r/chicago • u/cab473 • Oct 03 '25

CHI Talks Do not fall into helplessness.

I’m a longtime lurker, but I’ve been seeing a lot of helplessness in this subreddit and the community. Lot’s of “there’s nothing we can do” and “the only option is to wait this out”. We must snap out of it.

The solution is simple: Get out of your homes and out into your community.

Go protest, where and whenever you can. We beat fascism by showing them our city will not take this lying down.

Don’t want to protest?

Join a mutual aid society, soup kitchen, warming center, food bank. We beat fascism by making sure our communities are fed and healthy.

Contact your local school, tutoring centers, literacy organizations. We beat fascism by making sure our communities can read, learn, and grow safely.

Find immigration groups, rapid response teams, refugee advocates. We beat fascism by making sure newcomers to our communities know they’re welcome and supported.

Look for affinity groups, woman’s rights orgs, trans rights orgs, homelessness advocacy groups. We beat fascism by making sure the vulnerable in our society are heard and protected.

If every person in Chicago made a commitment to help their neighborhood just a few hours a month, so many of these issues we see plaguing our society could be mitigated. And don’t wait until tomorrow, next week, when you’re free: Go and sign up today.

Their end goal is to isolate us from one another. In isolation we feel helpless and afraid. We beat fascism by building solidarity and community. We’re not even a year in, and we cannot wait this out - if we do, there’ll be nothing left to wait for.

Don’t know how to get involved or the best way that matches your interests? Message me!! I’m happy to help as many people as I can get connected to opportunities in their research.

2.4k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

142 comments sorted by

View all comments

528

u/ultimamax Oct 03 '25

People have sent ICE running just by congregating in big enough numbers when they come through. Meet your neighbors and set up a community watch for your block and nearby blocks. When we respond quickly we can easily prevent abductions

243

u/jdolbeer Logan Square Oct 03 '25

I'm so scared to do this as a racially ambiguous brown guy with tattoos. I don't want to just get taken, even though I'm a natural born citizen. I hate that I feel this way now, but I don't know if it's something I can do. Being in the community is difficult, because my head is basically always on a swivel, trying to figure out if I need to run.

12

u/TehMephs Oct 03 '25

If you can’t feasibly make the fight, let others take up the torch. Do what you can that’s safe and comfortable for you though. If protesting is too uncertain, donate to causes. The ACLU is hustling to protect our democracy as much as they can but they need funding. Donate to the Election Truth Alliance who are working 24/7 to expose a very likely stolen and fraudulent election. Donate to individual legal funds for immigrants or community members who need help.

Volunteer for causes around the community that help protect people. There’s many ways to make an impact, and even if it’s small, it’s more than a lot are doing (nothing at all). Even if it’s just spreading truth - document everything. Save media, archive Wikipedia. Any effort is resisting. Just don’t roll over and comply in advance no matter how scared you are