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Vivien Beere's avatar

I totally agree Ethan. Ninety per cent of what I spend money on as a senior, apart from housing, is recycled or comes in the form of services from a local mechanic, independent medical provider, independent grocers,butchers, delis, plant nursery, etc and much fruit grows wild (lemons, limes, mulberries, figs) and I preserve it and give it to my neighbours. I do buy from a big hardware chain though because they bought out everyone else, alas. The thing is all these small family businesses get to know their customers and vice versa. There’s condolences when the matriarch dies and congratulations for weddings and new babies. Sit down for a coffee outside my deli and the owner will remember I like macchiato. I live in Australia and don’t have ICE beating people up in the neighbourhood, but there are still lonely people and homeless people when there do not need to be. I hope people will do as you suggest and find allies in their communities and maybe also create community gardens and help out in shelters and food banks. I think many places in the US may be in for a cold and hungry winter, so dealing with it together is the way to go. And you can share the info about the vipers too and support your judiciary. All the best with it.

🌏❤️🌎

Vivien Beere's avatar

Haha yes. Appreciate the compliments. That’s Sydney slang derived from Cockney Londoners who came as convicts and then became freed men and women. You don’t hear that in other parts of the country but every name is shortened and the slang and dry humour still takes a bit to understand. Meantime 700 paddlers made a circle of light in the ocean at Bondi Beach yesterday to support the Jewish community and send a

message of light and hope to the world after a terrible tragedy. 💚🌺🇦🇺

Forest Mother's avatar

Thank you, Ethan, I am helping families in Gaza and put every penny I can into it. I will get you support when I can and until then, I am sharing your brilliant work in hopes others will read and support you. Grateful for your good work. I am hoping citizens will learn how to engage in a General Strike and Tax Resistance to use other tools to bring power to the People and stop growing Fascism.

Stephanie Gibbs Dunlap's avatar

A lovely post Vivien. Australians have seen and learned from America’s mistakes, and how not to make them. Australia is what America was meant to be. I wanted to move to Australia, but it was a 6 to 9 month wait to obtain a Visa. My brain prefers the race track. We had Aussies stay with us, when the big surf contests were on, they are the funniest, wittiest people I’ve ever met! The Australian slang could be confusing, like “your eyes, are mince pies,” “your mouth, is “your north and south.”

Orbitalgenerosity117's avatar

ICE IS BEING TRAINED BY THE IDF

louise owen's avatar

God bless you Vivien 🙏 ❤️

Vivien Beere's avatar

Thank you Louise, you too.

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Oct 18
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Vivien Beere's avatar

Well there’s nothing perfect about anyone having to go to counselling to deal with the trauma of sexual assault, but yes not having to pay and having (mostly)well informed and respectful police dealing with complaints and a dedicated unit for child survivors certainly helps.

BeckBeck's avatar

I love all the writers on Substack wish I could subscribe to everyone, wish there was a package deal

Sheryl's avatar

Me too ! Darn..

Kathy Santoro's avatar

I am lucky to have $5 at the end of every month at 72 and I rarely eat out or buy anything new. I want to subscribe to so many of these folks like Ethan but don’t have the means. In my working days I donated so much and now it hurts that I can’t. I can only hope young people are picking up the slack. These services are vital.

Teresa Evanko's avatar

It has started to become problematic for me to be able to subscribe to everyone I’d like to hear from because there are so many talents and foci. So strange the days we live in now that the ability to keep well informed by a variety of great independent sources is determined by socioeconomics.

Jean English's avatar

Great idea

Yolanda D.'s avatar

Thanks for reposting this article, Ethan! Everyone needs to read and understand what's really happening. 🙏🏼

Starter (Star Termopolis)'s avatar

A strange exhaustion indeed. We have never been invaded from within. It's a new experience that we didn't ask for and definitely hadn't developed the tools to fight these vipers. Thank you for this reframing of where we are at and what we need to focus on moving forward. I for one will be more deliberate in my spending and actions. We can make a difference and make our country inhospitable to the creatures masquerading as leaders.

Fromtheheartland's avatar

Boycott is a key tool. Thank you Ethan. I’m going to redouble efforts to shop at my local cooperative market. They lead the way in local sourcing. Shopping there is a natural way of avoiding supporting the corporate shills.

Stephanie Gibbs Dunlap's avatar

Yes, boycotts work! I’ve been pondering this thought, we all should start boycotting certain billionaires products, and markets. Most of these CEO’s today, were born into the money, second, third and fourth generations, did not create the company, or products. Their only goal is more money, a race to have the most. Obscene greed, • in need of a monkey wrench, tossed in. They know how to spend it, but not create it. Most are republicans. Start with a think tank, any Ideas? So sick of Trump 👺Republicans. Eisenhower would be disgusted.

Donna's avatar

So sad you had to bring your politics here.

Stephanie Gibbs Dunlap's avatar

You have the most magnificent mind.. The Rattlesnake, is rarely appreciated, I have had a few run ins with them, on trail rides. And once when I picked up a bucket of grain, a young rattlesnake was behind it, and wound up to strike, my friend told me, “not to move,” which went on for 20 mins. I will never forget those black eyes staring at me.. Thanks for the memory.

Evie Haley Ball's avatar

Oh My Goodness 20 minutes 🤯

Janey's avatar

thank you for this! it is hard to have rage in this world today. there’s an odd sense of peace i’ve been finding recently in now seeing the curtains (at least mostly) pulled back to expose how much of the iceberg has been covered this whole time. thank you for giving me words to describe the action i hope to create 🫶

Marissa Magdinier's avatar

Brilliant article and so helpful - I love reading articles that give you something empowering to do when, like you say, you feel exhausted! Thank you for the positive message. ❤️

Stephanie Gibbs Dunlap's avatar

Ethan, you have a most brilliant analytical mind, this advice is so needed now. We the People must share this plan above with everyone, this We Can Do!

Susan J Kula's avatar

They have the money but we have the numbers! The more who step in to protest and boycott, the better our chances!!

Melinda Fouche's avatar

Great article, thank you for reminding me to focus on the positive while rooting out the negative…

Ethan Faulkner's avatar

Thank you for reading <3

CLEAR Rule of Law's avatar

This is gold. Wish I’d found it earlier, but in early November I started a working on my own little fortress that ties into my music hobby and network and is way to build community and an independent communication network while being officially apolitical and under the radar.

Radio Free Fort Worth (not launched yet):

https://freefortworth.com

Gail Shields's avatar

Sounds good!

I am but matter given spirit's avatar

Your ideas are very good. I would add

If you really want to have victory and not fear the subjugation, look to Christ, cast your cares upon Him. Look to His promises, the joy He offers.

“If you have any kind of trouble in your mind, give it to God. God has promised to take care of you.”

1 Peter 5.7

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Ephesians 6:12