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Self-Protection in the Current Political Climate
mRahmani
DetroitRegistered User regular
DetroitRegistered User regular
Donald Trump is the 45th president of the United States.
I originally envisioned this post as an H&A topic, but I realized that while I'm in one of the groups he demonized over the course of his campaign, there are many others. Muslims, LGBTQ, blacks, latinos, and women all fall on the very long list of people he's stirred up vitriol against. We know that openly discriminatory policies are coming; this topic is for discussing how to weather them and survive. Unfortunately, I don't really have a ton of ideas here, but I would be happy to compile a list of what you guys can come up with in the OP as a sort of reference.
Here's where I'm at, personally:
Healthcare: If you know there are any treatments, diagnoses, prescriptions, or preventative care that you're going to need, schedule them as quickly as you can. Many people are at risk of losing healthcare access if/when the ACA is repealed. For those of us not on the ACA, we still don't know what the state of the industry might look like after a potential ACA repeal. Regardless of which group you fall in, getting your medical issues sorted sooner than later is probably wise.
I think this goes double for anybody needing reliable birth control, especially if they live in a red state.
Savings: Yes, this is a tough one. Most of us, myself included, do not have a ton of free cash lying around to build an emergency fund with. All I can say is that if you can scrape together anything as a buffer between yourself and misfortune, do it. Tax return season is coming up; if you're expecting a return, that might be a good starting point.
Mobility: I have US passports for myself, my wife, and my oldest daughter. I plan to apply for a passport for my newborn in the near future. I don't advocate for fleeing the country, but if you can spare the cash and time, I do think a valid passport can be a useful tool to have. If you are a dual citizen like me, having passports from another country is a bonus.
Support: Find people around you. This is going to be a mentally and emotionally exhausting 4 years. Do not be afraid to ask for help. This forum is a good resource, but having somebody to talk to face to face is important too. I don't know of any support groups myself, but if there are any good suggestions I'll be glad to add them here.
Rights: Keep tabs on things like the ACLU. Know what your rights are today, and keep a critical eye on proposed bills that threaten them. Our best strategy to stay safe is to prevent our rights from being lost in the first place. Make them fight for every inch.
Chime in with anything you have to add.
And may the Force be with you.
I originally envisioned this post as an H&A topic, but I realized that while I'm in one of the groups he demonized over the course of his campaign, there are many others. Muslims, LGBTQ, blacks, latinos, and women all fall on the very long list of people he's stirred up vitriol against. We know that openly discriminatory policies are coming; this topic is for discussing how to weather them and survive. Unfortunately, I don't really have a ton of ideas here, but I would be happy to compile a list of what you guys can come up with in the OP as a sort of reference.
Here's where I'm at, personally:
Healthcare: If you know there are any treatments, diagnoses, prescriptions, or preventative care that you're going to need, schedule them as quickly as you can. Many people are at risk of losing healthcare access if/when the ACA is repealed. For those of us not on the ACA, we still don't know what the state of the industry might look like after a potential ACA repeal. Regardless of which group you fall in, getting your medical issues sorted sooner than later is probably wise.
I think this goes double for anybody needing reliable birth control, especially if they live in a red state.
Savings: Yes, this is a tough one. Most of us, myself included, do not have a ton of free cash lying around to build an emergency fund with. All I can say is that if you can scrape together anything as a buffer between yourself and misfortune, do it. Tax return season is coming up; if you're expecting a return, that might be a good starting point.
Mobility: I have US passports for myself, my wife, and my oldest daughter. I plan to apply for a passport for my newborn in the near future. I don't advocate for fleeing the country, but if you can spare the cash and time, I do think a valid passport can be a useful tool to have. If you are a dual citizen like me, having passports from another country is a bonus.
Support: Find people around you. This is going to be a mentally and emotionally exhausting 4 years. Do not be afraid to ask for help. This forum is a good resource, but having somebody to talk to face to face is important too. I don't know of any support groups myself, but if there are any good suggestions I'll be glad to add them here.
Rights: Keep tabs on things like the ACLU. Know what your rights are today, and keep a critical eye on proposed bills that threaten them. Our best strategy to stay safe is to prevent our rights from being lost in the first place. Make them fight for every inch.
Chime in with anything you have to add.
And may the Force be with you.
You can't give someone a pirate ship in one game, and then take it back in the next game. It's rude.
mRahmani on
+16
Posts
Healthcare: I am nervous about this one. I really don't want to get an IUD, or at least not be so unceremoniously rushed into it. My near future has no time for negotiation with insurance, then waiting for the EXACT MOMENT FOR PROPER INSTALLATION, then suffering pain for a few days. But then again, I may have to pay $$$$ for BC each month. I just don't know.
Mobility: My dad has been pushing me to get an Iranian passport for years, and I've rebuffed him. It's just an annoying process, i would have to go down to DC, fill out forms in Farsi, etc. Now I am slightly worried having one would also make me a target for any future 'lists'.
NNID: Hakkekage
All of this advice is good advice, even if you feel "safe" in this current environment. The safety nets getting gutted hurts everyone regardless of race or creed. A country that "others" its own citizens may very well put its eyes on you at some point as the next other, if not for who you were born as, but maybe for what you think or believe.
And yes, community and friendship in these times will be key. Never feel alone.
Let's play Mario Kart or something...
