Are They REALLY Coming for You?

[MineralMan]

Is it really time to prepare for an Armageddon to come?

Oh, probably not, unless you're truly exceptional in some way. Instead, it's time to keep doing what you are already doing, and that's communicating your dissatisfaction with the man who was more or less elected as President. Be public about it. Be open about it. You don't need to go into hiding, really. There are too many of us who feel the same way for any real harm to come to those who speak their mind.

You don't need a "burner phone." The phone you have will do just fine.
You don't need a "bugout kit" in your car. You won't have to run for your life.
You don't need to silence yourself or become anonymous. We need people who will stand up for what they believe and be counted.
You don't need to be afraid of "them." You need to speak up and help other understand why.

However, if you are truly frightened, you can do whatever makes you feel safer. But, there's no reason to try to get everyone else to be afraid, too. We're in a political fight. To win that, we have to remain visible and be heard. Speak out.

Say It Loud!

[HipChick]

1. K&R

[Sancho]

2. I think Trump's list probably started with DUers!! We are doomed!

...and if Trump's goons don't get us, you know what's next:

[MineralMan]

3. Oh, no doubt.

I'm sure the Trump administration has dossiers on everyone on DU.

Emergency! Emergency! Everyone to get from street!

[HipChick]

4. Are there enough FEMA camps for all of us?

Hope I have a DU' er roomate..

[MineralMan]

6. Well, probably there are, but Obama shredded the

map showing where all those FEMA camps are on his last day in office, along with the place he stored all the guns he took away from their owners.

Not to worry...

[MineralMan]

5. You Don't Need to Encrypt Your Emails, Either.

You don't need to log onto the Internet from some VPN.

There are lots of things you don't need to do. What you do need to do is to keep on saying what you think.

[logosoco]

13. I usually do that, but I have noticed the past couple of weeks I am doing it

even more online. Commenting on an "alternative truth" post with something as simple as "Link?" or even just giving a like or upvote on Reddit and Facebook. Re-tweeting or commenting on Tweets (which I have not done in several years of having a Twitter account)
I am calling my Senators once a week and plan on getting to know my state reps. better.
Sometimes I feel like I am screaming to the wind but it does feel good to get it out there!

[Wounded Bear]

50. These are all excellent things to do...

even if you live in a blue district. But especially if you're in a red district, it's important to let your rep know whether or not you support them when they cast votes in Congress.

I live in a blue district/blue state and I've sent a couple of "support you, thanks" emails already.

I need to work on my finances. Normally I don't have a lot to give to candidates at any level, but I want to change that, too.

[hwmnbn]

41. This

Excellent advice!!

[TrekLuver]

7. Considering I trash Trashpot Trump directly on his Twitler account...as well

as so many others...We are not afraid.

[MineralMan]

8. Thank you for doing that. You're in very good company.

So far, I haven't heard of any arrests of tweeters. Have you?

[TrekLuver]

9. Not yet...but I'm sure I'll be on the list if they do...they don't call me the "Trash Basher" for

nothing. I am seeing waaaay more opposition on Twitter than support. Seems like all the Trump Troll bots are on vacation...maybe the Koch Brothers don't want to fund that campaign anymore. They should talk to Soros if they need any pointers.

I especially love turning their conspiracy theories around on them. They also get infuriated when they are called snowflakes...tee hee.

Some fool said he was tracking my ISP...so I invited to come on over and PS Soros paid trolls use proxy servers. They are just a dumb lot..I'm sorry but that's my experience on twitter. I've yet to have someone shut me down. I'm sure that day is coming...but my streak continues.

[HipChick]

10. I trash him on Facebook and Tweeter...

I also travel overseas every other month for work, it will be interesting to see if anything changes when I come back in the country...

[MineralMan]

12. I haven't heard of any problems for

US-born citizens with US Passports. I don't think they're blocking those people from traveling.

