Dear Friends,
We are now two months from the American midterm elections, probably the most consequential election since the eighteenth century. Given that the presidency is held by an oligarch who wishes the bring our republic to an end, a victory of the opposition is a prerequisite for the maintenance of the rule of law and anything resembling political decency.
It is also, more importantly, a first step towards a rethinking and remaking of American structures to open the far better futures that are available to us. In written posts in the next few weeks I will be considering some of the basic issues: how to get involved, what are the best tactics, why there must be vision.
To begin, I want to share with you the full video of three of the public political appearances that I made in the US in the last year or so, at No Kings rallies in Philadelphia and then twice in Cincinnati. Here they are!
Philadelphia, June 25th, 2025 *start at 1:19:54 “There is a better America” (for full video click the link)
Cincinnati, October 18th, 2025 “No kings, freedom” (full video is the link or the button, below is a clip from the beginning)
Cincinnati, March 28th, 2026 “Rebels in our time” (click the link or the button)
I hope the words help you. I was grateful to be able to speak.
But please remember that the organizers are the important people.
Overall coordinating of No Kings rallies was undertaken by Indivisible. Consider finding a local chapter and making a donation. The organizing at the two Cincinnati rallies I attended was thanks to 50501. Again, look out for them and their events. In Philadelphia I was happy to be marching with my union, the AAUP/AFT.
Please share this post with people it might help, and please subscribe.
PS: And, as always, there are my books about how to resist and about how to build, On Tyranny and On Freedom. Free digital resources from On Tyranny are also available here.
Opposition removes the king. It does not build what comes after.
The Liberty Bell was not named by the founders. It was named by abolitionists and suffragists, by the people the structure had locked out. Freedom was never handed down. It was pried open by those with the most reason to pry.
That is the whole case for vision. Change the people and you get better kings. Change the structure and you stop needing them. Fear removes a man. Only design removes the office.
Thank you for posting these, and writing this: “how to get involved, what are the best tactics, why there must be vision. “
—-I could not agree more!
As we think about tactics these next weeks, let’s also spend time on building what comes after.
November stops the bleeding. It does not close the wound. The wound is structural. It always was.
Johan 🐌
Thank you for your encouragement. We have to hope enough people are able to vote and that the forces of evil don’t thwart the election. We should all be aware that, “ the unthinkable can happen here” because it already is.