I know I mention this every time some notable fascism happens, but one simple way to help fight it is to to help people work around it. Buy a pack of these stickers for $20, or ask for a free pack if you don't have the money. Then stick them in public restrooms, etc
www.plancpills.org/stickers
We have been working around some pretty advanced fascism here in Texas for a while now. Longer than the rest of y'all. Mutual aid is 100% the way to go. And I mean actual community work, not asking for personal donations on the internet. Build systems of care.
Houston's chapter of Food Not Bombs is always looking for people to help procure food donations, to cook, and to serve meals. The same is probably true where you are if you live in a city.
Or make donations to community free fridges in your city. Feeding people is a powerful act of rebellion.
Get yourself a prison pen pal. Humanize someone that the government has worked so hard to dehumanize. Massive fight against fascism win.
Do a book drive for people in jail or prison, if you're in a state where they are still allowed to receive books. Education is power.
These are the types of things I started doing in 2016, and while they won't keep you from occasional spirals, they will lift you out of a persistent feeling of helplessness.
You're only helpless if you decide to be helpless.
Take a bit to feel really rotten if you need it and then get to work.
I also started taking anti-anxiety medicine. If you've never been evaluated for anxiety, but you feel anxious or helpless a lot, maybe look into it. I'm not trying to medicate everyone, but I will tell you that it has immensely improved my life.
And one last thing, if you're comfortable speaking in front of people, run for office.
I ran for an unwinnable seat in the Texas legislature in 2018. I'm still proud of the campaign I ran, which included a lot of educating people about the state of our state. Change takes time and persistence.
As much as I would personally LOVE to run for office, unfortunately if you get SSI (US disability welfare) like I do, you running for office is going to make the Social Security Administration (SSA) cut your benefits off because it thinks you can somehow support yourself now.
