Episode 19 | Listen & Be Calm
In times of heightened social anxiety, it’s important to remember your strategies for self-care. First, learn to notice what triggers anxiety, then bring awareness ot the body and breath. Be sure to drink water and take breaks from social media and the news. When our nervous system is settled, we are better able to listen and respond calmly in chaos.
We need to listen for dangerous words and actions that promote extremism and put us on high alert. It may be tempting to submit to authority, but that is neither free nor safe. Protecting freedom can be uncomfortable, but it ultimately promotes more safety. As Fannie Lou Hamer reminds us, none of us is free until all of us are.
When we know what we are listening for, we are better prepared to remain calm when the unthinkable happens - say, activating the national guard against state wishes. Remaining calm allows us to act from a place of wisdom rather than reactivity, which often only inflames authoritarians. I think it’s good to remember the tenets of nonviolent action as they were employed by the Civil Rights activists in the 50s and 60s. Gather the facts, negotiate with leadership, prepare yourself mentally and physically, and participate in direct action. Of note are the thousands of peaceful protests that occurred across the country. We are the change we’ve been waiting for!
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https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/06/15/how-many-people-attended-no-kings/84219725007/
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/sen-alex-padilla-forcibly-removed-dhs-sec-kristi-noems-press-conferenc-rcna212688
https://time.com/7294521/us-trump-deportation-drive-democratic-cities/
On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
“Letters from an American” by Heather Cox Richardson