This is one of the most powerful things we, as non-elected, non-wealthy, private citizens, can do. We don’t need to raise a militia, but we do need to contribute to the fight in our own ways, as situations dictate.
‘Doing the Thing’ – the specific activity each of us takes on in the support of democracy – for our family, our friends and those we don’t even know, is the real power of the people.
Help out your local food bank – This will be one of the worst winters for those facing food insecurity with the government shutdown (which will take weeks to get over), the looming effects of Trump’s Big Ugly Bill, the worsening economy, high prices and tariffs (which are just now kicking in). Food banks are stretched to the limit, and beyond, and need everyone’s help.
Help out a neighbor – They could be one who’s vulnerable to immigration problems, a federal worker who’s been laid off or someone who has lost their in-home care (due to immigrant labor shortages?).You could provide child care, transportation, meals, shopping help, friendship and conversation, etc.
Help out your community – volunteer at a school, day care facility, Boys and Girls clubs, senior center, veterans center, etc. These engagements can be excellent opportunities to share good information about what’s going on and good sources to get that info.
Help out yourself – This is a recurring theme but we have to take care of ourselves by being careful not to burn out or get too depressed by all the bad news coming from this administration.
Share our information – When others say they want to help but don’t know what to do, tell them about B4D and what they can do.
Democracy, by design, requires that we all participate in the process. This means learning a basic civics education, like we got in school, and then recognizing and celebrating our democracy informally as the opportunities arise in our daily lives.
The next step involves finding and supporting the organizations that are in this fight as well. Many are actually bringing the lawsuits that have blocked most of the administration’s executive orders – for now. There’s still a ton of work to be done and these groups need our support, financially and otherwise.