It’s undeniable: the violent police crackdowns against Black Lives Matter protests throughout the United States in summer 2020 have decreased public support for police and increased criticism of their role in American society. Images and video of heavily armed and armored police tear gassing, pepper spraying, and assaulting demonstrators have vividly called into question the police’s role as “protectors.” These police responses to the sustained calls for racial and economic justice, underscored their role in enforcing the existing oppressive structures of white supremacy and capitalism. Given that policing in the American context has its roots in slave patrols and anti-labor repression, what might alternatives to policing look like? 

Trump has repeatedly said he will not peacefully transfer power and there is legitimate fear that the election may be stolen. If Trump makes good on this promise, then make no mistake: we are headed towards a coup. 

The President has also called on white supremacists to “protect the vote,” threatened to call out troops to protect (his) ballots and is actively seeding doubts about the integrity of the election process in order to contest it. 

We cannot sit back and watch Republican-led efforts suppress the right to vote.Remember: Black organizers and activists fought for decades using nonviolent tactics to win the right to vote. In a settler-colony like the United States, it's imperative we mobilize to defend hard-won rights so that we may move even closer towards an equitable country.

From rural to suburban to urban areas, people in the United States are organizing in powerful ways to confront white supremacy and police in the streets, to defend our election against a coup, and to de-escalate conflict on the ground. 

We've compiled a list of resources, readings, and free online trainings to help with these efforts. It’s going to take all of us to stop a coup: please read + forward this resource guide to activate more people in defense of our democracy.

It is 11 days until election day and tonight is the last debate between the two people who are essentially running to be Commander in Chief of the United States Military. Based off of what we know what topics the moderator will cover, here is what you should watch out for in tonight’s debate:

“Fighting COVID-19”

Both Trump and Biden use “war” language to frame how the government and essential workers are responding to the pandemic: that we are “fighting COVID-19” instead of managing the pandemic, healthcare workers are “battling on the frontlines” instead of being well equipped to safely do their jobs. Remember that we have the resources to invest in public health - we’ve chosen not to.

Race in the United States

The Trump administration has declared war on Black Lives Matter movement, framing the uprising as a series of violent protests. Both the Trump and Biden campaigns repeat the misleading rhetoric of “peaceful” vs “violent” protests. As one of the oldest pacifist organizations in the United States, we’ve heard this rhetoric before. Read our statement debunking common myths on “violent protests.”

In honor of Indigenous People’s Day we are amplifying visionary, Indigenous-led leadership today from our friends at the NDN Collective, who are launching the LANDBACK Campaign.

LANDBACK is a movement that has existed for generations with a long legacy of organizing and sacrifice to get Indigenous lands back into Indigenous hands -- and is more than just a campaign. It is a way of understanding the world that allows us to deepen our relationships across the field of organizing movements. Through LANDBACK, we envision a world where Black, Indigenous & POC liberation co-exists.

This is how LANDBACK describes their work: