TOO MANY people may think that when Trump promulgates images of himself as a “king” with a crown and seeks to take control over the FDIC (that insures deposits in banks!) that his overreach will automatically(?) bring his downfall. But even less bold tyrants have launched reigns of error and terror that lasted for decades or even centuries. People who never read history can still remember slogans like “Fortune favors the bold” (which is generally not true, but SOMEBODY does actually win big lottery jackpots every so often so….and Trump has NOTHING to lose because he ALREADY crossed the Rubicon on Jan 6, 2020.)
Do we KNOW what our Senators and Representatives are DOING as Trump dismantles the government which employs so many people and makes sure laws and policies are carried out (such as education, healthcare, transportation, public safety, public health, environmental protection, consumer protection etc.)??
Are YOUR Senators and Representatives aware that when Musk guts the services that we all rely upon (Social Security and Veterans Benefits etc) he is actually making LAWS and CONGRESS irrelevant?? That is what a tyrant does. That is what a dictator does. That is what a fascist does. That is what one “who would be king” does.
Don’t we NEED to find out what they are aware of and WHAT THEY ARE DOING about it????
Do they have a clue?
Do they think of themselves as LEADERS? Or as oboe players in that orchestra on the Titanic?
Do they care how they will be remembered in history?
I basically told them all (Hassan, Shaheen, and Goodander in NH) that I UNDERSTAND that they may see their job as taking a long or strategic view, but that I see my job as making sure there is a fire underneath them that won’t fizzle out.
Those who voted for Trump have effectively cut off their noses to spite their faces. The only relevant question now is how long it will take for enough of them to realize this in order for the addiction of Trumpism to break. For make no mistake; Trumpism is an addiction.
Unfortunately that will almost certainly be too late to re-establish our relations with our lost allies. They will never forget how easily we can shift from alliance to opposition.
trump 1.0 was seen as an embarrassing, eccentric and flamboyant departure from usual US politics--and forgiven. Dismissed--after all, there's been much unfortunate global fascination with the Populists: Orban, Bolsonaro, LePen, Wilders,Milei, Meloni, Fico...
trump 1.0= aberrant; in aberrant times. The world gave America a pass.
trump 2.0? This looks like the de-programmed cult member choosing to return to the compound; choosing lies, and the Liar.
I believe your insulted, abandoned allies do see it as different, this time around: sure, it is still largely one mentally ill man spouting, but now....no longer any meaningful opposition, no one sayin' he's crazy.
That’s precisely the point Snyder is making. That Trump performs “Strongman”, but his lousy shtick only works on the weak Americans who mistake his bluster for strength.
Good luck finding that from Deutsche. The CIA could probably do it, but it would take time; also, we'd have to have a functioning CIA that wasn't reporting to Putin.
Stuyvesant, I assure you, we all feel the same way. But we cannot turn away. We cannot succumb to the blitzkrieg that seeks to destroy our rights, liberties and laws. The cure for despair is action - so take a break when you need it and return by joining with others to take action: join a group like Indivisible, support organizations like Public Citizen and Democracy Forward that are filing lawsuits (even a $1/month recurring donation helps) and attend rallies , join boycotts like the Economic Blackout on February 28, 2025. As Robert Hubbell likes to note, every little thing we do adds up and could be the one thing thing inspires others to take action too!
Yes, once again, your assessment of the situation in the US was/continues to be on target.
It's all too easy to feel dejected and lost at the moment. I'm in severe physical pain most of the time, which only magnifies the psychological distress. Over the last 3 years I've donated to various campaigns and charities that support Ukraine, such as United24, Razom, Come Back Alive, etc. In an effort to take my mind off of my physical pain and the current state of affairs in the US, I've decided to look to the future by supporting Ukrainian education and science via United24 ("Protect Ukraine’s future generations Donate towards school reconstruction, bomb shelters and power generators to ensure a safer educational environment for Ukrainian children" https://u24.gov.ua/) as a way of reminding myself that I can't give up. Ukraine has some unusually bright people, especially in literature and the sciences. Whatever happens, the education of its children must continue. Poland accomplished this with its flying universities during WWII. Poles understood that, even during that dark period, they had to take risks and look to the future.
