Be as Brave and Gentle as You Can
This is an inflection point. Everything that comes next flows from here.
Are you anxious right now? Me too. While some people are feeling confident about a blue wave, I have lived through too many electoral surprises to make any predictions or take anything for granted. I am worried about electoral interference, and about whether some people are really willing to prioritize their own survival and well-being above their bigotry and allegiance to whiteness. My anxieties also extend beyond the polls. Like many of you, I am concerned about how the right might respond to Democratic victories, including retaliation and efforts to subvert democratic outcomes. I also regard what some would call a worry as a certainty: that Democratic wins won't be enough to beat back fascism, because MAGA leadership is lawless and ruthless, and because the Democratic Party has never adequately prioritized our liberty, well-being, or survival.
All of these concerns are well-grounded.
And yet, this moment matters. These elections matter. The outcomes we are hoping for won't resolve the crises we are facing, which have been hundreds of years in the making. But this is an inflection point. Everything that comes next flows from here.
So how can we handle ourselves right now? How can we dig into the moment, while also strengthening our ability to face whatever comes next?
One thing we should be prepared for on Election Day is the possibility that Republicans will attempt to create delays or confusion in particular target areas, and then highlight those areas as emblematic of a larger conspiracy to "steal" the midterms. If you see this kind of talk about an area, look for trusted voices on the ground there. Amplify their accounts of what's really happening, including calls for particular kinds of support.
Whether you're on the ground or supporting from afar, please do your best to share verified information about threats or disruptions. Tensions will be high, and some people will be afraid. We don't want to cause panic or inadvertently discourage voting by reporting unsubstantiated threats. We don't know what the right will do, so this is about staying vigilant, supporting people, and amplifying facts.
One of the most useful things anyone can do is help people you know get to the polls. Ask around. Who hasn't voted yet? Who wants to? What kind of support could make that happen? Some people simply need encouragement and help making a plan. Some may need a ride or a babysitter. Be patient and understanding about the day-to-day troubles and crises that hold people back. Most people are not as attentive to politics as you are, but many care deeply about something this election will affect, so be ready to talk to them about that issue (affordability, trans rights, abortion, data centers, hating Trump, etc.) and emphasize that this is something we can do to help move things in the right direction.
And if you voted early so you could be ready to respond to whatever might come up on Election Day, thanks for that, too.
I also want to express my gratitude to committed organizers who are laboring for unlikely victories. The longshots, the underdogs, the ballot measures that are out-monied ten to one and then some—thank you for making room for possibility on an ugly, corrupt battlefield. We need you, and I appreciate you.
I likewise want to extend some love and appreciation to every voter and activist who, like me, hates elections and electoral work. I really loathe this stuff, and it’s not where most of my political energy goes. I realize it's daunting and often disappointing. I want to thank people for trying, all the same, and for recognizing that this moment is about giving as many people as we can a chance to survive, move freely, and stay in the fight. This is not a question of who will be liberated by a particular outcome, but who gets to keep fighting for the world they deserve. Too many of those possibilities have been eclipsed, too many futures cut short, too many worlds destroyed. The worst destroyers among us must lose some of their power and legitimacy if we hope to gain any ground. This is not about settling. It’s about fighting to keep as many people here, on this land and in this world, as we can right now, and I am grateful to everyone making that effort.
I know it’s complicated.
Even the best-case scenarios on Election Day will leave some people feeling abandoned. Trans people, in particular, have been horribly betrayed by some Democratic candidates. While some people are cavalier about such sacrificial politics, some of us are rightly furious. We should stay furious. We should continue to demand more, and to fight for something bigger than what’s presently on offer. Anti-fascist politics must embody a refusal to abandon anyone our enemies would grind under. Anything less is a slow-motion surrender that will only speed up with time.
We cannot allow ourselves to shrink our aspirations to the size of a moment when people are trying to crush us. We must hold onto each other, and demonstrate through our words and actions that none of our neighbors or siblings in struggle are expendable. We are not bound by the craven compromises of those who cower. We are everyday people struggling for survival and liberation under an authoritarian regime. We surrender nothing and no one.
Regardless of where our primary contributions are made, many of us understand that our politics and our commitments will matter well beyond Election Day. Every relationship we strengthen, and every act of solidarity we undertake, can help build our collective capacity. Every line of communication between people with shared values is a potential lifeline. This is true of large organizations and formations, but also of the smaller threads that hold our communities together. Your building’s group chat, your PTA phone tree, and your reading group can all become projects for collective survival when your community is under threat. So maintain those connections, and have meaningful conversations.
Check on your people. Extend some love.
As you navigate the stress of this moment, remember that doing anything good for other people will be a better use of your energy than staring at social media or press updates all day. Whatever your work is, this is a good time to do it. Whatever stress or suffering you can alleviate for others, that kindness is needed now. People are tired and frightened. It would be easy to waste time and energy quarreling online and fostering more alienation. Let's do the opposite and fortify the relationships and networks of care and solidarity that will get us through this.
You don't have to respond to everything that stirs up a strong emotion. But it might be worth asking yourself: what do people who are feeling what I am feeling need right now? How can I put some of that into the world, or into my community?
Whether you live in an area targeted by the right tomorrow or not, remember that there is power in holding space with other people to live and assert your values. This is one of the ways we cultivate meaning in difficult times. Whether you hold signs, light candles, sing songs, or simply give voice to your collective commitments, remember that not every action is an arm-wrestling match. Sometimes, we simply need to reaffirm who we are to each other, and sustain a shared sense of solidarity and purpose. Don't hesitate to gather for the sake of being together. Being together, during difficult and uncertain times, matters for its own sake. And it's something many people have forgotten how to do. So let’s help each other remember.
Of course, sustaining our capacity to act also means finding ways to move through fear and uncertainty without becoming overwhelmed. If you need to calm your own nerves right now, remember the importance of rituals. I am not talking about kneeling in prayer, unless that happens to suit your needs. Rituals take many shapes. They're one of the most basic ways in which we, as people, practice and embody our beliefs. They can be about the work of making culture, or the work of making meaning for ourselves. Sometimes, they’re about creating a small bit of peace in a tumultuous world. There are shared rituals of meaning and purpose, such as vigils, and there are private rituals that can help us move through various ways of being. Singing a song that's always calmed your nerves is a ritual. The preparation of your favorite tea can be a ritual. So can smashing something. What soothes you? What would give you a bit of peace or ground you in this moment? What can help ease you through this uncertainty, into the next moment when you can do something helpful, celebrate good news, or figure out what comes next?
This is a time to hold each other and hold onto what we value. It's a time to care for ourselves and each other. Move with care, and be as brave and gentle as you can.
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