Posts Tagged: election
White People: Here’s How to NOT Respond to the Election
Sit down and buckle in, because this past week has proved to be extremely bumpy with extreme turbulence between activists and “activists.” After the election, we have a president-elect in Donald Trump, and the world has not slowed down ever since. Protests have been popping up, news outlets have been voicing their disappointment, and — of course — many people have found the worst way to attempt solidarity and allyship. Just one week and the conversation has largely shifted to calling-in those that do more harm than good with their efforts, enforcing and encouraging damaging ideas and false narratives to avoid discomfort, accountability, and conflict. I’ve unfortunately noticed a lot of reoccurring patterns in white people that not only prove being an ally is a walk and not a talk, but… Read more »
Post-Election Activism Crash Course
It’s been a long week. Instead of using this article to get out all of my emotions, I decided to do something else. Many people are re-energized after the election, and are trying to look for ways to get involved in activism. I may be a little salty, that this is what it’s taking, but I also realize that people fight for justice in a variety of ways. Maybe you’ve been doing that in your community, and you’re now looking for another avenue. Outside of smashing the patriarchy on this URGE blog, I also have a day job. I’m a state organizer for a national LGBTQ org that aims to shift the narrative around LGBTQ rights away from marriage equality. I’ve also been in several organizations, participated in a ton… Read more »
It Is Our Duty To Fight For Our Freedom
Thursday morning at 2:00am, I was holding my housemate as she sobbed after the news reported that Hilary Rodham Clinton had conceded to Donald J. Trump and that he had become the president-elect. I couldn’t bring myself to cry because a small part of me knew that America couldn’t be ready for another eight years of change. I sat there in silence as I saw the world around me crumble. I thought about the countless vulnerable populations that would be subject to discriminatory laws and have their civil rights threatened. I thought about the anti-trans bathroom bill in North Carolina and Gavin Grimm‘s upcoming Supreme Court case. I thought about the Indigenous families who have held their ground at Standing Rock in defense of their land and their water. I… Read more »
Sooner Rather than Later: Your Guide to Early Voting
The horse is dead. It has not only been beaten to death but rather beaten, revived, and then beaten again. And that horse is people telling you to vote. Yet, even though the horse no longer exists it leaves in its afterlife a new horse, early voting. While the feeling of voting on the ever-exciting Election Day can perhaps never be replicated it is important to acknowledge the many downfalls to waiting until November 8th to vote. There are always the possible accidental flat tires or sick days which could prevent you from voting but there are also the possible restrictions imposed by nasty voter id laws that could impact you on the big day. Nothing would be more annoying and possibly devastating than standing in the huge lines at… Read more »
The 2014 Election: Your How-To Guide
Happy Election Day, folks! It’s time to head to the polls and do your civic duty for the good ol’ U S of A. If you weren’t planning on voting, we explain a little more why it’s so important that young people vote. If you’re still a little unsure, or maybe you’ve already decided to vote, we detail just how easy it is. Make sure to share this with your friends, family and peers to spread the word: our votes matter, but in order for them to actually make an impact, we need to actually vote! Why you should vote? But I really don’t care… I don’t have to vote, right? Millennials often get a bad reputation for being “lazy” and “uncaring.” Older generations love to say that we’re apathetic… Read more »