P.S. By building underground schools, the Ukrainian people and their government are showing the rest of us that they *assume* there will be a future for Ukraine. Another thing I find interesting is the way ordinary citizens bring brooms, shovels, nails, hammers, saws, and other tools to rebuild the houses of their neighbors after a missile strike. Their thinking is future-oriented.
DJT is a master manipulator, especially of the media. His power, or lack of power, was revealed when Covid hit. He was revealed to be stupid, weak, ineffectual. His support eroded quickly, massively.
DJT traffics in spectacles, but if the counter spectacle is bigger, he is reduced to nothing.
A coordinated, sustained spectacle will drain him of his power and his hold on the imagination of the population.
His desperate need to be the center of attention, his deep desire to be liked, to be "respected" is his greatest vulnerability.
While we still have a free press and alternative sources of media, the field of opportunity is waiting for someone with vision to generate the boogeyman under Trump's bed.
We cannot turn away. We cannot succumb to the blitzkrieg that seeks to destroy our rights, liberties and laws. The cure for despair is action: join a group like Indivisible or Move-on, support organizations like Public Citizen, Democracy Forward and CREW that are fighting court battles to defend the rule of law and our Constitution (even a $1/month recurring donation helps) and attend rallies, join boycotts (like the Economic Blackout on February 28, 2025). As Robert Hubbell likes to note, every little thing we do adds up and inspires others to take action too!
Folks, I keep hoping for a savior among us, someone like Timothy Snyder, Robert Reich or Heather Cox Richardson, who are doing a great job keeping us informed, but think it is ultimately up to us. I'm in my 70's, but preparing myself to hit the streets in protest. People in other countries have done it & made a difference- I don't know if it will here, but if hundreds of thousands (millions?) protested, wouldn't Republican politicians take notice & perhaps add to the resistance? Americans (including me) have become complacent, accustomed to things working fairly well, taking our institutions for granted & been caught off guard. I'm looking into organized groups across the country that have local chapters, such as Indivisible, ACLU, interfaith groups & others (some are mentioned in these comments today) who organize action events. I'm becoming more involved with what my city council & state representatives are doing. My U.S. Representative & Senators are Democrats doing what they can, with their limited power- not sure what more they can do except speak with one coordinated voice. People in my community are losing their federal jobs which will certainly trickle down to the rest of the economy- lives are being shattered. What's happening re: Ukraine is heartbreaking. Here's hoping that we (Americans) wake up in time to reverse course & convince the Republican leaders to do the same. Things are happening so fast.
So what does this all mean for Me? (to be blunt) I'm 76, with an ok retirement, white, and city dweller. Health care? My Grandkids in the army fighting WWlll? Put my savings in a can and bury it in the backyard? How where do I start planning?
Yes, I write my congress members and won't buy anything Feb 28.
i don't think trump is not being strong vis a vis putin. trump doesn't want to be strong against him. strangely he sees that he is on the same side with putin. trump wants what putin wants. maybe white christian supremacy. one reason putin wants ukraine so bad for his empire is that ukrainians are white christians. most of his empire is muslim without ukraine.
Putin doesn't want Ukrainians or anything Ukrainian -- he wants the territory. He will people it with whomever he commands to go there, possibly brainwashed Ukrainian children who grow up believing that Russia is glorious and forever blessed.
And my question as I begin to read all of your books is what do we do. How do we make a difference? I am inspired by the Ukranians but unsure of where to take action.
