Fishers Resists Mission
We are excited to share our new mission statement with you!
We take bold action to revitalize our democracy and end authoritarianism.
Fishers Resists members have been working on this for a few months. It’s not easy to write a good mission statement. It takes time, discernment, and discussion. We think this states clearly what we are about as an organization, and we believe it will help us move forward in a clear direction during these chaotic times.
We’d like to share some of the thinking that has gone into this mission. It’s important that our members and followers understand what this means. That shared understanding helps us create unity and a common sense of purpose.
Revitalizing our democracy
This is our primary goal. We want the United States of America, and especially Indiana where we live, to have a strong democracy. We need to breathe life back into a democracy that is being taken away from us. We want our democracy to be better than it was before, more inclusive of marginalized and oppressed groups. We don’t just want to go back to the way things were before MAGA. We are moving forward to build a better democracy and a more just society.
Ending authoritarianism
We cannot have a strong democracy under an authoritarian government. They are completely opposed to each other. The founders of our nation knew that. It’s what they fought and died for, along with all the people who have died defending democracy in our 250-year history. Authoritarianism has no place in US politics. We have No Kings in America.
Maintaining democracy is a constant battle to keep the authoritarians out of power. We have learned this the hard way, suffering through the injustices and corruption of the Trump and MAGA era. We must remove MAGA from power, and immediately pass constitutional amendments and laws that will keep the dictators and billionaires out of our political system.
We also recognize that our problem is not simply Trump and MAGA. MAGA is the immediate crisis, but there are leaders in the Democratic party with authoritarian tendencies as well. We oppose authoritarian behavior wherever it appears in our politics.
We recognize the corrupting influence of money in our politics, as a driver of authoritarian oppression. The robber barons of our day own politicians in both parties, using their captured media channels and our broken campaign financing system for their own benefit. These oligarchs are only interested in their own power and wealth. They see democracy, civil rights, and the public good as obstacles. They are part of the authoritarian system that we oppose.
Taking Bold Action
We are on the offensive now. The enemies of the people who run our governments today at the state and federal levels have been attacking us for decades. ENOUGH. It’s time for change. We are angry, frustrated, fed up, you name it. People are sick of MAGA and Trump and the craziness of the last ten years. We are kicking ass and taking names now. They have poked the bear, and the bear is now fully awake.
We intend to hold our leaders accountable, both the MAGA dictators who are raping and pillaging our country, and the future leaders we will elect to replace them. This is no time for weak knees and appeasement. We know that our whole political system has been designed to maintain the status quo regardless of which party holds power. Candidates can say positive things during the election, but after they take office, big money and corporate power weigh heavy on them. They capitulate. We are looking for leaders in the mold of Theodore Roosevelt, FDR, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. Leaders of moral strength, who can lead our nation and states to overcome these authoritarians.
Our action, unlike the right-wing extremists, is strictly non-violent. We do not condone or use violence to accomplish our goals. We understand that it is counterproductive, and that the only path to a healthy and just society is a non-violent one. We are bold, but we are not violent.
Bold action includes many things: protests, rallies, advocating with our representatives. It also includes quieter action: building up our local community and providing mutual aid. We are bold, but not heartless. It is bold to support people that others hate. We stand in solidarity with the oppressed around us.
If this mission speaks to your soul, we encourage you to join us! There is much to do, and Fishers Resists can help you find your niche. If you’re not in Fishers, find your local Indivisible chapter – they are everywhere. Everyone has skills that can help. It will take all of us to accomplish our mission together.
By Phil
Notes
Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia Commons / “Pismo Beach (California, USA), US Flag -- 2012 -- 4769” / CC BY-SA 4.0For print products: Dietmar Rabich / https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pismo_Beach_(California,_USA),_US_Flag_--_2012_--_4769.jpg / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Yes yes yes we can't aim to go back to how things were "before", whatever that word means to you. The "before" times were still unjust, inequitable, and so non-life giving in so many ways to so many people. We can and must strive for better than "before" and work to shape our communities, state, and country in more compassionate and equitable ways and move towards collective liberation!