This is no time for clever turns of phrase, new fundamental insights, clarifying metaphors, quotes pulled off the internet from this or that repurposed sage. You can find your latest reason for outrage for yourself.
Any American ashamed of the state of our despoiled democracy needs to do one thing this week. Pick one of the more than 3,000 No Kings Events near you Saturday and show up. Rather like voting, you just need to plan that one day so that you do the one thing that matters most.
This isn’t asking you to face down ICE at 20 degrees below zero as our Minneapolis patriots did for weeks on end. This isn’t even asking you to stand in one of the artificially long lines snaking through airports, also gift of ICE. It’s not asking you to ride on one of the humanitarian ships bringing medical supplies to Cuba in protest of the runaway tyrant’s casual swagger.
Just show up with your fellow American neighbors and, with your body, say no.
Your presence–and that of 15 millions of other Americans–will be the largest and best organized protest in our nation since the tea party in Boston. What difference will it make? This will not end the dumpster fire of democracy, which will burn for the rest of my life, at least, but hopefully not my children’s lives. We will experience the kind of hope that wells up among free and brave people on the move. We will realize this energy will be channeled into the nitty gritty political organizing till next November and all the school board, county clerk and agricultural commissioner roles on which a free people depends.
It is our fault that the astonishing machinery of democratic systems was taken for granted, left vulnerable to subversion by people filled with fear, mistaken religious delusion and sadly venal opportunism. Let them savor their stolen billions while they stew in the blood of thousands.
TC and I will be at the main march in Winston-Salem at Union Station near Winston-Salem State University.
Find your local site and register here.
And, just in case you think this is a show, not work, here’s the link for the call about the next step that comes after the massive day or protest. I told you these folks are organized. Here to rsvp.
And, of course, if you need some music to tune up your soul: Jesse Wells “No Kings.”
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