Resistance is Not Futile (8 February 2025)
- chronicillnessresilience`
- Feb 7, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 1
I've been thinking a lot about how to live in the current reality in the U.S. without sinking into despair. We have an administration determined to tear down the protections and supports many people are used to having. It's a scary time to be living in the U.S., especially for those of us who are immigrants or undocumented people, poor, disabled, black, indigenous, people of color, brown-skinned, queer, trans, non-binary, female-bodied, and the people who care for us and for democracy. We're clearly in for a rough ride.
I've heard people say we just have to get through the next four years, but I don't think it'll be that easy. The people in this administration have already shown they aren't interested in the rule of law or the peaceful transfer of power. We seem to be at the beginning of a descent into fascism and authoritarianism. If they have their way, it could take awhile for the U.S. to recover. Even then, fascism isn't going away. So what is our best course of action?
People who are chronically ill and disabled are particularly vulnerable to the exhaustion inherent in such difficult times. We all need to resource ourselves to get through this.
I think the first step is to take stock of the resources we already have. This is a good time to reach out to friends, to check in on the people in our lives, and think of the ways we can provide mutual support. Those of us with severe chronic illnesses might not be able to do much. Can we reach out with whatever capacity we have? Human to human contact is so vital, especially right now. For those who are more able-bodied, or have more privilege in other ways, how can we reach out to people who are more vulnerable?
How can we strengthen our resilience? Where do you feel supported by other people? For many of us in the chronic illness community, we get most or all our support from online groups. How can we strengthen our support of one another during the coming years? If you aren't getting the support you need, how can you find that? Can we find or create group chats or video calls to talk about how we are being impacted by the times we are living through? We need each other more than ever right now. Although my website is new, I created a group here to talk with each other about these things. It's under the Groups tab and called Care for the World. Please use the groups here as a resource.
With the onslaught of this administration's actions, many people are purposely avoiding the news. I’ve heard a number of people say they've decided to restrict the news they consume. I understand this urge, and have struggled with this decision. While I need to take care of myself, I don't want to ignore what's happening. Consider the relative privilege inherent in being able to ignore the news. This is certainly easier if you aren't worried about ICE agents raiding your home or workplace and your loved ones being deported. It is easier to ignore the news if you don't have to worry about your food or housing benefits taken away. There's a lot of harm being caused by this administration and the people in power who support it that we should not ignore. As Simon Wiesenthal said, evil flourishes while good people do nothing. We need to be informed, and yet we need breaks for our self-care. It's important to be mindful if we want to stay informed. When we're feeling anxious and overwhelmed might not be the best time to listen to the news. We might find it less triggering to listen rather than watch news, or read, rather than listen. When I get that feeling of overwhelm, I try to take deeper breaths, and tune into what is happening in my body. One technique that can help calm anxiety is vagus nerve exercises. I’ll add some links below. A regular meditation practice can also be a huge support to calm our minds.
It's so easy to fall into despair, and to become irritable and impatient with those around us. I think this makes the situation feel even worse internally. My theory is that it could have something to do with mirror neurons. Have you ever noticed that when we act in unkind ways, the world feels like a more unfriendly and dangerous place? It's a feedback loop. If we instead do the opposite by calming ourselves and caring for one another, it can create the opposite effect, lending us a protective bubble of well-being. This can then spill over to those around us.
I suggest spending more time doing what you love. Does reading children's books make you happy? Cuddling a dog or cat friend? Watching cute cat videos? Cooking a meal to share with other people? What brings you solace and joy? The last thing this administration wants is for us to feel resourced and happy, because then we'll have more energy to resist them. They don't want us loving and protecting one another, and that's exactly what we need to do.
“The only way to survive is by taking care of one another.”
—Grace Lee Boggs
One of the best ways to counteract the barrage of hateful actions and rhetoric coming from the right is to focus on putting more love into the world. What are you especially good at? What is it you'd like to contribute to the world? What do you love to do? What sparks your creativity? Spend time doing what you love. Spend time with trees, write a novel, make a painting, write a poem, color in coloring books, cuddle up on the couch with an inspiring movie. I've listed a few movie ideas below. Use your creativity to fuel your personal resistance, which adds to the collective resistance. Meet up with some friends online and support each other to continue your acts of resistance.
