solarbird | (Reply)

From: (Anonymous)

Yes, that is fairly summing up what I said.

Being in touch with a few others of like mind and like propensity for background organising, I may confidently state that at least those amongst lurkers personally-known to me do pass along -- or where it makes sense respond directly on the basis of -- significant information that you have collated and thus sent forward. Journalling, in formats which you are using, has signal advantage over activist-lists in that it may reach people (like said lurkers) whose locations are not immediately known by you. That helps magnify messages' effectiveness by breaking them free of social frames which would otherwise be imposed upon them.

Having said that, I may also fairly note that some of those who quietly make use of your output may well self-silence out of concern for third-party retribution. However, as you yourself have frequently argued, we are small fry indeed, not worth harassing until or unless we fall under the microscope of the vetting process, whether by private employers, parastatal organisations, or agencies. Having many times faced that lengthy, involved and sometimes personally-lysive process, I can assure you that it produces a strong disincentive against open expression of non-mainstream opinions.

I am not sure that existence of quiet follow-ups to your pass-alongs is cause for smugness: we do live in difficult times, and smugness is premature. However, overall cultural struggle is far from over, and we may yet be surprised both for good or for ill.

It would be premature, and counter-productive, to concede defeat.