Which reminds me - It's time for my wife and I to renew our Passports. Minnesota is still dragging its feet on Real ID drivers licenses, and so far, in 2018, we won't be able to fly anywhere if our state doesn't fix that. We can't afford to travel outside of the country, so we just let our passports expire.

[ekelly]

38. I have not yet been arrested.

I call out his lies and insult him directly on almost a daily basis at both of these: @realdonaldtrump and @potus

No visits from Agent Mike yet

[MineralMan]

47. Agent Mike is busy with other things, really.

I don't think he's interested in DUers much. We're pretty boring, really, as a group.

[KingCharlemagne]

11. Dictators and putative dictators rely on the obedience of the people. This constitutes their

greatest point of weakness for, once the citizenry is disobeying in large numbers, the foundations of dictatorial rule are destabilized.

It's not enough simply to speak out now; all who can must actively disobey in matters large and small

[MineralMan]

14. Disobey in what way, exactly?

How are you disobeying?

[KingCharlemagne]

17. It would be the height of imprudence to divulge specific strategy

and tactics on an open discussion board, where enemies are listening and compiling dossiers. Loose lips, after all, sink ships.

Maybe this is a question all should ask themselves: "How are YOU disobeying?"

[MineralMan]

18. I'm not disobeying. I follow the laws.

I'm free to peaceably assemble and petition my government. I'm free to move about as I choose. I'm free to criticize my government. I guess I'm trying to figure out what disobedience I should be doing. So, if you have any suggestions for me, I'll read them.

[KingCharlemagne]

20. These are conversations best conducted in person, I believe. Since you are in Minnesota, IIRC, and

I am in California, this is a discussion we shall likely never have, more's the pity.

I will simply pose a hypothetical to you: envision a scenario where Trump has packed the Supreme Court and it reverses Roe v. Wade and the 1964 Griswold v. New Hampshire "right of privacy" precedent. Will you then continue to "follow the laws"?

[MineralMan]

21. Well, even with Roe v. Wade, I've had to

serve as a PP escort far too many times. I suppose I'll continue doing that when needed. I live in a state which will still have laws enabling women to choose when it comes to their reproductive lives.

I don't see an overturning of Roe v. Wade as necessarily a fait accompli, though. We shall see. I will certainly argue against that. However, I don't see how I would break those laws. I'm not a woman, nor do I perform abortions. I do not expect abortion to be illegal where I live, but if it became illegal, I would certainly fight against that in whatever way I could.

[sarcasmo]

15. I use a burner phone when I call Mar-A-Largo or fill out any application on the Internet that

requires a phone number.

[MineralMan]

19. I see. Could I ask what you're calling Mar-A-Lago about?

I can't think of any reason to call them. I rarely fill out any forms on the Internet. They always seem to just generate spam of one kind or another. I don't bother with alternative email addresses, either.

[sarcasmo]

22. It's the White House of the south, that's why I call Mar-A-LArgo.

Credit Card company gets my burner #. Insurance company gets my burner #
Family and friends are the only people who have my real #.

[MineralMan]

48. If a credit card company and an insurance company

have your "burner" number, it's not really a "burner" phone, now, is it?

"Hello. Is this MassaCard?"
"Yes"
"This is Special Agent Joe Blow from the FBI."
"How are you today, sir?"
"Just fine, thanks. I'm calling today because I have a court order allowing me to ask you if you have a customer who uses the phone number 555-555-1212."
"I'll need to see that order, sir."
"Yes. It was sent to your fax machine ten minutes ago."
"OK. I'll check....yes, I have it here. Let me run a search."
"No hurry."
"Here it is. We do have a customer who uses that phone number. The name is Ima D. U. User. Do you need the address?"
"Yes, that would be helpful, thanks."
"The billing address for that MassaCard is 5515 Any St., Smalltown, NY 11012."
"Thanks for your help and have a nice day."
"You, too, sir. Bye."

