# How do I join the resistance? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 3, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783 "2004-11-03T16:42:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/21 "2004-11-03T21:41:23Z")
I should have said “any other non-governmental entity”. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/22 "2004-11-03T23:41:13Z")
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, at [www.au.org](http://www.au.org). ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/23 "2004-11-03T23:58:41Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Yeah, I’m smug. Got plenty of reasons to be. > > I’d prefer to think of my previous mini-rant as a call to action rather than a boast about myself. But if that gets people cleaning and recycling, then I’ll gladly annoy y’all. Results matter more to me than feelings. I think you took my post other than the way I intended. I intended to say that holding a protest that no one knows about is no good. It certainly wan’t meant to call you holier-than-thou. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/24 "2004-11-04T00:01:59Z")
The folks at Indymedia, Democratic Underground, and International A.N.S.W.E.R. will gladly help you. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/25 "2004-11-04T00:12:00Z")
> [@Chairman Pow](#): > > I think you took my post other than the way I intended. I intended to say that holding a protest that no one knows about is no good. It certainly wan’t meant to call you holier-than-thou. No sweat. As far as my earlier posts, I did sort of sideskip the OP question. One certainly should contact groups and organizations. My intent was to show that local, personal effort can be effective too. As a member of an organization that people call to “Fix things for them,” I’m always bombarded by requests from people who want things to get better. But these same people aren’t willing to do anything themselves. So a lot of my vitriolic personality gets poured into topics like this. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/26 "2004-11-04T00:38:47Z")
There are many ways to help with action, time, money or letter writing campaigns: [People for the American Way](http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/) (Defending Democracy, civil rights, liberties, justice) [Natural Resources Defense Council](http://www.nrdc.org/cities/default.asp) Very legally active in environmental issues, but you don’t have to be an attorney to help. Most of this help is done by donating and writing letters. [Common Cause](http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=186966) Organized for the purpose of holding government accountable [American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)](http://www.aclu.org/) Very active and successful organization that defends the civil rights of citizens regardless of whether the cause is liberal or conservative. [Amnesty International](http://www.amnesty.org/) Working to protect human rights world wide. (Nobel Prize winning organization.) Helped to uncover the Iraq prison scandal. [Southern Poverty Law Center](http://www.splcenter.org/) Works against hatred and intolerance and much more. I think it’s great that you want to become active. You might want to think about which issues are most important to you and focus on one or two things. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/27 "2004-11-04T03:42:46Z")
Good call on the Southern Poverty Law Center, **Zoe**. If you haven’t already read it, the next time you get by the Witness Protection Municipal Library check out Pete Early’s fact-based novel: _Circumstantial Evidence, Death, Life and Justice in a Southern Town_. It details some of the first work of the SPLC. I think I’m on the same page as **Hypno-Toad**. The direction our nation takes from here on won’t be determined by a handfull of politicans. We, the populace, will determine our country’s direction. If everybody does just one small thing extra every day to make this a better place, we will have a better place. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/28 "2004-11-04T04:46:38Z")
**John Carter of Mars** , I am so addled from staying up all night that I was about to ask you if the Witness Protection Municiple Library was affiliated with the Southern Poverty Law Center. :smack: Thanks for the reading tip. But thanks even more for this: > [@](#): > > We, the populace, will determine our country’s direction. If everybody does just one small thing extra every day to make this a better place, we will have a better place. . That is _exactly_ what I needed to hear today. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/29 "2004-11-04T05:16:47Z")
Do any of those groups offer punch and pie? I’m offering punch _and_ pie! ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/30 "2004-11-04T05:30:03Z")
Mmmm. PIE! ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/31 "2004-11-04T11:18:21Z")
