Damn.

She should leave Gilead and join us up here in Canada. Staple the news article to her immigration paperwork. It's a badge of honour. How can you all have pride in a country that does this shit? Stay safe down there!

Maybe search a little more broadly then in the United States. I can't convince you, but America is not some unique civilization that transcends human nature.

Likewise, the purpose of protesting isn't to simply change the minds of the electorate and make them more invested. It is far more nuanced and powerful then that. I'm tempted tomlist some ways it helps, but I recognize that one can always justify their inaction.

The first step is to take a leap of faith; get connected with the growing number of Americans who are bravely and nonvoilently standing against this tyranny. Protesting is just one part of the puzzle. Maybe there is another you feel empowered to do.

Good luck.

The protests matter.

History shows us how and why. It also shows us that thinking they don't matter is pretty common. If even 10% of Americans showed up to protest you would see instant, dramatic changes the next day. And it tends to snowball. Americans are not as powerless between elections as they have convinced themselves they are.

I think that deep down they know all this, but it's easier to claim it won't matter.

To better protect myself from cognitive biases I try to put my faith in the consensus of the experts. Otherwise we all just waste time cycling through old, ego-fueled debates that have been fully explored before we were even born.

In the case of protesting: the overwhelming consensus is that protests matter. If you don't have the time/inclanation to defend a disertation as to why they don't: you should listen to those that have. Unfortunately the experts don't have the resources to play whack-a-mole with every objection any person can claim on any platform. If you want that you need to go to school. Until then trust and protest. The longer you wait the harder it will be.

Spoken like a true American.

It sounds like you've completely exhausted all options. Anyone can see you have taken your civic duty to defend American FREEDOM seriously. No one has done any more than you have. History will record your deeds and future generations will say, "He voted, protested, and talked to his family. We owe him the FREEDOM we have today." Statues will be erected. Schools will be renamed. You are remarkable. I'm honoured to be in the presence of such a great person.

Although...

Reading these "History Books" it seems that some of your ancestors did find a few more things they could do. I understand if you haven't read "History Books" as they've probably been burned in your country. Sad.

Unfortunately Americans are convinced they can't do anything about it, so they don't.

I'm confused. Are we still talking about the USA threatening Canada, Panama, and Greenland? And your response is "other countries might do that someday"?

Clueless? Arevyou denying that the American president is threatening Canada? And let's be honest, it's more likely he is a Russian agent than I am.

When European leaders start threatening my country I will do that. Until then this sounds like fictional whataboutism.

But I'm open to suggestions. Are their "missions" to save Amer8cans from themselves? Maybe some sad commercials showing masses of dumbfuck Americans all pointing blamesticks at each other like a spiderman meme, asking for donations?

No thanks. I'm done sugar-coating it for Americans. They are all too good at doing that for themselves.

It's funny to think that any of these comments are relevant. Are you new to the internet maybe?. The best I can do is hope to influence. The best an American can do is contact people already working to correct this and ask them what needs doing. This leads me to wonder how all the Americans are posting in this thread, being that they are all so exhausted. Why not go to sleep? Then wake up later and get in touch and involved.

It's almost like Americans are here trying to convince themselves there is nothing they can do.

How brave of you. What a testament to your freedoms. What a fine demonstration of what it truly means to be American: A blame shifting, feckless inheritor of a once great country. All hype. No substance, apart from the folds of blubber around their mid sections. What a legacy. All your talk of freedom backed by nothing. FREEDOM!

I'm not defining terms; I'm repeating how the terms are defined. You can look it up in any dictionary. After that, if you still feel like arguing about it I'm not your opponent. You can contact Mrs. Mirriam-Webster, or Mr. Oxford, etc. Please post the exchange! Maybe the argument, "That's not how it works," will convince them.