Resistance Book Club: Civil Resistance by Erica Chenoweth

Fascism is here y'all. But there is good news, because we aren't the only people to have ever lived through times like these, and we will get through this!

Let's educate ourselves on what the tenants of fascism are, the ways others have fought back in the past, and learn what it means to foster community, resilience, and resistance.

This book club will meet up monthly and at each meeting we will choose the next book from the list below. This list is not exhaustive (suggestions welcome!) but is there to give people a general idea of what this book club is about.

This month let's spend some time with Erica Chenoweth's Civil Resistance: What Everyone Needs to Know, which explores what can happen when 3.5% of a country's population fights back.

NOTE: This month we will be meeting at the Baghdad Theater's Kimball Room! Simply enter from the Backstage Bar and take the stairs up. The Baghdad was kind enough to let us use this space free of charge and only asks that we consider purchasing a drink (or equivalent) to help. Please keep this in mind when deciding to attend.

Below are some of the books we will choose from for future months:

• On Tyranny: 20 Lessons from the Twentieth Century / Timothy Snyder
• How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them / Jason Stanley
• Civil Resistance: What Everyone Needs to Know / Erica Chenoweth
• Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities / Rebecca Solnit
• The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto: The True Story of Five Courageous Young Women Who Sparked an Uprising / Elizabeth R. Hyman
• The Diary of a Young Girl / Anne Frank
• The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler's Ghettos / Judy Batalion
• Escape from Freedom / Erich Fromm
• Beautiful Trouble: A Toolbox for Revolution / Andrew Boyd
• Fighting Fascism: How to Struggle and How to Win / Clara Zetkin
• Carry Me Home : Birmingham, Alabama: The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution / Diane McWhorter
• Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement / John Lewis
• 1984 / George Orwell
• Plus your suggestions!

What we've already tackled:

• How to Stand Up to a Dictator / Maria Ressa

I very much have a "fight for democracy, get ice cream" mindset, so not every month needs to be hard-hitting. It's okay to take a break, read something lighter, or simply speak and be heard. Also, ice cream.

Housekeeping:

• Please keep your RSVP up to date and check in when you arrive so you don't get marked as a no-show. We regularly remove people with 2+ no-shows from the group.
• Make sure to follow the Community Rules in this group's About section. These include being respectful and kind, no harassing or aggressive behavior, no touching anyone at an event without explicit verbal consent, and only showing up to events you're on the 'going' list for. If anyone violates these rules or makes you feel uncomfortable, please let the event host (like Dan) know or reach out to another group organizer (like Kristina, Brenda, Max, Kevin, Cory, Cat or Erin).

The logo below was used with permission from Catherine on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PeopleShirtsStore If you choose to support her work, know that the majority of proceeds from the sales on her store are donated to organizations supporting the fight against fascism.