Seven Steps of Resistance in a Post-Kavanaugh Era
We sat and watched as a man accused of sexually assaulting not just one, but three women was nominated to the highest court in the nation. And we asked, what now?
The answer is foremost, do not despair but more importantly, do not stop.
Here’s seven steps we can take now, ensuring that the injustice of the system that failed us is ushered into an era of change.
- Vote
We all know we should do it, but we often forget to mail our ballot or miss the voting registration deadline. Don’t. Vote. Make it non-negotiable. Register to vote here. Learn more about voting in your state here. Tell a friend. Set a calendar reminder. Vote.
2. Vote Well — Do Your Due Diligence
We owe it to ourselves and to our democracy to do our due diligence in voting. Use Ballotopedia — it tells you every issue on the ballot for every state, provides full text of the ballot measure, shows who funds campaigns for and against that ballot measure, and summarizes arguments for each side. Same for candidates, amendments, the like. It’s easy to vote informed, take the bit of extra time to do it.
3. Get Trained in Psychological First Aid
When someone tells you they have survived an assault, be prepared to listen and respond with dignity and respect. Knowing what to say is hard, you owe it to every survivor to learn how to listen respectfully, refer appropriately, and meet them where they are at. Get trained in psychological first aid. Take this free course. Read this guide. Listen like this.
4. Pay for Good Journalism
We need good journalism. We need to make informed decisions with information rooted in robust investigative reporting. And thus we cannot consume our news for free. Good journalism costs money and outlets have to make it. Donate and subscribe to the news outlets you consume who provide excellent journalism — don’t skirt by on free stories. Let journalists focus on quality reporting and not on producing tweet worthy stories.
5. Believe Survivors
Bias towards always believing survivors of violence and assault. False reporting is exceptionally rare, research shows that only about 2–8% of sexual assault reports to law enforcement are false. This means that statistically, nearly every women who tells you her story is telling the truth. Err on the side of creating environments that believe survivors and correct myths that perpetuate misinformation about false reporting.
6. Fund Campaigns & Causes that Fight for Bettering this World
Donate to causes and candidates that further bend the arc towards justice. Be it organizations that support survivors of violence, political campaigns who are tirelessly dismantling the systems of injustice in Washington, or advocacy organizations. We need to give those people that commit their careers to being on the frontlines the financial means to deliver the justice and change we all want to see.
7. Remember — The Law Does Not Equal Justice
As Howard Zinn argues, “The law can be just; it can be unjust. It does not deserve to inherit the ultimate authority of the divine right of the king…It would be naive to depend on the Supreme Court to defend the rights of poor people, women, people of color, dissenters of all kinds. Those rights only come alive when citizens organize, protest, demonstrate, strike, boycott, rebel, and violate the law in order to uphold justice.” Speak up, stand up, and show up.