There were quite a few people who told me that it was ok that they were voting for Trump because he would end the war for Ukraine. Knowing Ukraine's history -- particularly with Russia, and knowing Putin's speeches for the last 20 years, only an incredible change of character could make Trump help Ukraine and not Russia. His vacillating comments about Zelenskyy made me more sure that he would love to rip the daylights out of Ukraine. Perhaps the only thing that caught Trump's attention was his recent realization that Ukraine has valuable resources. But then Trump would have to usurp Putin which he couldn't possibly do because Putin is an even bigger and richer bully than Musk or Trump. Ukraine's national anthem starts with the words, "Neither Ukraine's glory nor its destiny are dead yet!" and ends with words citing our Cossack heritage. We can share their strength and perseverance as have so many cultures forced to reckon with mortality throughout history.
WHY: We the People of the United States will not be silent spectators to the destruction of our country, and the democratic world order that we have helped create.
THEREFORE WE MUST:
•Stand up for democracy, here and around the world.
• Stand up for all who have and will fight for liberty and justice
• Stand up for our children’s futures
• Stand up for the future of our country, of a free world.
A family friendly protest. Ignore anyone who’s a disruptive ass, and thank police officers for protecting our right to peacefully protest.
PRE PROTEST
1) Print out a copy of the Constitution’s Preamble, and We Shall Overcome
2) Decide if you have the bold, patriotic spirit to be a “Caller”.
3) Buy a small American flag (and Canadian, Ukrainian, Danish, etc)
3) Create modest hand held signs about protecting Democracy: No Kings, Fire Elon, Stop the Madness, Grow a Pair, etc etc
4) Make a construction paper megaphone, NO ELECTRONIC AUDIO (requires a permit)
1) Gather at noon, single file on the sidewalk that surrounds your capitol building, town hall, anywhere that you will not block pedestrian or street traffic.
Position “Callers" on opposite side of the street.
A family friendly protest. Ignore anyone who’s a disruptive ass, and thank police officers for protecting our right to peacefully protest.
2) Extend single file to adjoining streets.
•Hand held only SIGNS, no stick held
•Small flags
•Keep sidewalks/crosswalks open
•NO Amplification. Permits needed for amplification. Paul Revere didn’t need a bull horn, we do not need a bull horn.
•Groups of people will naturally form within earshot of one CALLER voice leading the chants, and the Preamble call and response
3) Start Preamble Call and Response
Constitution’s Preamble call and respond each bullet line:
• Call: We the people of the United States,
Respond: We the people of the United States
• Call: in order to form a more perfect union,
Respond: in order to form a more perfect union
• Call: establish justice,
Respond: establish justice
• Call: ensure domestic tranquility,
Respond: ensure domestic tranquility
• Call: provide for the common defense,
Response: provide for the common defense
• Call: promote the general welfare
Response: promote the general welfare
• Call: and secure the blessings of liberty
Response: and secure the blessings of liberty
• Call: to ourselves, and our posterity,
Response: to ourselves, and our posterity,
• Call: do ordain and establish
Response: do ordain and establish
• Call: this Constitution for the United States of America.
Response: this Constitution for the United States of America
4) CALL AND RESPONSE CHANTS
“Show Me” CHANT
CALL: Show me what democracy looks like.
RESPONSE: This is what democracy looks like
C: Show me what resistance looks like.
R: This is what resistance looks like.
C: Show me what diversity looks like.
C: This is what diversity looks like
C: Show me what outrage looks like.
R: This is what outrage looks like.
C: Show me what democracy looks like
R: This is what democracy looks like
Grow a Pair” CHANT
Call: Did we elect people to hide during a national, now international crisis?
Response: No
Call: So what do our representatives need to do?
Response: Grow a pair
Call: Did we elect people to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America?
Response: Yes
Call: So what do our representatives need to do to protect and defend the Constitution?
Response: Grow a pair
Call: Are we going to re-elect anyone who doesn’t step up and lead right now?!
Response: No
Call: So what do our representatives need to do to get re-elected?
Response: Grow a pair
REPEAT Show Me” CHANT
CALL: Show me what democracy looks like.
RESPONSE: This is what democracy looks like
C: Show me what resistance looks like.
R: This is what resistance looks like.
