The U.S. political system can often feel like an enormous, overwhelming mess. Corruption, red tape, antiquated laws, and worst of all—a total inability to get anything done. Especially amongst younger generations, Americans seem to be discouraged from participating in even the most fundamental political structures. In 2020, only 50% of those aged 18-29 voted in the presidential election. 

The Bunk Police is no stranger to the frustration with outdated laws, slow-moving government processes, and a misunderstanding of crucial public safety issues. Even when changes are being made with public perception and education, the larger legal and governmental systems in place make it difficult to ensure drug checking equipment is available, accessible, and universally legal. 

Regardless of participation with, trust of, or total abstention from the political system, it is clear that fresh perspectives are more needed than ever. But with the complicated structures in place, and the excruciating pace the government moves, how can anyone make their voice heard?

It has seemed near impossible…until now.

When you send “resist,” or any of these useful keywords to Resistbot, it will reply with a few quick questions to understand the cause you’re fighting for, and your position on the matter. It will give you the option to either enter a personal letter, or have Resistbot write one for you with its generative AI feature. If you choose the AI feature, you simply send an article that explains the issue, list your position on the matter, and Resistbot will do the rest. It will then give you options for which government body to send it to, and if you want to make your letter available for the public to support. 

Be advised: If you are using the SMS text option, there is a 140 character limit (per text) for sending a letter manually, so you have to enter your letter piece by piece. The other messaging options do not have this limitation.

From a perspective of legitimacy, Snopes fact-checked Resistbot on two separate occasions, concluding that not only does it work as easily as it claims, but users will often even receive emails and responses from their contacted representatives within minutes. 

The organization only seems to be growing in popularity. The founders of Resistbot are adamant about their mission to drive citizen engagement in government issues, increase voter participation, and ultimately, allow for a better-informed and educated public. 

The proof is in the numbers, and Resistbot’s efforts seem to be paying off. During the 2018 midterms, Analyst Institute ran an academic control-group study on Resistbot, concluding that the voter turnout program, “was highly cost-effective and able to generate an impressive number of net voters, surpassing the performance of many other programs in midterm election cycles.”

Resistbot seems to be shaking up the democratic landscape—allowing change to be made more simply than ever.

The Bunk Police community is always asking for ways to support our effort in making drug checking kits more accessible and available. Aside from using our test kits, Resistbot is the perfect way to show support. You can easily contact local, state, and national representatives to join the fight for the legalization of drug test kits, fentanyl test strips, and more. Supporting on a governmental level not only legitimizes the cause, it also shows the widespread need for these tools and resources, and the existing community it serves. 

We’ve put together these resources to help you learn about your state’s legal status on drug checking equipment (DCE), harm reduction, and fentanyl test strips. We’ve also written up letter templates to send using Resistbot, along with state-by-state templates to personalize your issue. Spread the word, and join the movement towards saving lives!