I can't y'all.

Education

I know so many of you are frustrated with this, and I am, too. I've spent years trying to gently and patiently educate people and show them what this is, because we've known this was on the horizon for years.

I won't pretend that those of us yelling about this have known all the specifics, but we knew a lot of specifics, because they literally wrote them out in a thousand page playbook. They spoke about their plans publicly at their conventions, in their speeches, in popular podcasts. As for the specifically christo-fascist aspects of this, I've been taught these goals since I was the smallest child, in churches, in school, and in my communities. None of this is new. This struggle is far older than I am, and others have been speaking longer, louder, and more eloquently about it than I ever will, no matter how hard I try.

We've done our best to educate people. We've led the horse to water many times, we can't make her drink.

Education always matters. I'm not saying that anyone should stop doing so. Please keep learning. Please keep educating. I say this all of the time, there is no revolution without cultural revolution. This means that human connection matters. It means we need to do our best not to alienate our friends and community. It means that we do need to be gentle and patient as much as possible.

But goddamn

The end of patience

The time for patience with this sort of thing is over.

We are in crisis.

There's no time for this.

Time is running out.

News outlets are still too cowardly to call the rising number of Nazi salutes anything but the strange gesture made by Elon Musk. People are still speaking in whispers about the eerily similar nature of the things that the current US regime is doing and saying, things that are so similar to 1930s Germany, as if it was coincidence.

This is intentional.

If you've been following me for any amount of time, you're unlikely the type of person who doesn't believe what I'm saying here. I shouldn't need to convince you. You know it's intentional. You know this is true. You know they call themselves dictators and kings. You know they call for the death of so many of us. You know they champion eugenics, white supremacy, fascist and totalitarian violent control of the people, queer and trans oppression, patriarcy and the entire kyriarchal structure which already shackles us. You know they are Nazis.

But I'm certain that some of you are still afraid to say it out loud.

I don't care if you use the word Nazi or fascist. Use them both. I do.

When you describe them as "MAGA," let it also ooze with the disgust and contempt you feel when you say Nazi. Make the words synonymous.

Because they are synonymous. This isn't even a new slogan. MAGA is literally a revival of a Nazi slogan, which was in-turn, co-opted from US white-supremacist sentiment before that. Hitler loved repurposing US white-supremacy. When people bear affinity for MAGA, they're literally describing Make America White Supremacist Again (as if it ever stopped being white supremacist).

Confidence

Some of you are afraid of alienating people. Some of you are afraid that you won't be able to defend yourselves because you don't have the political acumen or rhetorical knowledge to argue the reasons why. Some of you are simply afraid of confrontation. Some of you are afraid that your voice will shake if you have to push back.

I get it. I do. I really do.

But do you believe it?

Then you damned well better say it. Your voice is going to shake. Say it anyway.

And while online dialogue does matter, don't just say it on social media. You need to say it in person and in the moment. Don't just say it at protests. Say it to your "sweet old grandma" who just happens to defend Nazis. Say it in your churches, because your churches bear a large amount of responsibility for what is happening right now. Say it at the water cooler. Say it to your boss. Don't let them do this unopposed.

Fine. Maybe you won't be able to defend your beliefs and you won't have all the right words in the moment. Say it anyway.

Fine. Maybe you are going to look ridiculous because someone is going to argue against you and they are going to seem more knowledgeable than you. Say it anyway.

Fine. Maybe everything you fear will go wrong will go wrong. Say it anyway.

Sympathizers or Nazis

Many people have long pointed out that historians have a specific word for people who didn't actually agree with Nazis, but went along with the changing of the times, who went to work, who were quiet and kept their heads down, trying not to make waves and just get through their days.

The word is Nazis.

They were Nazis. You don't get to believe differently and then say nothing. You don't get to believe differently and then do nothing.

If you do nothing, if you say nothing, and you just watch this unfold, I will call you a Nazi myself. I'm not keeping keeping track, I'm not measuring your contributions, and please don't send me proof. I'm not going to assume that just because I'm not in the room where you're speaking or taking action to push back or help those who are (there are many roles to play) that you're not doing so. I put my faith in you.