C: Show me what diversity looks like.
C: This is what diversity looks like
C: Show me what outrage looks like.
R: This is what outrage looks like.
C: show me what democracy looks like
R: this is what democracy looks like
“No King” CHANT
Is any American a member of the “Royalty Party”? No
Did any American vote for a king? No
Is anyone in the White House a king? No
Are we going to stand up for our Democracy every day? Yes.
Are we united? Yes
Are we united? Yes
Are we united? Yes
REPEAT Show Me” CHANT
CALL: Show me what democracy looks like.
RESPONSE: This is what democracy looks like
C: Show me what resistance looks like.
R: This is what resistance looks like.
C: Show me what the people look like.
R: This is what the people look like.
C: Show me what diversity looks like.
C: This is what diversity looks like
C: Show me what outrage looks like.
R: This is what outrage looks like.
C: show me what democracy looks like
R: this is what democracy looks like
FINAL ACT OF UNITY
7) SING
We Shall Overcome (abbreviated)
We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome someday.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome someday.
We are not afraid, we are not afraid. We are not afraid today.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome someday.
We are not alone, we are not alone. We are not alone today. Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we are not alone today.
The truth will make us free, the truth will make us free, the truth will make us free someday. Oh deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome someday.
We’ll walk hand-in-hand, we’ll walk hand-in-hand. We walk hand-in-hand someday oh deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome someday.
8) Go home.
9) Return every Saturday with friends and neighbors until we have elected a defender of the Constitution in 2028
10)ORGANIZE LARGER EVENTS REQUIRING PERMITS BUT KEEP IT SIMPLE. NO SPEAKERS OTHER THAN ONE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE, PREFERABLY A US SENATOR OR CONGRESSPERSON, IF YOU CAN FIND ONE.
THE SATURDAY PROTESTS ARE NOT ABOUT ONE PERSON OR ONE GRIEVANCE. THEY ARE ABOUT ONE UNITED PEOPLE, STAYING STRONG THROUGH THIS STORM. THE CONSTITUTION’S PREAMBLE IS OUR GREAT UNITER, OUR NORTH STAR.
TOO MANY people may think that when Trump promulgates images of himself as a “king” with a crown and seeks to take control over the FDIC (that insures deposits in banks!) that his overreach will automatically(?) bring his downfall. But even less bold tyrants have launched reigns of error and terror that lasted for decades or even centuries. People who never read history can still remember slogans like “Fortune favors the bold” (which is generally not true, but SOMEBODY does actually win big lottery jackpots every so often so….and Trump has NOTHING to lose because he ALREADY crossed the Rubicon on Jan 6, 2020.)
Do we KNOW what our Senators and Representatives are DOING as Trump dismantles the government which employs so many people and makes sure laws and policies are carried out (such as education, healthcare, transportation, public safety, public health, environmental protection, consumer protection etc.)??
Are YOUR Senators and Representatives aware that when Musk guts the services that we all rely upon (Social Security and Veterans Benefits etc) he is actually making LAWS and CONGRESS irrelevant?? That is what a tyrant does. That is what a dictator does. That is what a fascist does. That is what one “who would be king” does.
Don’t we NEED to find out what they are aware of and WHAT THEY ARE DOING about it????
Do they have a clue?
Do they think of themselves as LEADERS? Or as oboe players in that orchestra on the Titanic?
Do they care how they will be remembered in history?
I basically told them all (Hassan, Shaheen, and Goodander in NH) that I UNDERSTAND that they may see their job as taking a long or strategic view, but that I see my job as making sure there is a fire underneath them that won’t fizzle out.
We should be calling our Senators and Congressional Representatives, but that’s not enough.
What we should probably be keeping in mind is:
* BE VISIBLE: Remember all those “TRUMP” signs up for four years
* BE LOCAL: There are people near you that need encouragement
* BE FOCUSED: You can’t do everything
* JOIN! You can’t do much alone
This was on ETSY (I’m not selling these.)
