Where to go when "home" isn't home anymore?

What's next?

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I'm not an alarmist, but my disposition is to think of the worst possible outcome, then mitigate against that, and work on not letting the worst become reality. Thank my Emergency Management undergrad minor for that “nonsense”.

However, the rise of Nazi behaviors, and the unopposed marches they're emboldened to perform, carries the stench of pre-1933.

@prof.zeitgeist#stitch with @howlowcanyougo —- @Overopinionatedbrit3 @Doc Hazzard @Tad Stoermer

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Then, too, the general population, having voted Hitler into power, stood by and was flabbergasted.

Hitler was a skilled politician and mass-manipulator. In the 1930’s too many German people were out of work, poor, and desperate. Even more Germans had issues making ends meet, low on money, their dreams desolate.

They sought answers and solutions, and were very vulnerable and receptive to a skilled manipulator. Hitler told the Germans that the situation was not their fault, that the blame belonged to the Jewish bankers, that Jews had stabbed Germany in the back (regardless of the fact that many Jewish men died fighting for Germany in World War I), and that Germany could be restored to its past glory. He told them that they were the master race and all others should be their servants. The moderates and voices of reason were drowned out by extremists like Hitler.

The aforementioned paragraph can be read with contemporary language, and the outcomes of November 5 start to make more sense.

Hitler Trump is charismatic and politically very effective. He knows exactly how to play to the feelings of anger, pride, fear, and discontent, experienced by most of the under-educated. The latter, a byproduct of the diminishing quality of education in the United States.

We once aspired and celebrated intelligence. We didn’t belittle it (Jeff Daniels, Newsroom). Although a TV show, the script fits the developments.

The Inflection Point of Repetition

History has the potential to repeat itself. 80 years later, almost to the dot.

I cannot pretend that I'm not gravely concerned

I fear for most Americans, especially vulnerable populations and those deemed undesirable, and I am wracking my brain on how we can change that which appears to be inevitable.

Organize

The immediate solution is to organize. Small pockets. Strategic alliances. Find and align with like-minded individuals in your accessible geography. Start planning for shelter, food, transportation, safety, and security.

Collaborate to establish what works best, and go together, never alone.

brightest.io/community-organizing

Strategically assess your (and your community’s) vulnerabilities, and mitigate against each impact, considering the most undesirable outcomes. So, when circumstances arise, you are ready to activate. If these circumstances never materialize, it’s better to having been prepared.

Granted, all this sounds like I’ve gone off the deep-end. However, recognizing language patterns, the stacking of the courts and cabinet positions, and the rise of Nazis, the writing’s on the wall — in fluorescent letters.

Resources:

Activist Handbook: Link

The Solutions Project: Link

Organizing and building local pockets of resistance is one way to go.

The other is to leave your motherland behind - IF you have the resources to do so.

Escape

To leave, brings about a host of challenges:

• Which country allows you to enter and for how long?

• Can you prove lineage elsewhere, and get citizenship?

• Can you ethically stomach to leave your country behind?

• Do you have the resources to leave?

• How are you going to maintain your life abroad?

• How will you deal with the changes in your “new home”?

• Can you emotionally manage knowing that your friends will be in harms way?

• How quickly can you get out?

Leaving sounds desirable, but it’s not simple.

However, once you’re determined to “get out”, the world opens up.

Forbes Article. Click the image to read

Presently, an estimated 9.5 million US citizens are already living abroad. 

Greenback Tax Services ranked the easiest countries to move to from the USA based on key factors:

• Cost of Living Index (CLI): How affordable life will be in your new home

• Quality of Life Index (QLI): How well you’ll be living, from healthcare to happiness

• Global Peace Index (GPI): Safety first — no one wants to move to a conflict zone

• Average Salary (USD): What you can expect to earn

• Monthly Costs for Family (USD): A realistic look at living expenses for a family

• Safety Index: How secure you’ll feel day-to-day

You can read their findings here: Link

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The Greenback list, although well researched, may be a good starting point.

From there, it depends on which kind of safety you’re seeking:

• General Medical (those who have preexisting conditions)

• Reproductive Medical & Women’s Rights

• LGBTQIA Safety & Protections

• Cultural Safety & Equality (BIPOC)

• Occupational Safety (Worker’s Rights & Unions)

• Political Safety (for the dissidents)

• …and more

Depending on the kind of safety you are seeking, the list of desirable countries will likely change. Some nations will be more accommodating to your needs than others.

For General Medical, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Switzerland, Norway, Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands, or Japan

For Reproductive Rights, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway rank supreme.

For LGBTQ rights, Canada, Iceland, Spain, and Mexico. Although, Norway, The Netherlands, and Sweden, are worthy of consideration.

For BIPOC rights, Denmark, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Finland, Canada, or Norway.

For Occupational Safety, Lithuania, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Australia, or Portugal.

For Political Safety: Switzerland, New Zealand, Estonia, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, or The Netherlands.

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Certainly, for each country, particular stipulations apply. Put your fast-fingers to the task and research which country would work best for you, and then plan your exit strategy.

The upside, perhaps, is that in this connected world of ours, we’ll always be “together”, in one way or another.

The downside, if you manage to get out, the cultural changes will be compounded by having left “your people” behind.

That’s a difficult choice to make.

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On a personal note: this Substack was written for the “inner circle”, accessible by paying members. Although, I have taken the paywall off for the archive, I still want to honor your commitment to my work by publishing this to paying members only.

However, if you feel that this post should be released to everyone, please vote below. — this is where the community decided that I should release this post to the public. 🙏

###💙&✊###

~Z.