Years ago at a Buddhist retreat, one of the teachers talked about how the people in the Civil Rights Movement resourced themselves and each other. They did this by gathering together in churches the night before an action, where they would spend the evening singing and being together. They shared food and took care of one another. That gave them the strength to get through the brutal treatment they were encountering. Loneliness, separation, and despair are tools of the oppressor. They want us to give up and give in. Instead, we need to find our people, and turn towards each other.
We resist by putting more kindness into the world.
“Are you free enough to resist with love?” - Zenju Earthlyn Manuel
One thing I do when I’m feeling especially discouraged is look for accounts of people who resisted authoritarian regimes. Line up some books or films and break out the chips. Settle in for an evening of inspiration. Have a movie party on zoom with a chronically ill buddy or three.
Here's another thing to consider; for a long time, I was angry at the people who voted for this administration. You might still be mad at them. What I finally realized is that many human beings are easy prey for propaganda. It is the way some of us are built. I think it's also easier for elders to lose some critical thinking skills. I know a few who have been won over by the propaganda. It helps me a lot to think of the vast majority of the supporters of this regime as people who've been dishonestly led to believe utter falsehoods by certain media outlets and politicians. If I'm believing all those people are filled with hatred, it's easier for me to fall into despair and hopelessness. But I know some of these people who otherwise can be quite kind. I grew up around some of them when I lived in the southeast U.S. I've come to believe they have bought into lies and propaganda, and that helps me to not have to be mad at half the population in this country. I am not excusing them, but it makes it easier to keep going when I'm not assuming half the country agrees with fascism. I don't think they do. I think most of them were duped. I sincerely hope they will see the harm the people in power are causing, and turn away from them towards something more wholesome.
The barrage of assaults on our democratic institutions and freedoms are a deliberate attempt to overwhelm us, and render us ineffective. What else can we do to resist? Can we call politicians or email them? Join organizations writing letters to representatives? See the links below to take action. As Audre Lorde said, “Your silence will not protect you.”
"The only way to fight back is through relentless resistance, organization, and action..." Quasim Rashid.
How can we resource and empower ourselves? How can we grow our resilience, and resist? What are our strengths that we can add to the collective resistance?
I'll post some resources that I know of below. If you know of others that have helped you, please post them in the comments.
We can do this together. I have faith in us.
Calming Anxiety
This last one is more strenuous, and may not be accessible for some people with chronic illnesses. I just did a tiny bit of the exercise, but found it helpful.
For my friends who for whom video watching is difficult, here are some written materials:
Healing Through The Vagus Nerve: Improve Your Body’s Response to Anxiety, Depression, Stress, and Trauma Through Nervous System Regulation – Amanda Armstrong
Actions you can take now
Organizations
Swing Left has some online letter writing groups that are more inclusive of people with disabilities. https://swingleft.org/groups
Articles
"MAGA's 7 Deadly Sins—So Far—And How to Fight Back." https://www.qasimrashid.com/p/magas-7-deadly-sinsso-farand-how?triedRedirect=true
Books About Resistance (for accessibility, many of these are available on audiobook and ebook through the public library system)
Black Joy; Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration – Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts
A Force More Powerful:
A Century of Non-violent Conflict – Peter Ackerman and Jack DuVall
Healing Justice Lineages – Cara Page and Erica Woodland
Healing Resistance – Kazu Haga
How to Stand Up to a Dictator – Maria Ressa
Man's Search for Meaning – Viktor Frankl
On Freedom – Timothy Snyder
Rest is Resistance – Tricia Hersey
Surviving Autocracy – Masha Gessen
Films about Resistance
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Rustin
Selma
Poetry About Resistance
Written, performed and edited by Neelam Saredia-Brayley
Instagram: @neelam_the_poet
Other Helpful Information
A list of actions around the country to inspire hope:
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