That doesn't mean you get to get off clean. In the end, I want you to be safe, and taking precautions is a necessity. If you are in danger, I am not upset with you for fleeing. I may flee. I will likely flee. I'm a target. I'm not upset with you for keeping yourself safe– your family deserves to be safe. I'm not upset with you for not doing what is outside of your power to do. I will be upset with you for not doing what you can, when you can, with the power you have.

To be clear, if you choose to say and do nothing while this all unfolds, if you can't even say the words that need to be said, if you choose to be a coward while this all unfolds in front of you, where your voice can be heard and your actions hold weight, hear this: I hope that for an eternity you hear the voices of all the oppressed damning you for being a Nazi, and I hope you hear my voice above all the rest resonating through whatever substance comprises your soul.

If you can't call them Nazis now, if you can't simply call them what they are now, what you can see with your own eyes, in this present moment, when you are not looking down the barrel of a gun, how can you ever be expected to speak the truth when the Ministry of Truth tells you that 2 + 2 = 5?

What do you think is going to happen?

Because here's the thing. Right now, speaking up about this is not about logic or rhetoric. It's not about education anymore. This isn't about convincing people. It's not about formulating a proper defense or looking smart or ignorant. You're not going to convince someone defending Nazis to stop defending Nazis, no matter how great your logical argument, how on point you are in the moment, no matter how many gotcha's you can score on them. That's not the point.

This is about dynamism. This is about forces pushing against each other. This is about speaking up for what you feel deeply is right, and speaking against what is wrong.

This is about the idea that people who try to normalize what these Nazis are doing should not be able to do so without opposition. You can't make it easy for them. You need to push against them. If nothing else, you need to say where you stand so that others feel more comfortable to join you.

Everybody is afraid to take the first step. Like I said before, when you're doing CPR, you can't yell "someone call 911!" You have to point at someone and say, "You! You call 911!"

People have little consciousness of their own agency. But you know. You know you need to do something. You have responsibility. I'm pointing the finger at you.

You need to speak the fuck up. Then, others can join you.

And once you start speaking up again and again, you'll get your sea legs. Your voice won't shake as much. You'll gain confidence. You won't just stand your ground anymore, but you will push.

Because you need to make it uncomfortable for anyone defending the Nazis.

If you call them a Nazi now, who is going to argue against you when you say it? Nazis. Do you honestly care what a Nazi thinks about you?

This isn't about them. This isn't about convincing them. You are speaking up so that the people around you feel comfortable around you. You are speaking up so that others can find their voice.

You are speaking up so that eventually you will feel confident enough to point and say "You! You need to stand up. You need to do something."

Eventually you will learn to be loud and obnoxious. You'll make it so that Nazis don't feel welcome to speak their mind. You'll make it so that Nazis don't feel comfortable in your presence. And when more people speak up, Nazis won't feel comfortable to be anywhere. Eventually, Nazis shouldn't feel safe to be anywhere.

Don't believe me?

Consequences

A few months ago, no one felt comfortable doing Nazi salutes in public. But there's been little pushback by the media. It's safe. So more of them do it. A few months ago, and especially before that, white-supremacists weren't constantly walking the streets protesting and rallying. They've been around, but they had to store their white hoods. Now they feel more comfortable wearing them. A few months ago, the business you work for, the stores you shop at, the places you frequent, were not erasing trans people from their workplaces, along with erasing support for BIPOC people, women, and people with disabilities.

And what have you done to speak up in your workplace? These businesses, people, and places feel more comfortable committing oppression than they feel about what you think about it or how it affects anyone but themselves.

There will be consequences for speaking up at times. You'll be surprised how often there aren't consequences, and this will give you strength. But make no mistake, there will be consequences.

Have you considered, though, what are the consequences if you don't speak up?

What are the consequences if no one speaks up?

What are the consequences if everyone just quietly lets this happen.

What are the consequences to society, to the lives of people you respect, care for, and love?

What are the consequences to your self respect?

What are the consequences for your children?

What are the consequences for your life and your legacy?

What are the consequences for your soul?

Speak the fuck up.

Let your voice shake. It's simply untested. It will get stronger.

Do it now.

Speak up while you still have a voice.

Speak up, or your voice will be lost to eternity.

no ends, only means