There's a specific framework of norms and underlying assumptions that goes along with election season discourse and they all become activated by the atmosphere of inescapable media focus. It's important as tactical voters not to get stuck in "lib mode" when it's over. DNC Detox is about acknowledging this and leaving the electoral second guessing to others.
Voting takes one day, and that day is over. Ours is not to figure out why they lost, or help them win next time. Ours is to figure out how radicals succeed on the battleground that has been handed to us. Ours is to prepare for what's probably coming and face it with dignity and strength. Ours is to envision and build a better world under the shadow of empire.
As I turn toward the future, here are some prompts I'm contemplating.
- How strong are my community connections and how can I build on them?
- What resources are accessible to me right now and how can I combine them with others to meet this moment?
- Who has been drawn into my orbit that might be open to radical narratives right now and how can I activate them?
- What feelings came up for me in the past week and how can I work with them to uproot empire within me?
- Who is most vulnerable in my circles and how can I support them in ways that lift all of us up?
And finally, maybe most importantly, how am I ensuring that I process my grief as I go? Am I bypassing the process by "doing the work" of community instead of doing the work of grieving? This is where DNC Detox may be most helpful. When we let the broader post-election discourse be a focus of regret, we let the rulers decide what our grieving looks like.
Thank you all for being brilliant, and resilient, and vulnerable, and strong. Thank you for shining your joy, and your sorrow, and your hope, and your love. What can you do to tend to the needs of just this day? Whatever it is, know that you are not alone. And as we walk beside each other each next step forward, together we'll reach a better world.
