I’m up in Canada so we are all just on edge watching to see what will happen tomorrow for mass protesting.
Whatever happens, everyone stay safe, protect and guard yourself from danger and keep aware of your surroundings. Stay with a small group of allies and keep yourselves safe.
If you are not prepared and don’t know what you are doing … stay back and don’t become front line fodder.
If you are prepared and equipped, stay safe, protect yourself, run and hide if you must. I’d rather see you running than to be put in danger.
Whatever you do tomorrow to take part, we’re all cheering for our American brothers and sisters standing for democratic rights and fighting against fascism.
look to the skies.
there’s already reports of FBI surveillance flying overhead with potential stingrays.
don’t take your phones.
they will tag you and find you later.
One of the protesters ….
It’s gonna get worse before it gets better, but we can win against the fascists.
Live long and prosper, unless you’re a fucking cop
We’ve got no kings because they’re all in the streets.
It’s “No Kings Protest” (there’s no apostrophe)
Didn’t notice that … thanks for the note … corrected title
Lemmy superiority: having a title edit feature
gotta love it
It’s the Bell Riots, not the Bell Peaceful Protests. Playing it safe is probably going to stop being an option sooner or later. That said, there’s good evidence that if No Kings hits 3.5% turn out, the movement is practically guaranteed success, so maybe riots can be avoided.
I wish I could have gotten a riot shield in advance; apparently they’re pretty good at reflecting LRAD back to the sender. The next best thing appears to be over-the-ears construction muffs, which are inexpensive and easily available at Ace, Home Depot, and Lowes.
Trek fans have always understood the messaging and metaphors that the writers shared. Generally the idea that the world might have to protest in order to instigate change.
I hope with all my heart that change can happen without violence but when it comes to these very public and very big events … no one knows how they will turn out.
So it’s my wish that these events stay a peaceful protest and not a violent riot.
Star Trek showed us a future where terrible violence happens before peace can be achieved.
There is hope and a chance in this reality that we can all still achieve that peaceful future without having to go through any more death and destruction.
Thought I’d add this for any of you that might be joining any event tomorrow … I’m in Canada but I’m cheering for all my American supporters of democratic freedom who are standing up against fascism.
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Burner phone … leave your main one at home … ABSOLUTELY DO NOT BRING YOUR MAIN PHONE
Set up your burner phone with one or two accounts to things you might want to upload to … encrypt as much as you can. Do not load all your social accounts … only log into the bare minimum. If you are organized, log into temporary or fake or secondary accounts if you can.
Start the day without any prior history, photos or content on the phone and keep as few contacts as you can … memorize numbers that are important to you.
Always be prepared to give up or lose your phone.
And as always … SAFETY GLASSES … bring a pair of industry rated CSA approved safety glasses (try to get a pair with a tint so you can pass them as sunglasses). Look for safety glasses with anything marked ANSI Z87+, sometimes written Z87.1+ (note the plus) rated or CSA Z94.3 rated are ensured to safely withstand a direct high energy strike.
… additional things if you want to do more
Bring a small new blank paper note book you can keep in a pocket with a small pen or pencil … you might be taking notes like license plates, name tags or names of people or places … its always faster to just write something down than in taking a shaky photo or tapping away a note on an app
Wear a big scarf … for guys or girls … a scarf comes in handy for all kinds of emergencies including using it as something to cover your mouth, dress a wound, tie something or cover something up.
Wear a good pair of running shoes … be prepared to run and be on your feet all day.
Bring a small backpack and bring a couple bottles of water and some energy bars … keep it light because you’ll be on your feet all day and if things go bad, you might be targeted if you have a large pack … plus an empty pack can be used to carry things later if you need to.
Dress for the weather … if its going to be hot, wear light clothing but if things go bad and you have to stay out over night or longer, bring a light jacket … if rain is forecast within a day or two, bring a small poncho
Godspeed Americans.
We’re a little late on the bell riots, but we’re getting there!
Star Trek timeline looking at our timeline: “They’re a little slow, but they’ve got spirit.”
It’s like with back to the future it’s just off by one year. I just hope like with the bell riots some good comes of it. I don’t have high hopes but some is better than nothing.
What does this have to do with Trek, aside from a bell riots reference thrown in? Seems off topic for the sake of pure political promotion of an event. Your advice to take a poncho and leave your phone, valid, thank you, but it’s way off topic seriousposting.
I’d rather risk politicizing this post because I know that there are many young Americans out there that might join in these national protests. If it had been a smaller regional event, I wouldn’t have made this post.
But the events in the US are starting to mirror things predicted and portrayed in Star Trek … generally the writers of these shows knew that terrible things might have to happen before we can break free of our selfish and short sighted past.
I also don’t want to see these same young people who might join these events to get hurt or put themselves in danger.
I want them to know we support them but also wish with all our hearts that they stay safe and protect themselves and others.
I respect your good intention, but you’re not addressing the point I raised, which is that you are promoting a real life political event here, in Ten Forward. It’s not remotely a Trek related event, like a convention, a charity fundraiser or a Bell Riots cosplay. Although a cosplay of that could be fun… it’s not the what, it’s the where.
I mention and point out this post here because the same young people who are fans of Star Trek and follow the ideas and ideals of the show and writers over the many series, understand how those same ideas apply to our world. All the Trek story arcs are a constant reminder of humanity and where we came from in that Trek universe and how we could some day overcome our selfish past and start exploring the galaxy. It’s a constant message of hope that we can do better.
Trek fans are Trek fans because they enjoy thinking and critically looking at our world and hope for a better future … and they all know that change has to happen in order for humanity to progress. The fear and worry is in how that change will play out … either peacefully or violently.
And like I said … there will be a lot of young Trek fans out there today and I wish with all my heart that they stay safe and secure wherever they are.
I posted this as a reminder, a warning and a precaution to those young Trek fans that might be out there … that is the may reason why I posted this.
