This post contains a video, which you can also view here. To support more videos like this, head to patreon.com/rebecca!
Transcript:
Hello from California, where things are finally getting spicy. In case you missed it, Donald Trump ordered the National Guard to go help our secret police disappear people off the streets in the name of immigration control, over the objections of our governor, Gavin Newsom, who Trump said should be arrested.
The good news is that neighbors are standing up to protect one another from the Gesloppo, while also protecting our constitutional rights to due process. Obviously this is seen as “violence,” because any pushback against an oppressive state is falsely painted as violence by the media and elites, which I’ve discussed several times now, like in 2022 when I defended the tactics of the “Just Stop Oil” protestors.
Obviously, the violence originates with the authoritarian police state. As people gather to peacefully protest the disappearing of minorities and immigrants, cops in full military gear are firing tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets at them, including at journalists simply documenting what’s happening.
All of this means is that there’s also a war happening online: a war of misinformation. It’s not just media outlets reporting all this as if rioters are storming LA burning down schools and hospitals. There are also well-meaning people sharing information that either isn’t true or isn’t true AND actively harmful.
So, first of all let me just remind you that when big scary things are happening, think long and hard before you share information that you can’t confirm is true. Over on BlueSky, BBC disinformation journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh has a thread showing some good examples of bad disinformation, including a fake news outlet claiming the Marines have arrested the master sergeant of the California National Guard for disobeying Trump, video footage from 2020 protests being passed off as happening now, and even “AI” video of a supposed member of the National Guard provoking protestors in front of an “LAPC” patrol car. “Los Angeles Pitiful Cucks” I guess.
I’ve also seen this infographic making the rounds on social media, like on a subReddit dedicated to organizing. I can’t say this strongly enough: DO NOT DUMP MAALOX IN YOUR EYES. In fact, don’t dump any liquid into your eyes that isn’t plain old water. No antacid, no baby shampoo, no milk, no nothing but water. Randomized controlled trials show that these add-ons don’t do much, if anything, while posing a greater danger of allergic reactions and infections.
Here’s what you should actually do when faced with the threat of tear gas, as recommended by doctors who practice medicine in these kinds of environments and researchers who have studied these tactics: first of all, if you have any kind of respiratory disorder, avoid exposure at all costs. Tear gas is relatively “safe,” but it is not “non-lethal” and we should reject that phrase for the way that it covers up the actual dangers of this tactic and others, like rubber bullets. They are “less-lethal,” meaning less lethal than using actual bullets, which really is not a very high bar. A samurai sword is “less lethal” than the AR-15s our police forces carry.
But tear gas really can fuck up people who are more vulnerable, like those with asthma or even those who are pregnant, as it’s been known to cause spontaneous abortions. You’d think that would be enough for Republicans to ban its use on American citizens, but I guess they love brutality more than babies. Who knew?
A fun side note I learned from my friend Kaveh Hoda’s podcast interview with Dr. James Chenoweth during the Black Lives Matter protests: tear gas is banned from being used in war but it’s legal for American police to use against citizens. The reason it’s banned in war isn’t because of how unethically dangerous it is, but because it’s hard to know exactly what type of chemical weapon you’re using, meaning that “just” using tear gas might make an enemy think you’re using something worse, so they might escalate to the really nasty shit. As of right now, American citizens do not have access to things like, say, sarin nerve gas, so the cops don’t have to worry about escalation and can torture us as they’d like. See, isn’t that a fun fact? I have the funnest facts.
Anyway, for MOST people, tear gas probably isn’t going to be a big deal, although it’s worth noting something suggested by the aforementioned fun fact: we don’t necessarily know what chemical agents the cops are using, and we don’t know about the long term effects. So that’s another fun fact. Oh, and also the cans are very hot and are shot out of a gun, so people have been injured by being hit with them, just like the “less lethal but still absolutely lethal” rubber bullets.
So that means if you think you might encounter tear gas, it’s a good idea to take precautions. A gas mask is great, though if it covers your eyes make sure it’s shatterproof. An N95 mask might help a little, and a P100 mask will work very well. Wear goggles, ideally chemistry goggles that don’t have vents on the side. Don’t wear contact lenses if you can help it. Wear long sleeves and heavy gloves, especially if you plan to try picking up the extremely hot tear gas canisters and chucking them back to whence they came. But remember that you can also neutralize those canisters by putting buckets or traffic cones on top of them.
It’s worth noting that the number one effect that cops are looking for when they use tear gas is to scare you. They want you to be scared, to freak out and run away. So the first thing you need to remember to do when you’re exposed to tear gas is to not panic. Easier said than done, I know, but it’s important because when a large crowd of people panics, people get crushed. Do not panic. Move out of the area as safely as you can, ideally to higher ground because tear “gas” is actually a particulate and will fall to the ground. Do not rub your face. Remove your contacts if you wore them despite me telling you not to. Clean your glasses before putting them back on. Experts suggest you rinse your eyes with 1 to 2 liters of water, and as soon as you can you should strip down and throw away your clothes. Experts also suggest washing your skin with soap and water, though that’s weirdly controversial because the tear gas particulates stick to anything wet, and it might be better to go stand in front of a fan. Ideally with an unmasked cop behind you.
If you do all that, you should be fine in about 30 minutes.
Now, you know I like to end with a call to action, so here it is: please keep yourself and your neighbors as safe as possible when fighting for your rights, and also can someone please take all this information and make a colorful and fun infographic so people will stop sharing the one with misinformation? Thanks.