[Eliot Rosewater]

27. Good on you

https://whitehouseinc.org/

Everyone should be doing this.

[bigtree]

16. of course, MANY of our citizens have ALREADY been targeted by this administration

...people who promulgate this type of opinion normally don't have anything of consequence at risk.

That's never been the water's edge of my own advocacy, though.

You'd be better off speaking for yourself, here, given the vast numbers of Americans who are certainly at risk of becoming targets (or already are targets or victims) of this out-of-control, anti-constitutional, self-interested, corrupt government.

[Eliot Rosewater]

30. I know gay people, trans people who are frightened and for good reason, and not

necessarily because of what those dictator fascists in the WH will or wont do but the WH has now made bashing minorities acceptable and per one note I saw on the WH website they are promising to give cops leeway in dealing with us.

I agree I would never speak for someone else unless I was in their shoes. Never.

[Crash2Parties]

36. This. I know many who must now be careful so they can provide for their families.

They're either re-closeted or have had to create dual public persona so that they don't get fired. And here's the tricky part: if they don't they are very afraid that if the GOP passes their "Religious Liberty" agenda, LGBT people who are *known* will be targeted just because that's what some self righteous Christians do. So to protect their families they are having to pre-emptively go back in the closet to a significant degree in public on the chance that things go bad. And of course its even worse when intersectionality is thrown in. That is no way to force Americans to live.

[Bradical79]

23. I agree for now

For most of us at least ( though there's always exceptions). Using the old Nazi comparison, we're still at a pre-Reichstag decree stage where protests, voting, contacting our politicians, etc. has a legitimate shot at preventing the U.S. from going full blown fascist dictatorship.

[jmg257]

25. When will that happen?

[secondwind]

24. RESIST !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[guillaumeb]

26. Well I am not........what? Someone at the door? I will answer it dear.

[Pholus]

28. Agree 100%. What to be careful about is described here...

And yes, it's David Frum but I think he makes a good prediction about what is going to happen...

Apathy, fake facts, and selective leaks by foreign powers to keep things that way.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/03/how-to-build-an-autocracy/513872/

[KPN]

29. "the man who was more or less elected as President" ....

I like it !!!!!

[gordianot]

31. The problem is they cannot come for you but can make your life miserable.

This brand of Fascism/chaos will not involve genocide. Pink Pussy hats and massive peaceful marches get to them as do the remnants of democracy. Bricks, Molotov Cocktails and bullets are no answer. Go about your business and know you do not have to be nice to deplorable relatives. This is Civil War without the weapons used last time. Vote

[elmac]

32. We may need to save our big cardboard boxes

so when we lose everything paying the hospital bills we have a place to sleep.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

33. Barack Obama has a secret plan to take away all your guns next month. . . . nt

[MineralMan]

34. That's right, and if you don't hand them over,

it's the FEMA camps for you. I read that on Infowars, so you know it's true.

[neeksgeek]

35. Encryption, et cetera

Ever since I was in college, during Bill Clinton's second term, I've written, and called, and even on a couple occasions spoken in person with members of Congress, local, and state government officials. I've done this when I agreed strongly, and when I disagreed strongly. I've identified myself in these conversations. Yes, conversations, because sometimes I've even gotten a meaningful reply (but not always; I'm looking at you, Sue Myrick).

"They" know who I am, more or less. The things I've said on the record are enough to clearly
identify my political position. I'm not of the opinion that "they" are coming to get me, not if "they" means the government.

Now, third parties, like hackers, do worry me a bit. I've got no interest in being "doxxed" or hacked, or threatened. The "liberal professor" list, though... I'd almost enjoy landing on that.

Anyway, I think that a private conversation about the president between myself and my father (for example), is something that I have a right to encrypt. I see no reason to put private information out there, and the Constitution agrees with me.

[MineralMan]

37. Of course you can use encryption. Nobody is saying you can't.

Certainly not me. However, I question whether your conversation with your father is of any real interest to the government. If you believe it is, then encrypt away.