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1856881506/stop-the-coup-yard-sign-24x18-with-metal?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=resist+signs&ref=sr_gallery-13-31&frs=1&sts=1&content_source=09d606c67ce47279a23e4dee04871e904568b64e%253A1856881506&organic_search_click=1&logging_key=09d606c67ce47279a23e4dee04871e904568b64e%3A1856881506
We should be calling our Senators and Congressional Representatives, but that’s not enough.
What we should probably be keeping in mind is:
* BE VISIBLE: Remember all those “TRUMP” signs up for four years
* BE LOCAL: There are people near you that need encouragement
* BE FOCUSED: You can’t do everything
* JOIN! You can’t do much alone
This was on ETSY (I’m not selling these.)
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1856881506/stop-the-coup-yard-sign-24x18-with-metal?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=resist+signs&ref=sr_gallery-13-31&frs=1&sts=1&content_source=09d606c67ce47279a23e4dee04871e904568b64e%253A1856881506&organic_search_click=1&logging_key=09d606c67ce47279a23e4dee04871e904568b64e%3A1856881506
Those who voted for Trump have effectively cut off their noses to spite their faces. The only relevant question now is how long it will take for enough of them to realize this in order for the addiction of Trumpism to break. For make no mistake; Trumpism is an addiction.
Unfortunately that will almost certainly be too late to re-establish our relations with our lost allies. They will never forget how easily we can shift from alliance to opposition.
trump 1.0 was seen as an embarrassing, eccentric and flamboyant departure from usual US politics--and forgiven. Dismissed--after all, there's been much unfortunate global fascination with the Populists: Orban, Bolsonaro, LePen, Wilders,Milei, Meloni, Fico...
trump 1.0= aberrant; in aberrant times. The world gave America a pass.
trump 2.0? This looks like the de-programmed cult member choosing to return to the compound; choosing lies, and the Liar.
I believe your insulted, abandoned allies do see it as different, this time around: sure, it is still largely one mentally ill man spouting, but now....no longer any meaningful opposition, no one sayin' he's crazy.
Mencken was spot on: “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”
Oh, please. Putin's Poodle has never been strong except when dealing with the poor and the workers he cheats on his projects.
That’s precisely the point Snyder is making. That Trump performs “Strongman”, but his lousy shtick only works on the weak Americans who mistake his bluster for strength.
At best, FFOTUS preens strongly.
All of the authority without any of the responsibility.
Tragically for so, so many world citizens, our craven, delusional, self crowned King loves two things:
1. HIMSELF
2. MONEY
So the only questions to which we need answers are:
1. How much is Putin paying him for doing Putin's dirty work in Ukraine and NATO?
2. Where can we find the money trails? .
The implosion of King Trump is coming ..stay tuned.
2. Where can we find the money trails? .
Deutsche Bank. Their enthusiasm for Ru$$ian 'investments'
Good luck finding that from Deutsche. The CIA could probably do it, but it would take time; also, we'd have to have a functioning CIA that wasn't reporting to Putin.
I read the news daily. I am going to have tostop, since it leads only to depression ans despair.
Trump and Muskrat are destroying what America has stood for and fought for ever since 1941.
Stuyvesant, I assure you, we all feel the same way. But we cannot turn away. We cannot succumb to the blitzkrieg that seeks to destroy our rights, liberties and laws. The cure for despair is action - so take a break when you need it and return by joining with others to take action: join a group like Indivisible, support organizations like Public Citizen and Democracy Forward that are filing lawsuits (even a $1/month recurring donation helps) and attend rallies , join boycotts like the Economic Blackout on February 28, 2025. As Robert Hubbell likes to note, every little thing we do adds up and could be the one thing thing inspires others to take action too!
50501: https://www.fiftyfifty.one
NoVoiceUnheard: Action Calendar - https://www.nvunheard.org/protest-listings
2/28/25 Economic Blackout: https://calendar.boomte.ch/single/fA8ickU1J7pJ7L3gO4K0wiu?date=2025-02-28,2025-02-28,1
Yes, once again, your assessment of the situation in the US was/continues to be on target.
