Principles from the AOC
If you've been keeping up with American news, AOC understands it can be overwhelming. In a recent IG live, now shared on YouTube, she goes over what has been going on up to this point and shares some key principles to those who want to mobilize and take action.
I've watched the entire live and took these down:
Self regulate. With everything going on, reading headlines, it can make people freeze. It can be overwhelming. Self regulate first.
Pick one or a few actions to take. Do what you can, and know what you can do is enough.
Educate yourself. It's not enough to just read a headline. Know how things work. Know how the system works. You can't do anything if you don't know where the vulnerabilities are.
Interpret what's happening through the lens of an important deadline happening this year: Broad tax cuts for billionaires and corporations were pushed through in 2017 and had a sunset period: 2025 to the amount of 4 trillion dollars. The billionaires need to find that money fast and they want to do it by cutting “waste” aka your tax dollars, medicaid, education etc.
Remember that we, the people, outnumber the 1% and the number of corrupt people. Corrupt people and authoritarians rely on their perceived power, but we must remember that we outnumber them.
When it comes to what you can do, you can resist and you can create friction in the system so they can not move as quickly as they want to. If we slow them down, the less they can break.
Get familiar with who your members of Congress are. Call your representatives, call your Senator, make them know you're pissed off. These representatives care about being re-elected. They need to know you're paying attention.
Yes this is a scary time, but do not give them your fear, this is a monster that feeds off of fear and people's paralysis. They want you to do nothing. Do not consent in advance.
Don't fall for the illusion that no action is too small. Again, remember: the slower we can make them go, the less they can break.
Know your rights. If you live in a community with a lot of immigrants, it is important that you know your legal rights. If you are an American citizen, you should know your rights. Here’s what you should know or you can visit AOC’s Official House of Representatives website for the rights listed there.
If ICE comes to your door, you don't have to let them in.
You ask them to show you a judicial warrant with a judge’s stamp.
You can ask them to leave.
You can stay silent. You don't have to share your immigration status, or any personal info. You can say: I don't have to answer that question.
You have a right to an attorney (New York and California) and if you're outside of these areas, say you want to speak to an attorney. You are not obligated to sign any document without an attorney.
