Welcome new admins, I can't get my brain to be friendly right now (not related to you or any of this at all), so I'll just leave it at I'm glad it isn't anyone I have blocked, and good luck.
I'm in a really bad headspace right now due to irl bullshit, so I've not got around to and honestly don't have the brain bandwidth to make my own post about this right now or even discuss it in any depth (nor to fully process what you've suggested in op), but this seems like an opportunity to bring it up if not as a general discussion, then at least for the admins of this specific instance to read and consider, I think it's really important and something I've seen (and personally experienced) get people who are organisers and run communities to end up acting against their own community members and make the latter feel excluded and even unsafe, so I'm just going to leave this here.
The essays are titled "tyranny of civility", they are a bit long, but yeah, I think really important especially on this instance where we (should) take abolishing oppressive structures, even within our selves, seriously:
E: There is also Social Power and the Oppressive Potential of Civility which is a later discussion by the same author about the series of essays, and their observations since to, in their words "hopefully highlight some issues that I believe are created by maintaining civility as an unquestioned social norm in a society where institutionalized and social oppression operates along a variety of dimensions." as a kind of TL;DR (though still read the essays if you can)
Western Europe (excluding Britain) is taking this threat pretty seriously
What an odd exclusion to make.. The government might not be taking it seriously, but most others aren't either (and why would they? they serve capitalism, not society). Plenty of the people here (in Britain, in case it wasn't clear) are just as concerned as the rest of Europe (and the world)..
Just going to leave this here
So licking fascist boot is the solution?
Fuck that complicity.
Lmfao, do you live under a fucking rock?
Fascist parties have been gaining power all over Europe (and elsewhere) for ages, and have gotten significantly emboldened and actively backed by him since he became ~~president~~ whatever his dictatorial title will end up being.
Presumably, when you are speaking about these things you have first hand knowledge of reputable people and organisations.
And also, the burden of the constant demand to teach people about your lived experience, even though thousands of others who share it have already wilfully taken the time to document it extensively. We're not talking about individual experiences, but about well establish and deep rooted systemic oppression.
At the end of the day, expecting marginalised people, especially random ones you "happen upon" (would they even be asking if I wasn't here?), to be the ones constantly doing the work is an unearned entitlement that comes with privilege, and what those with that privilege should be doing instead is using it to lessen the burden on marginalised people, not increase it. Step one is learning to invest their own time and energy instead of demanding or even just expecting it from others.
"Revolution is not a one time event" is one of her quotes that come to mind, have quite a few of hers saved in my collection.
With regard to the astroturfing, are you saying that the sources people might find are AI? Sure, that's definitely a thing that is happening, but I'm not sure what I'm meant to do about that? I'm no better than the next person at recognising AI and would need to read through and make a call just like anyone else (and then we open a whole other can of worms of rating the writing and or expression levels, and potential use of assistive tools of, especially in this case, fellow disabled people, which can become really problematic, really fast).
Like I say, I'm perfectly happy to help, especially those who have shown even a bit of initiative, but there's only so much I can do, and really, the burden shouldn't be falling on us to not only educate those with more privilege, but also become expert at deciphering AI use (and within that, legitimate vs intentionally manipulative).
Na, it's perfectly reasonable to expect people who claim to care and genuinely want to know, to make a minimal effort.
"I tried looking it up but couldn't find an answer, do you mind helping me out"? Sure, no issue here, wouldn't have even mentioned it. But to drop in to a conversation without knowing anything about the topic, and expect disabled (or otherwise marginalised) people who are personally impacted (and therefore constantly having to have the same emotionally laborious conversations over and over and over) to do the work for you before you've even tried? That's going to get (seriously fucking gently) called out every time.
I have the same poor quality search engines at my disposal, and have to sift through similar results.
There is also an easy way to recognise actual advocacy sources vs industry publications - is a disabled person writing from their personal experience? Advocacy. Is the article written by someone who isn't personally impacted? Irrelevant. Simple.
E: The fact that I went ahead and did the work for them anyway despite all of that (with, again, the gentlest of reminders that they could be doing it themselves), and people still find a way to complain about how supposedly unaccommodating I'm being is fucking wild..
It's almost as if there is no ethical consumption under capitalism... 🤔
And I'm not trying to be an ass, but in the same way I've just had to look up "paper straws unsuitable for disabled people" to provide you with the answer, you could have just done so yourself and come across one of tens of thousand of articles, videos, podcasts, and images addressing this specific topic.
https://www.eater.com/2018/7/19/17586742/plastic-straw-ban-disabilities
https://creakyjoints.org/advocacy/plastic-straw-bans-bad-for-people-with-disabilities/
https://www.a-zine.net/blog/2018/7/31/straws-are-not-the-issue
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/09/disabled-person-plastic-straws-baby-wipes
TL;DR:
(ID: 2 tables breaking down why each type of alternative straw might be unsuitable for different disabled people. If someone needs a more in depth description, please ask)
E: just for context
(ID: image of an old informational leaflet detailing the medical and accessibility benefits of single use bendy straws, which were invented for that specific use in the first place)
ID: photo of someone holding up a cushion in a double-sided sequin cover where the sequins are a different colour or pattern depending on what direction they are laying.
