Here is an example of how the election has changed my plans.
I have written before about understanding the complications of US-Israel relations and how that affects our ability to stop the genocide in Palestine. Sure, part of that is not enough will, and influencing Netanyahu doesn't seem to be possible, but what about no longer supplying weapons?
My plan was to research the arms agreements that we have with Israel; what conditions are there? When does it expire and need renewal? Then build on that, writing to legislators and maybe put a petition on whitehouse.gov.
I have never said this administration is perfect, but I believe that it contains fundamentally decent people who want to do good things. Ending inertia is hard, but there are people who can be more willing.
I have so little hope in the incoming administration.
Initially my only thought for helping anyone in Gaza now, post-election, is getting them out. Sadly, that takes money, something on which I am very short.
I am not the only one in that position. The mass consolidation of wealth into the hands of a few, pretty terrible people, is not helpful for the good things that we might want to do.
However, if you have some, here is a spreadsheet of different fundraisers for people in Gaza:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-DDMFyn-ttboPXrz1bB3MFk7BlzCwfugh4259Wh7U1s/htmlview
I have gotten a tiny bit more optimism, remembering that Israel does not get arms only from the United States.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel%27s_arms_supplier_countries
Some of those countries may be more open to influence.
Actually, when I was writing letters in Amnesty International, they never had people write to their own governments, because there were countries where that was much more dangerous.
That has been one thing with reading about various countries in Latin America: governments can be much worse. Of course, we often had an influence on that oppression, and ours is about to get much worse.
Maybe some countries can be influenced.
Maybe Israeli people can be influenced so that they turn against Netanyahu. Some already are against him, and he is pretty corrupt which can make the mere will of the people ineffective, but maybe.
It is worth noting that we have really made things worse, and many people are lying to themselves about that in various ways.
I see a need to write more things that can be hopeful and helpful, but also to cut through lies.
The increased posting may have to continue for a while.
Related posts:
https://sporkful.blogspot.com/2024/10/election-2024-some-thoughts-on-bidens.html
https://preparedspork.blogspot.com/2023/10/palestine.html
https://preparedspork.blogspot.com/2023/10/complicating-factors.html
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