- - - The SPLC may not be quite what it is cracked up to be. At one point some years ago I actually donated, and so got the usual assortment of updates. There were two things I noticed: 1. ANY time a white person attacked a non-white person for any reason, it was considered a “hate crime”. Even incidents that involved only name-calling–where no actual physical assault of any kind took place–were listed as “hate crimes” as well. :rolleyes: Mysteriously, there were **never** any “hate crimes” of minorities attacking white people. Even cases where _groups_ of non-whites were caught and tried for assaulting a _single white person_, the SPLC always seemed to miss it. Instances of minority-on-white crime that the major newspapers covered were never mentioned. 2. A lot of the activities featured in the updates seemed to be basically Jewish-interest only. Like sending kids to Israel with [Birthright.org](http://Birthright.org) or whatever-it-is, which is fine and all, I’m not against it, have fun. But it was never real clear why this pertained to the main mission of the SPLC seemed to be, that being legally fighting organized racism (or so I thought). Dees is a Jew I know–and he has defended a lot of minority victims it is true–but by its own literature, his organization’s direction seems to appear muddied from time to time. I never read where the SPLC’s money stopped and his started. Mostly what I read of him assisting in court were black people, such as the “Amadou” guy in NYC that got pounded by the cops. (-I think if the police anywhere in the US ever beat down a straight Jew _just_ for being a Jew now, the ADL would fly in on helicopters within the hour). So–really–the whole “Jewish interests” part of the SPLC material never really made sense to me. ~ ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/32 "2004-11-04T17:08:39Z")
**DougC** : I don’t have enough knowledge to comment on your thoughts about the SPLC one way or the other. I _am_ aware of several cases where they successfully fought racial injustice, but I have never examined them in depth. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/33 "2004-11-04T17:31:08Z")
The ACLU may be a better bet. They’ve put fairly strict principles of civil liberties far ahead of political ideology, as far as I can tell, though there are reports of infighting all the time over especially controversial cases (like defending the right of Neo-Nazis to demonstrate publically). ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/34 "2004-11-04T18:00:43Z")
“If you want to join the PFJ, you’ve got to _really_ hate the Romans.” “I do!” “Oh, yeah? How much?” “A lot!” :dubious: “OK, you’re in.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/35 "2004-11-04T18:07:35Z")
You don’t join the Resistance. The Resistance joins _you._ Who are we fighting? Nazis, V-aliens, Cardassians? Long Live the Maquis! OK, I’ll shut up now… ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/36 "2004-11-04T18:30:05Z")
**Doug C** Just FTR, Morris Dees is not Jewish, whatever difference that makes. [http://www.learntoquestion.com/seevak/groups/2001/sites/dees/biography/childhood01.php](http://www.learntoquestion.com/seevak/groups/2001/sites/dees/biography/childhood01.php) ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/37 "2004-11-04T19:17:48Z")
> [@](#): > > …Morris Dees is not Jewish, whatever difference that makes. - - - That is surprising considering the volume of material from the SPLC that I read. I had assumed it was so. * * * …Just browsing Google, I am seeing that it’s difficult to find any sort of level-headed _independent_ information or commentary on the SPLC at all. ~ ---
**Author:** ![legion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@legion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legion)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/38 "2004-11-04T19:23:41Z")
Wasn’t it the Daleks who said: “Resistance is useless”? ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/39 "2004-11-04T19:25:18Z")
I think they yell “EXTERMINATE” at you in a really grating voice. The Borg claim that resistance is futile. ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2004, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783/40 "2004-11-04T19:35:46Z")
There’s a lot of good advice in the threads above. Watching the election returns on Tuesday night showed me that my donation of $50 and the joyful forwarding of George Bush joke emails isn’t enough. So, I’m taking my cues from the Christian right and the environmental movement: Think globally, act locally. My Congressional district here in Texas didn’t even get a Democrat on the ballot. The libertarians were able to get someone on the ballot, but not the Dems. A UT professor ran as a write-in Dem and finished behind the Libertarian. I believe the libertarian gained 5% of the vote. To me, that means people didn’t really want to vote for the Repub. It is much easier for each of us to have an effect on our Congressional district, or state congress, or governorship than it is to have an effect on the presidency. And that’s where our future presidential candidates come from. I think we need to lay the groundwork for the future, and not just hope we get someone to get excited about 4 years from now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-join-the-resistance/272783.md?page=3)