Here the background sequins are blue, and a pattern has been brushed in the opposite direction in the shape of a slug's head complete with optical tentacles (eyes at the ends of antennae), to reveal Nicolas Cage's eyes and mouth perfectly fitting in to give the slug a face.
ID: Baby Yoda using a laptop, leaning back a little and staring at the monitor looking confused, above is text: "How tf a computer gone ask me if I'm a robot, mf u a robot"
ID: image of a crate trap baited with Blahaj
ID: Xtremely Transbian, Online @ThisACoolPerson posted:
"i imagine being a liberal is much like having a cat on your lap, in that you have a comforting distraction from misery and can't stand up for anything"
E: before people derail the conversation to offer me the fallen arm from the title - I've tried many different combinations, and they all result in a wrong looking shruggy face. Deal with it lol
ID:
"Me: *stands up really fast*
My entire body:"
Bellow are 12 different engine warning lights that you would have on a car dashboard.
ID:
1 Illustration of a person standing with their arms crossed, around them are the following items: a beanie, a sweatshirt, an open rucksack, a folded bandana, some power snacks, and a bottle of water with an ACAB sticker on it. Above it is text:
COME PREPARED:
Wear clothes you feel comfortable moving in, running shoes, and layers for the weather. Bring water, an energy bar, and a bandana in case of surveillance.
2 Illustration of 3 people walking in a row , two have their arms linked, a third is carrying a "FTP" sign. Above it is text:
ROLL WITH A CREW:
We roll together in "affinity groups." Before the march, share your contact info, legal and medical issues, and what to do in case of arrest. Have each other's back in the streets. Leave together.
3 An illustration of a birds eye view of a protest march. Above it is text:
TAKE THE STREETS, STAY TOGETHER:
The streets are our voice. Pigs will work to split us apart, force us onto the sidewalk, kettle us, and snatch people. Stay tight so they can't grab stragglers, regroup if we get divided, and take as many lanes as possible.
4 An illustration of a protest going down a city street, instead of continuing forward towards a police blockade, they are turning down a side street. Above it is text:
QUICK AT THE CORNERS:
Pigs use intersections to split the march and push us onto the sidewalk. Move fast to get ahead of their lines, flow around or push through them to stay in the street.
5 Illustration of two cops arresting a protestor. A person off screen shouts "WHAT'S YOUR NAME?? ", the person being arrested replies "MY NAME IS ..." the person off screen replies "YOUR DATE OF BIRTH". Above it is text:
GET FREE OR GET MOVING:
If someone is arrested, don't linger too long or pigs will kettle the march. Free the comrade, or else get their name and birthdate for jail support and keep it moving.
6 An illustration of a line of cops and a squad car, in front of them are a turned over bin and newspaper dispenser blocking the road. Above it is text:
BARRICADE THE BACK:
Drag objects into the street behind the march, to break up vehicles or lines of cops following us. These light blockades will also slow traffic and help shut it down.
7 An illustration of a birds eye view of a road with cars and people walking between them, there are police cars on the side road trying to get through. Above it is text:
WITH AND AGAINST TRAFFIC:
We march with traffic in order to keep the march together, and against traffic when we need to lose vehicles or lines of cops that are tailing us.
8 Several illustrations of activities and objects: there is a person jumping a turnstile, a person throwing a smoke bomb, two people carrying a large garbage bin, and a person bent over revealing their butt. There is also a can of spray paint, an umbrella, a doughnut, a large bike lock, and a laser pointer. In the corner is the approving Drake meme. Above them is text:
DIVERSITY OF TACTICS:
Everyone is free to support the cause as they see fit. We don't police each other's actions, or snitch on each other to pigs or the media. At the same time, we take care not to endanger others with our actions.
9 An illustration of a row of people standing in front of a house, joining hands. In the tree that is in the front yard there are signs: "no cop zone", "FTP", and "no eviction!". Above it is text:
SUPPORT THOSE DIRECTLY AFFECTED: We support the leadership of people who are directly affected by the issue at hand. Those of us with different privileges shoulder risks and burdens when others can't. Talk to people you are struggling with. The stronger our relationships, the stronger the movement and less cooptable it is.
Credit: @frontlinemedics
ID: Drawing of a black cat from behind with their butthole on display as a white asterisk, they have a pink bow tied on their tail, and are looking back at the reader. Next to it is text:
"It's okay to tell some people to kiss Your ass you don't have to be nice to mean people all of the time"
Credit: @Radicallysunny
ID: Photo of a pink felt heart on a slightly paler pink background, overlaying is stylised text: "make the world a better place punch a nazi in their face"
ID: Photo of a white duck, next to it is plain text:
"I'm here to eat grapes and kick ass and the lemonade stand is fresh out of grapes"
for the ~~kids~~ uninitiated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtN1YnoL46Q
ID: image from The Sopranos, Paulie Walnuts has a confused look on his face and is raising his hand to gesture "hold on", the subtitles say "Ain't no fucking way that whole Siberian Orchestra is trans"
ID: drawing of a frog sitting on a lily pad that is floating on a river in a forest at sunset, there are some birds flying past. In the large setting sun is text:
"Nature's little menace.
A wet gremlin.
A swamp goblin.
Fear me."
credit: @radicallysunny
Glad the essays got some appreciation. <3
And thanks, sadly no better, and genuinely thank you for the offer it's really kind of you, but I think it's probably all a bit much to put on a stranger..