Do keep in mind, though, that big chunks of code in your encryption software was supplied by the NSA, the international leader in encryption technology. They're always pleased to help people write encryption software and will let you use their already coded algorithms in your products.

[neeksgeek]

46. I've already said...

That I'm not particularly concerned about the government reading my emails. If being a liberal ever becomes a criminal act, they won't need my emails to convict me. They've got my letters to Congress!

[starshine00]

40. ugh Sue Myrick

I feel your pain.

[starshine00]

39. the one thing we on the left need to absorb is that 'they' never go away

we get a clinton (bill) or an obama and we get utopian...we see logical progress and for whatever reason, we think these changes are permanent. Trump is like a solitary shock troop proving to the world this can't happen, no matter what progress we make it can be rolled back so damn fast...both times we had a dem president the voters became so complacent and handed the white house over to the devil. It seems to be a repeating pattern that the left can't successfully handle and I don't know why this is.

There is no hope for apocalyptics. They WANT that book fulfilled. Armageddon doesn't 'have' to happen, that is up to us. it is one of many, many potential outcomes. We have to think positive and be positive and not give the sickest people on the planet the outcome they want, they hate life and they hate this existence and they won't be satisfied until all of it is destroyed, presumably in the name of their God but they couldn' t be more wrong about that either. The Gods don't want this, someone's really shitty hallucinogenic trip does NOT have to be the outcome of the earth. I had a 'trip' like this one time and God made it pretty clear we are at the controls of whether this happens or not as a species, we have to act, we have to do what we can, that is why we incarnated here at this crucial time in the history of the planet, to try to stop this destructivenes. This Earth was formed and made by the hands of God why on earth would he/she/they want it destroyed? It has a consciousness, it is a child of the Gods like all of us. The Earth haters and the Life haters are going to be so shocked in the after life to find out how beloved this planet is. Sigh...they are all so depraved, it is sickening. / Okay, flipping 'woo woo' switch to off position.

[world wide wally]

42. Tell your Trump voting associates that you are getting a gun even if you're not.

Tell them everyone you know is doing the same thing.
Not in a threatening or defiant way, but just matter of factly. They are not known for ther bravery.
Better to bullshit if it makes them think twice. Don't forget who we're dealing with.

[MineralMan]

43. Why would I tell anyone that I own firearms?

I do, and I'm not really concerned who knows that, but I don't understand why telling people with whom I disagree that I own firearms makes any sense. Is that supposed to let them know something that would inhibit their actions? Why would it do that?

Frankly, I don't really have any "Trump-voting associates," either. Not close ones, anyhow. I choose my friends and associates and don't choose to associate with people who hold right-wing views. My business associates and I don't ever discuss politics. I write their websites and they run their businesses. We have no reason to discuss politics. Politics are irrelevant to the work I do for them.

The other thing is that my personal ethics prohibit me from lying about things. So, if I didn't own firearms, I would never pretend that I did. Why lie? I find that lies generally cause far more problems than truth, and I believe that truth is the best policy. So, I don't pretend that things are true when they are not.

If you ask me if I own firearms, I'll say yes, and then change the subject. I'm not going to give anyone an inventory or discuss the relative merits of some firearms over others. It's not a subject I want to discuss in detail, but if asked, I tell the truth.

I always advise people to stick to the truth. It's much easier than trying to remember what lies you've told and to whom you've told them.

[world wide wally]

44. That was in response to your original question about if you think they are

"Coming for you".
In reality, I feel the same as you and have also never been afraid of terrorists getting me either.

[MineralMan]

45. Well, I don't think anyone is "coming for me."

I'm more trouble than I'm worth to anyone. So, I don't expect anyone really wants me for any reason. Except my wife. I'm useful to her on several levels.

[world wide wally]

49. Same here. Actually, I think the farmers in Alabama are the ones really at risk of terrorist attacks