IIRC, Iran doesn't recognize dual citizenships, so if you get a passport and so happen to go to Iran..They wont respect your access to American embassy/legal stuff. Just as an FYI,
A box of non-perishable food, some jugs of water, and a few other odds and ends in case one needs to shelter in place, and a backpack with a couple changes of cloths, food, bottle for water, etc.
There are sites that detail a disaster emergency kit and 'bug out bag', much of which can be done on a budget.
Again, this isn't some "they might start a civil war" concern, but there's always the potential for unrest over something, or an attack, or hell an actual natural disaster.
The last is probably the most important bit. You think FEMA handled Katrina badly? Just wait.
I actually just applied for my concealed carry permit a few weeks ago. I'm skeptical that it will actually be useful to me, but it's one more tool in your survival toolkit and as you said, it can't hurt to learn. I would, however, implore anybody looking to explore this route to take a basic gun safety class, practice with their firearm regularly, and store and carry it responsibly and securely. A panicking, untrained user in an emergency is more dangerous to themselves and bystanders than they are to an assailant.
I remember you having very good reasons to be skeptical of Iran being any better for you than a Trump admin. Still, a US passport at a minimum might be useful to you.
I know zero beyond the very basics of BC discussion, so all I can say on the healthcare front is "good luck."
You can't give someone a pirate ship in one game, and then take it back in the next game. It's rude.
We are due for a major earthquake soon in this region, and experienced a historic snowstorm recently that really shut down the city and could have easily cut power to our house for days (luckily it did not). So yeah I'm wanting to be a bit more prepared to take care of ourselves for days/weeks before any help arrives.
Climate change is making storms worse. I wouldn't say you need to be prepared for civil war, but being prepared for weather and natural events should be a pretty big priority right now. If something happens that your local emergency services can't handle, there might not be a federal response or if there is, it will be late and insufficient. This is especially true if you live in a flood or hurricane prone area.
http://www.uruguayrelocate.com/
Worth looking at. They're probably the most open country in the Americas as far as immigration goes. You need an actual physical presence in the country though but frankly that won't be much of a problem if you want out I don't think.
I'm not saying "flee now" but I am saying "keep it in mind".
Exactly. Substantial parts of the US and Canada had a power outage that lasted a few days about a decade ago, and a few years ago we had a massive snow/ice storm that knocked power out in large sections of the city for a few days (I think it took about a week to be resolved in full).
Even if it's just the peace of mind knowing that the resources are available, it's something I do recommend.
I've started slowly drawing things together myself. A little extra food that doesn't require preparation and has a significant shelf life, a couple large bottles of water, spare flashlight with batteries, etc.
stay safe.
steam | Dokkan: 868846562
touche its easy to assume you're safe because you're white/well-off/male. But your rights can easily be eroded too. Stay vigilant
Oh, I have a US passport :P
NNID: Hakkekage
I'm a relatively straight white guy in the military. So long as I continue to keep my political opinions to myself I'm fairly safe.
Right up until Trump starts a new war :sad:
you're in the navy that means you're at least 20% gay
I've seen the village People music videos
Also not entirely thrilled with the early indications that if you're an American with a disability, you're going to get treated like shit by this administration.
So I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do if things get to the point where I can't continue my treatment.
I've just started practicing at the local range.
Firearms are expensive.
You can't give someone a pirate ship in one game, and then take it back in the next game. It's rude.
If you're going to do this for self-defense reasons, please don't just go to the range once or twice and call it done. Regular practice is important. And if possible, sign up for some formal training.
I mean ideally I'd be cis and straight instead of trans and gay, but...
Part of me considers the gun thing, but the other part of me is like "any situation in which you need it, you're fucked anyway, because you're probably not going to get mugged by bigots in the areas you're in" and also "you work at a university so you couldn't carry anyway, hah."
Need to talk to girlfriend about passports. I think hers is up to date, I know mine is. Those are just good to have around.
This forum has gunbros so peek in there and see if anyone is in your area. They tend to be very inclusive.
Now, with the above disclaimer firmly in mind:
Personally, I am a supporter of having a firearm for self defense. My wife and I both took a concealed carry class last month so that we would have the option if we felt the need. If you are considering this, you need to ask yourself the following questions and be prepared to answer them very honestly:
1) Am I willing to take the life of another human being in self defense? Be honest. A weapon you are not mentally prepared to use is one that can easily be taken and used against you. By using deadly force, you are accepting the responsibility of ending a human life. You will have to square with that for the rest of yours.
2) Am I willing and able to handle the legal repercussions from the use of deadly force? Regardless of whether your self defense is justified, there is a high probability you will need to go through the court system and defend your actions.
3) Am I willing to train with the firearm regularly? An untrained user is statistically much more likely to hurt themselves or an innocent bystander than their assailant. You MUST practice regularly. Depending on what you choose to carry, this may or may not be affordable. Regardless of what you carry, this is going to be a significant time commitment. If you aren't willing to make that commitment, do not carry.
There are many more things to keep in mind that I'm not going to list. If you're interested in this route, the D&D firearms thread is here. They will be happy to take newbie questions and talk about the mindset and preparation you need to have to exercise your 2nd amendment responsibly.
You can't give someone a pirate ship in one game, and then take it back in the next game. It's rude.
Doc: That's right, twenty five years into the future. I've always dreamed on seeing the future, looking beyond my years, seeing the progress of mankind. I'll also be able to see who wins the next twenty-five world series.