A Palestinian activist with a Green Card was just moved to a detention facility in Louisiana, 1300 miles from his pregnant American wife. This is fascism.
Thank you for spreading the word! I’m in Louisiana 😝 — although not near Jena. Is there anything I might do specifically for Mahmoud, like send money for a commissary (if there is one) or bring books, stamps, whatever? I know many things are prohibited to send to prisons, but I don’t know what kind of facility Mahmoud is in.
I also want to recommend a book of poetry I got from Kickstarter many years ago called “Sincerely, Your Muslim Neighbor.” It’s a bit heartbreaking nowadays, but it’s also enlightening and well written.
As a Canadian, it's been horrifying to watch how quickly things are unravelling in the U.S. I have long relationships with 3 people who voted for Trump, and I am sick to my stomach when I think of how I'm supposed to navigate those relationships. Can I even look these people in the eye any more? I've already made it clear that I will not be visiting any more (I don't feel safe crossing the border).
The urgency to do as you've been telling us has become even more urgent for me after I participated in a rally over the weekend. It felt good to be with others in the fight but I knew in my own bones as I was leaving that without the community building you've been talking about, it's not enough for what is happening and worsening by the hour. I have been looking, trying to locate groups as you say, "outside of government control" with minimal luck so far in my pretty darn red area. There is an awesome food bank organization where I live but would I assume correctly that if they are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit it is NOT outside of government control?
Yes they will have to report earnings to government, etc - except it sounds like they are still worth supporting if they're doing good stuff! The rules can definitely bend, if they are helping communities.
But yes, outside government oversight is preferred at this point. Try and look at what is lacking in your area in terms of community support - and figure out what gaps need filling? Maybe it’s just a group chat for childcare; could be a food-sharing network (community fridges, etc); skill exchanges (you fix computers, she does taxes); resource pooling (tools, cars, spare rooms). You could also search “[your area] mutual aid” and see what pops up.
In case it's helpful, I am at the beginning stages of starting a mutual aid network in my area, dedicated to contributing to food security and community resilience. I am doing this via: 1) Opening a Community Fridge one town over, where there is greater need. This will be a self-service fridge, stocked by neighbors, providing no-cost food to anyone who needs it — no questions asked; and 2) Growing fruit and vegetables in my backyard and donating to a bigger local free food distribution network.
So, that's fresh food for kids, seniors, the disabled, the houseless, the poor purchased from small local farmers who are also in need. So, yeah, in real time example of how outside of government control is important. I will likely still give it a go to volunteer at least to see.
Interestingly, the daughter of one of the managers in my building is in charge of this organization's Mobile Market where they bring food to neighborhoods including to my building. And that manager, a social worker of sorts, and the staff in this building including the owner are very MAGA. I wonder what that conversation between mother and daughter will be like once they realize who made those cuts that will impact the people they work to help.
Really need people to snap out of denial ASAP. It's unfortunate, but it's gonna take a white person being detained for protesting or publishing before it sinks in. Sooner the better, might as well get it out of the way.
Does anyone here have an idea of a “boot camp” resource for building community networks? I’ve been trying in my community but so far I’ve only learned that I don’t know how to pitch it successfully.
As for specific community networks, I'd suggest being very clear on what your network was focused on and then posting in FB groups, as well as old-school flyering.
It is truly horrific what they did to him and his family. I agree this must be shared we have to keep navigating life without giving them more money.
Freedom of speech and freedom to protest are clearly gone
100% Theresa!
meanwhile a former Israeli PM invited to Harvard openly jokes about giving exploding pagers to protesters... https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/3/10/naftali-bennett-hbs-talk/
F’ing ghoulish
Thank you for spreading the word! I’m in Louisiana 😝 — although not near Jena. Is there anything I might do specifically for Mahmoud, like send money for a commissary (if there is one) or bring books, stamps, whatever? I know many things are prohibited to send to prisons, but I don’t know what kind of facility Mahmoud is in.
I also want to recommend a book of poetry I got from Kickstarter many years ago called “Sincerely, Your Muslim Neighbor.” It’s a bit heartbreaking nowadays, but it’s also enlightening and well written.
I'm not sure what we can do for him - but if I hear something I will post it here. And thank you for the book tip!
Shocked but not surprised.
As a Canadian, it's been horrifying to watch how quickly things are unravelling in the U.S. I have long relationships with 3 people who voted for Trump, and I am sick to my stomach when I think of how I'm supposed to navigate those relationships. Can I even look these people in the eye any more? I've already made it clear that I will not be visiting any more (I don't feel safe crossing the border).
The urgency to do as you've been telling us has become even more urgent for me after I participated in a rally over the weekend. It felt good to be with others in the fight but I knew in my own bones as I was leaving that without the community building you've been talking about, it's not enough for what is happening and worsening by the hour. I have been looking, trying to locate groups as you say, "outside of government control" with minimal luck so far in my pretty darn red area. There is an awesome food bank organization where I live but would I assume correctly that if they are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit it is NOT outside of government control?
Yes they will have to report earnings to government, etc - except it sounds like they are still worth supporting if they're doing good stuff! The rules can definitely bend, if they are helping communities.
But yes, outside government oversight is preferred at this point. Try and look at what is lacking in your area in terms of community support - and figure out what gaps need filling? Maybe it’s just a group chat for childcare; could be a food-sharing network (community fridges, etc); skill exchanges (you fix computers, she does taxes); resource pooling (tools, cars, spare rooms). You could also search “[your area] mutual aid” and see what pops up.
In case it's helpful, I am at the beginning stages of starting a mutual aid network in my area, dedicated to contributing to food security and community resilience. I am doing this via: 1) Opening a Community Fridge one town over, where there is greater need. This will be a self-service fridge, stocked by neighbors, providing no-cost food to anyone who needs it — no questions asked; and 2) Growing fruit and vegetables in my backyard and donating to a bigger local free food distribution network.
Update on that food bank I am considering:
"USDA cancels $1B in local food purchasing for schools, food banks"
and that food bank is a recipient of those funds...
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/10/usda-cancels-local-food-purchasing-for-schools-food-banks-00222796
So, that's fresh food for kids, seniors, the disabled, the houseless, the poor purchased from small local farmers who are also in need. So, yeah, in real time example of how outside of government control is important. I will likely still give it a go to volunteer at least to see.
Interestingly, the daughter of one of the managers in my building is in charge of this organization's Mobile Market where they bring food to neighborhoods including to my building. And that manager, a social worker of sorts, and the staff in this building including the owner are very MAGA. I wonder what that conversation between mother and daughter will be like once they realize who made those cuts that will impact the people they work to help.
Thanks, Jo, that helps.
Really need people to snap out of denial ASAP. It's unfortunate, but it's gonna take a white person being detained for protesting or publishing before it sinks in. Sooner the better, might as well get it out of the way.
We knew fuckery was going to hit new heights…we will fight on. ❤️🩹
Does anyone here have an idea of a “boot camp” resource for building community networks? I’ve been trying in my community but so far I’ve only learned that I don’t know how to pitch it successfully.
While this is not what you asked for, we have this article on how to build mutual aid networks: https://theprogressivists.substack.com/p/sorry-your-bootstraps-wont-save-you
As for specific community networks, I'd suggest being very clear on what your network was focused on and then posting in FB groups, as well as old-school flyering.
Thank you. I’ll keep trying