It's all too easy to feel dejected and lost at the moment. I'm in severe physical pain most of the time, which only magnifies the psychological distress. Over the last 3 years I've donated to various campaigns and charities that support Ukraine, such as United24, Razom, Come Back Alive, etc. In an effort to take my mind off of my physical pain and the current state of affairs in the US, I've decided to look to the future by supporting Ukrainian education and science via United24 ("Protect Ukraine’s future generations Donate towards school reconstruction, bomb shelters and power generators to ensure a safer educational environment for Ukrainian children" https://u24.gov.ua/) as a way of reminding myself that I can't give up. Ukraine has some unusually bright people, especially in literature and the sciences. Whatever happens, the education of its children must continue. Poland accomplished this with its flying universities during WWII. Poles understood that, even during that dark period, they had to take risks and look to the future.
P.S. By building underground schools, the Ukrainian people and their government are showing the rest of us that they *assume* there will be a future for Ukraine. Another thing I find interesting is the way ordinary citizens bring brooms, shovels, nails, hammers, saws, and other tools to rebuild the houses of their neighbors after a missile strike. Their thinking is future-oriented.
DJT is a master manipulator, especially of the media. His power, or lack of power, was revealed when Covid hit. He was revealed to be stupid, weak, ineffectual. His support eroded quickly, massively.
DJT traffics in spectacles, but if the counter spectacle is bigger, he is reduced to nothing.
A coordinated, sustained spectacle will drain him of his power and his hold on the imagination of the population.
His desperate need to be the center of attention, his deep desire to be liked, to be "respected" is his greatest vulnerability.
While we still have a free press and alternative sources of media, the field of opportunity is waiting for someone with vision to generate the boogeyman under Trump's bed.
We cannot turn away. We cannot succumb to the blitzkrieg that seeks to destroy our rights, liberties and laws. The cure for despair is action: join a group like Indivisible or Move-on, support organizations like Public Citizen, Democracy Forward and CREW that are fighting court battles to defend the rule of law and our Constitution (even a $1/month recurring donation helps) and attend rallies, join boycotts (like the Economic Blackout on February 28, 2025). As Robert Hubbell likes to note, every little thing we do adds up and inspires others to take action too!
Groups to Join:
https://www.citizen.org/
https://democracyforward.org/
https://www.citizensforethics.org/
Actions to Take:
50501: https://www.fiftyfifty.one
NoVoiceUnheard: Action Calendar - https://www.nvunheard.org/protest-listings
2/28/25 Economic Blackout: https://calendar.boomte.ch/single/fA8ickU1J7pJ7L3gO4K0wiu?date=2025-02-28,2025-02-28,1
Folks, I keep hoping for a savior among us, someone like Timothy Snyder, Robert Reich or Heather Cox Richardson, who are doing a great job keeping us informed, but think it is ultimately up to us. I'm in my 70's, but preparing myself to hit the streets in protest. People in other countries have done it & made a difference- I don't know if it will here, but if hundreds of thousands (millions?) protested, wouldn't Republican politicians take notice & perhaps add to the resistance? Americans (including me) have become complacent, accustomed to things working fairly well, taking our institutions for granted & been caught off guard. I'm looking into organized groups across the country that have local chapters, such as Indivisible, ACLU, interfaith groups & others (some are mentioned in these comments today) who organize action events. I'm becoming more involved with what my city council & state representatives are doing. My U.S. Representative & Senators are Democrats doing what they can, with their limited power- not sure what more they can do except speak with one coordinated voice. People in my community are losing their federal jobs which will certainly trickle down to the rest of the economy- lives are being shattered. What's happening re: Ukraine is heartbreaking. Here's hoping that we (Americans) wake up in time to reverse course & convince the Republican leaders to do the same. Things are happening so fast.
