Birth control, water, etc. might be difficult to acquire during this change over and after. Some of this will be deliberate to keep our live lives out of balance, unsettled, fearful and not trusting those around us. This is an authoritarian tactic that is used to create deprivation and distrust among the people they are trying to control.

Remember the biggest weapons we have against an authoritarian regime is organization, unity, and resistance. We always have to temper that with what is a reasonable risk in the greater arc of our resistance. For example, sometimes protesting is appropriate other times figuring out how to move people stealthy from one place to another to keep them safe. Another strategy would be to slowly acquire goods and stocking up on them over a long period of time as opposed to running a grocery store or a hardware store for goods we might think will be scarce. This is some thing we can all do now.

Below I have a list of things to explore that you can do starting now. I will have more to post next week as I continue to sort out information that can be use ful.

Strategies for Individual Resistance

Educate Yourself and Others

• Read widely from reliable sources.

• Share knowledge through discussions, blogs, and social media to counter propaganda.

Build Networks

• Strengthen local community ties and mutual support systems.

• Join or form grassroots organizations advocating for democracy and human rights.

Document and Expose

• Use technology to document abuses and spread awareness.

• Support independent journalism and whistleblowers.

Practice Civil Disobedience

• Boycotts, peaceful protests, and acts of non-cooperation.

• Learn from historical movements like Gandhi’s independence struggle or the U.S. Civil Rights Movement.

Protect Your Privacy

• Use encrypted communication tools (e.g., Signal, ProtonMail).

• Avoid sharing sensitive information online unnecessarily.

Support Civil Society

• Volunteer or donate to NGOs working for human rights, press freedom, and legal support for dissenters.

• Promote non-partisan advocacy for transparent governance.

Strengthen Local Democracy

• Advocate for fair elections, voting rights, and community representation.

• Hold local leaders accountable through petitions, public forums, and watchdog groups.

Engage in Nonviolent Resistance

• Refer to works like “From Dictatorship to Democracy” by Gene Sharp for tactical frameworks.

• Coordinate symbolic acts, strikes, or organized civil resistance campaigns.

Work with Allies

• Build coalitions with international organizations, like Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch.

• Learn from and collaborate with groups in other countries fighting authoritarianism.

Utilizing Technology Wisely

• Leverage social media for spreading awareness but avoid echo chambers.

• Use digital tools to organize securely and avoid state surveillance.

• Beware of misinformation campaigns; verify before sharing.

Preparing for Potential Challenges

• Plan for Repression: Know your legal rights, have emergency contacts, and create contingency plans.

• Resilience Training: Develop mental, physical, and emotional resilience to face prolonged struggles.

• Financial Preparation: Secure savings, crowdfund support for legal battles, or aid those affected.

Advocating for Long-Term Change

• Promote education that emphasizes critical thinking and civic engagement.

• Campaign for systemic reforms like transparency laws and anti-corruption measures.

• Foster a culture of accountability at all levels of governance.

Helpful Resources

• Books: On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder, How Democracies Die by Levitsky & Ziblatt.

• Organizations: ACLU, Freedom House, Reporters Without Borders.

• Tools: Guides on encrypted communication, protest rights, and civil disobedience.