We Need to Fight Against Republican Extremism

7-6-23
   These are scary times for many of us. Much of the Republican Party has become steeped in extremism, intolerance, prejudice, authoritarianism, and frankly ignorance. In states throughout the country, Republicans are attacking LGBTQ rights, women’s reproductive rights, diversity programs, environmental initiatives, and more. Millions of us are feeling swirling mixtures of uncertainty, anxiety, fear, anger, fury, and a desire to fight back. To defend our rights and retake them in places where rights have been lost.
   But that leaves the question: What is the best way to do this?
   Here are some of my thoughts on that subject. Now I recognize there is no one single way to do this. Multiple factors come into play with regards to how fight back, and remember to keep it peaceful. Violence is not the answer.
   Speaking up and speaking out is so important in fighting for our rights because it educates people which in turn can lead to gaining badly needed allies. It may also encourage others who feel similarly to speak up themselves. Now I realize there are some people for whom speaking up is not an option for a variety of reasons, and that’s okay. But for those who are able and willing, it really can make a difference. There are numerous ways to speak up which include talking to people you know, posting on social media platforms, and even joining peaceful protests. One thing which is extremely important (and unfortunately gets overlooked by many people) is that it is vital to be accurate in what you say. Be able to back up your positions with good evidence that you’ve obtained from reliable, independent sources. Don’t just automatically repeat something that you hear and like without double-checking it’s accuracy because there is a lot of bad information out there. Just because something sounds good and you want it to be true, doesn’t mean that it actually is true. It may be grossly exaggerated or downright false. And spreading information that turns out to be inaccurate ends up hurting the cause because people become less likely to listen in the future even when you are correct and on point. So double check the information using reliable, independent sources.
   Another tactic is picking and choosing how and where you spend your money. For example, when able, you can avoid businesses that are particularly anti-LGBTQ while striving to support businesses that are pro-LGBTQ. This is why I refuse to go to Chick-fil-A. I don’t want that organization to get a penny of my money. In addition to that, you can tell people what you are doing and why. Maybe it will encourage them to do the same thing. Another idea money-wise is if you donate to charities, support well run organizations who are fighting for what you believe in.
   And here’s one more thing you can do, an extremely vitally important thing you can do: VOTE! Vote as many of these conservative Republicans out of office as possible and vote for individuals who will fight for the rights of LGBTQ people, women’s reproductive rights, diversity, etc. And be careful in how you use your vote. I’d recommend against voting for some third-party candidate who has zero chance of winning because often that ends up helping the Republican candidate by splitting the anti-Republican vote. Try voting for someone who will fight for our rights and also has a chance of winning their election.
   So while these are scary times, there are things we can do to fight for our rights and work to make this a better place for everyone.
   So let’s do it! The future is depending on us.