We are the heroes we are looking for. Eddie Glaude https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674737600
So what does this all mean for Me? (to be blunt) I'm 76, with an ok retirement, white, and city dweller. Health care? My Grandkids in the army fighting WWlll? Put my savings in a can and bury it in the backyard? How where do I start planning?
Yes, I write my congress members and won't buy anything Feb 28.
That’s a good question. There doesn’t seem to be any place to go the way our families moved here
i don't think trump is not being strong vis a vis putin. trump doesn't want to be strong against him. strangely he sees that he is on the same side with putin. trump wants what putin wants. maybe white christian supremacy. one reason putin wants ukraine so bad for his empire is that ukrainians are white christians. most of his empire is muslim without ukraine.
Putin doesn't want Ukrainians or anything Ukrainian -- he wants the territory. He will people it with whomever he commands to go there, possibly brainwashed Ukrainian children who grow up believing that Russia is glorious and forever blessed.
well, definitely the russian empire always diluted the native populations they conquered with russians.
Great overview. Also an inspiration for those of us looking for ways to constrain the "paper tiger."
And my question as I begin to read all of your books is what do we do. How do we make a difference? I am inspired by the Ukranians but unsure of where to take action.
There were quite a few people who told me that it was ok that they were voting for Trump because he would end the war for Ukraine. Knowing Ukraine's history -- particularly with Russia, and knowing Putin's speeches for the last 20 years, only an incredible change of character could make Trump help Ukraine and not Russia. His vacillating comments about Zelenskyy made me more sure that he would love to rip the daylights out of Ukraine. Perhaps the only thing that caught Trump's attention was his recent realization that Ukraine has valuable resources. But then Trump would have to usurp Putin which he couldn't possibly do because Putin is an even bigger and richer bully than Musk or Trump. Ukraine's national anthem starts with the words, "Neither Ukraine's glory nor its destiny are dead yet!" and ends with words citing our Cossack heritage. We can share their strength and perseverance as have so many cultures forced to reckon with mortality throughout history.
NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST: STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY
WHEN: Saturday, February 22 High Noon AND EVERY SATURDAY for the next four years.
WHERE: SINGLE FILE ON EVERY SIDEWALK surrounding the US Capitol, every State Capitol, every city and town hall across the country.
Right to protest without a permit:
www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights
WHY: We the People of the United States will not be silent spectators to the destruction of our country, and the democratic world order that we have helped create.
THEREFORE WE MUST:
•Stand up for democracy, here and around the world.
• Stand up for all who have and will fight for liberty and justice
• Stand up for our children’s futures
• Stand up for the future of our country, of a free world.
A family friendly protest. Ignore anyone who’s a disruptive ass, and thank police officers for protecting our right to peacefully protest.
PRE PROTEST
1) Print out a copy of the Constitution’s Preamble, and We Shall Overcome
2) Decide if you have the bold, patriotic spirit to be a “Caller”.
3) Buy a small American flag (and Canadian, Ukrainian, Danish, etc)
3) Create modest hand held signs about protecting Democracy: No Kings, Fire Elon, Stop the Madness, Grow a Pair, etc etc
4) Make a construction paper megaphone, NO ELECTRONIC AUDIO (requires a permit)
5) Review ACLU protest rights link
https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights
PROGRAM at PROTEST
1) Gather at noon, single file on the sidewalk that surrounds your capitol building, town hall, anywhere that you will not block pedestrian or street traffic.
Position “Callers" on opposite side of the street.
A family friendly protest. Ignore anyone who’s a disruptive ass, and thank police officers for protecting our right to peacefully protest.
2) Extend single file to adjoining streets.
•Hand held only SIGNS, no stick held
•Small flags
•Keep sidewalks/crosswalks open
•NO Amplification. Permits needed for amplification. Paul Revere didn’t need a bull horn, we do not need a bull horn.
