Every week, you'll get simple, doable steps we can take to save our democracy even when we're busy and overwhelmed by the firehose of bad news.
Mass protests help us accomplish something important—but are they safe?
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Tomorrow, on June 14, millions of Americans will come together at rallies all around the country for a nationwide day of peaceful defiance to reject authoritarianism—No Kings. 🇺🇸 This is one of those all-hands-on-deck moments where we need everyone who cares about our democracy to stand up and say: Nope. Not on our watch. Because as the late Molly Ivins said: "Politics is not a picture on a wall or a television sitcom that you can decide you don’t much care for… politics is not about those people in Washington, those people in your state capitol… this country is run by us, it is our deal, we run this country, we are the board of directors, we own it, they are just the people we’ve hired to drive the bus for a while." Whether you show up to a big rally in a big city, seek out a small rally in a small town, or just drive a few circles around an event to honk in support of your fellow Americans showing up to protect our democracy—we need you. 💪 But you might feel worried. You want to exercise your First Amendment rights, but you've seen the news. You don't want to end up in a situation that escalates, so you might feel a little uneasy about attending an event on Saturday—especially if you haven't been to an event like this yet. That's understandable. You want to feel safe. ❤️ Ultimately, you have to make the decision that feels right to you, so I'm not here to push you into doing something you don't feel safe doing. But if this helps with your decision-making process: I've heard from the organizers of this event several times over the last few weeks—in emails and online trainings with national organizers, and in one-on-one conversations with local organizers and volunteers. And I feel safe attending with my family, including my four kids ages 7 to 17. 👉 Here's why:
If you're concerned about safety, the ACLU and the event organizers put together this training for folks attending Saturday's event. (The first 30 seconds are in Spanish, then the training starts.) This training is like a fire escape plan for your home—everything mentioned isn't likely to happen, but it's helpful to decide on a plan ahead of time just in case. But...will this even make a difference? One single day of nationwide rallies won't stop this fascist regime's power grab, no. But research shows that mass rallies like this reach new people who aren't yet engaged and can pull them into the fight with us. And the more people who join us, the more power we have. 🥊 Plus, people everywhere are watching. After the Hands Off rallies in April, people in positions of power at institutions like universities and law firms said they were emboldened to push back against the regime after seeing how many brave Americans were willing to show up and speak out. Courage is contagious. Every tiny step you take could be the spark that inspires someone else to take their own tiny step. ✅ So even if you can't make it to a rally this weekend, you can still help build our collective power. You can make an extra round of phone calls to your reps, talk to a friend or neighbor about what's happening, or pitch in a small amount to help cover the expenses for Saturday's volunteer-run events. But if you can make it on Saturday? Let's show the bullies that they don't own this country. We do. 💪 What's insideInside our latest update, you'll find these sections:
Do this + feel betterHere are 3 things you can do right now. As a bonus, taking any action (even if it's tiny!) will help dispel feelings of hopelessness and overwhelm... 1. Show up on SaturdayOn Saturday, June 14, we’re joining forces all over the country to say enough is enough. This is all hands on deck! 👉 Find your closest No Kings event here. Invite a friend to join you, and if you have an American flag, bring it. 🇺🇸 Please do everything you can to show up for this rally because this is a pivotal moment. (But if you can't make it, see #2 and #3 below for alternatives!) 2. Go smallIf big rallies in big cities aren't your bag, Molly's Army member Lynn recommends finding an event in a smaller town nearby. Often, people in smaller towns are hungry to connect with like-minded folks, and you'll make their day if you show up. 🥰 Plus, it feels awfully wholesome to join in community with a group of 10 or 20 people, finding solace and sharing laughter. Bring a batch of chocolate chip cookies, and you'll make friends for life. 👉 Find a smaller event here by entering your ZIP code and scanning the surrounding map for an event marker. (The event markers are black with a white dot in the middle!) If it's a bit of a drive, plan a mini-road trip and load up with audiobooks and Nutter Butters. 💃🏼 3. Chip inThe folks organizing Saturday's No Kings events are volunteers. They don't have big companies bankrolling them. So any supplies they need for the events have to come out of their own pockets. If you can't make it on Saturday, you can help by pitching in a few bucks to cover expenses. 👉 Chip in at the national or local level:
Get a shot of motivationA quote that resonated this week, emphasis added by me: "For the would-be dictator, success depends on projecting power and creating an aura of inevitability. They need you to believe that Trump is the new normal, that the MAGA movement will be in power for the long haul, that the only rational move is to go along, keep your head down, and protect your own interests.
We've seen over the last six months what happens when this aura of inevitability goes unchallenged. Institutions—from state governments to businesses to civil society to higher education to media—start to fall in line, do what Trump tells them, and/or go silent.
Here's the thing: The aura of inevitability is a lie. It's all a lie. Power in American society doesn't derive from the top down. Trump's grasp is brittle, and he's overreaching dramatically. He will only succeed if everyone agrees to believe the lie.
Or, as our friend Reverend Barber says: A king is only a king if we bow down.
Countering the aura of inevitability requires a hundred different tactics and strategies. It looks like making an example of Target for obeying in advance and getting rid of its DEI policies. It looks like protesting and toxifying Elon Musk until he bows out of government. It looks like students at Georgetown making a list of Big Law collaborators and organizing their peers to steer clear. It looks like federal workers refusing to obey illegal or unethical orders. It looks like building the muscles and the relationships for collective action.
In short, it requires a countless number of people in a countless number of places to do something that the Trump regime doesn't want them to do, or to NOT do something the Trump regime wants them to do. That's how we shake off the aura of inevitability and halt the autocratic breakthrough.
For that to happen, people need to feel like we're part of something bigger. We need to understand that we're part of a movement. We need to feel like we will win.
That's where No Kings comes in. With 1,800 events nationwide, in every state, this will be the single largest protest of this Trump administration...
Trump's birthday parade and his attack on L.A. are all part of the same agenda of fascist theatrics, divide and conquer politics, and the consolidation of power.
Trump wants to look strong. What he doesn't understand is that true power comes from the people. And on June 14th, we're going to prove it."
— Leah Greenberg, activist and co-founder of Indivisible
Hey, look! We did thisHere's a quick run-down of what folks in our group have been doing to help lately:
Your turnWhat small actions have you taken lately? Please hit "reply" and let me know what you've been up to so we can celebrate with you. 🥳 Onward, Kelly p.s. If this message resonated with you, please consider becoming a sustaining member for $5 a month. You'll help cover the costs of our website and email list, plus you'll help us reach more people and spur them into taking meaningful action. 💞 |
Molly's Army
Every week, you'll get simple, doable steps we can take to save our democracy even when we're busy and overwhelmed by the firehose of bad news.