I just got back from a long drive to nowhere. My welcome back was a litany of posts about all of the ridiculous things Trump did this afternoon.

This is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. None of us, together or alone, are going to be able to really change anything for a long, long time. It’s going to get worse before it gets better, and I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. Yet.

Do not expect any of your actions to have immediate or visible effects. The strength will be in the cumulative efforts of everyone who is able to put obstacles in the way of the fascists, no matter how small those efforts may be. “Did you see something? No you didn’t.” If that’s what you’re able to do, that’s good.

Be prepared, build contacts, look for opportunities. I’m a big proponent of everyone carrying pepper spray. Learn some first aid. If you’re a gun owner, practice. Talk to people you trust. Let them know that they can come to you if they need to, or if they know someone who needs support. Protect people who are being threatened. The insurrectionists just got pardoned, so they’re definitely making fresh plans; listen for those plans. Take note that if you’re going to be on the “support” side of things, you will probably want to avoid being actively subversive, and vice versa. Above all, be careful. Of course, there will be risks no matter what, but honestly, we’re all at much greater risk now regardless.

Good luck.