•Groups of people will naturally form within earshot of one CALLER voice leading the chants, and the Preamble call and response
3) Start Preamble Call and Response
Constitution’s Preamble call and respond each bullet line:
• Call: We the people of the United States,
Respond: We the people of the United States
• Call: in order to form a more perfect union,
Respond: in order to form a more perfect union
• Call: establish justice,
Respond: establish justice
• Call: ensure domestic tranquility,
Respond: ensure domestic tranquility
• Call: provide for the common defense,
Response: provide for the common defense
• Call: promote the general welfare
Response: promote the general welfare
• Call: and secure the blessings of liberty
Response: and secure the blessings of liberty
• Call: to ourselves, and our posterity,
Response: to ourselves, and our posterity,
• Call: do ordain and establish
Response: do ordain and establish
• Call: this Constitution for the United States of America.
Response: this Constitution for the United States of America
4) CALL AND RESPONSE CHANTS
“Show Me” CHANT
CALL: Show me what democracy looks like.
RESPONSE: This is what democracy looks like
C: Show me what resistance looks like.
R: This is what resistance looks like.
C: Show me what diversity looks like.
C: This is what diversity looks like
C: Show me what outrage looks like.
R: This is what outrage looks like.
C: Show me what democracy looks like
R: This is what democracy looks like
Grow a Pair” CHANT
Call: Did we elect people to hide during a national, now international crisis?
Response: No
Call: So what do our representatives need to do?
Response: Grow a pair
Call: Did we elect people to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America?
Response: Yes
Call: So what do our representatives need to do to protect and defend the Constitution?
Response: Grow a pair
Call: Are we going to re-elect anyone who doesn’t step up and lead right now?!
Response: No
Call: So what do our representatives need to do to get re-elected?
Response: Grow a pair
REPEAT Show Me” CHANT
CALL: Show me what democracy looks like.
RESPONSE: This is what democracy looks like
C: Show me what resistance looks like.
R: This is what resistance looks like.
C: Show me what diversity looks like.
C: This is what diversity looks like
C: Show me what outrage looks like.
R: This is what outrage looks like.
C: show me what democracy looks like
R: this is what democracy looks like
“No King” CHANT
Is any American a member of the “Royalty Party”? No
Did any American vote for a king? No
Is anyone in the White House a king? No
Are we going to stand up for our Democracy every day? Yes.
Are we united? Yes
Are we united? Yes
Are we united? Yes
REPEAT Show Me” CHANT
CALL: Show me what democracy looks like.
RESPONSE: This is what democracy looks like
C: Show me what resistance looks like.
R: This is what resistance looks like.
C: Show me what the people look like.
R: This is what the people look like.
C: Show me what diversity looks like.
C: This is what diversity looks like
C: Show me what outrage looks like.
R: This is what outrage looks like.
C: show me what democracy looks like
R: this is what democracy looks like
FINAL ACT OF UNITY
7) SING
We Shall Overcome (abbreviated)
We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome someday.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome someday.
We are not afraid, we are not afraid. We are not afraid today.
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we shall overcome someday.
We are not alone, we are not alone. We are not alone today. Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe, we are not alone today.
The truth will make us free, the truth will make us free, the truth will make us free someday. Oh deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome someday.
We’ll walk hand-in-hand, we’ll walk hand-in-hand. We walk hand-in-hand someday oh deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome someday.
8) Go home.
9) Return every Saturday with friends and neighbors until we have elected a defender of the Constitution in 2028
10)ORGANIZE LARGER EVENTS REQUIRING PERMITS BUT KEEP IT SIMPLE. NO SPEAKERS OTHER THAN ONE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE, PREFERABLY A US SENATOR OR CONGRESSPERSON, IF YOU CAN FIND ONE.
THE SATURDAY PROTESTS ARE NOT ABOUT ONE PERSON OR ONE GRIEVANCE. THEY ARE ABOUT ONE UNITED PEOPLE, STAYING STRONG THROUGH THIS STORM. THE CONSTITUTION’S PREAMBLE IS OUR GREAT UNITER, OUR NORTH STAR.