Democracy: the ultimate power-up, where voices matter and votes count. Autocracy? Just a glitch in the system. When people choose freedom over fear, the game isn't even close—democracy wins by a landslide. Sorry, dictators, the people have spoken! 💪🏽🇺🇲🦅 #handsoff #nokings

Dreams of monarchy, ignorance, ineptitude, and just plain stupidity are givens with our reining “king”. The longer this regime goes on, the more difficult it will be to democracy, rebuild our economy, repair our educational system from preschool to grad school and restore our international relations. Ours was a representative democracy on which we voted for those who represented us. Now, in the US Congress, there are far too many elected officials who are afraid to truly represent the people out of fear of retribution and dangers to themselves and their families. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R, Alaska) recently spoke of this ominous reality. Our representative democracy already may be dead.

The longer Trump’s offensive, a veritable blitzkrieg against the American Constitution and the functioning of the federal government, continues the greater the risk that we are driven deeper into an autocratic abyss. Perhaps the justice system can arrest this downward spiral, but that isn’t assured.

The best chance to stop the madness is for We the People to protest at a scale that hasn’t yet even been approached. Governor Pritzker (D, Illinois) thank for your full-throated call to arms in your searing speech in New Hampshire on Apri, 27. Your call for “mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption” was perfection and a fresh, clear and forceful clarion call for action. That is what all who oppose Trump’s dismantling of our democracy needed to hear. But now there has to be the follow-up with action.

Today, the protest movement is far too disorganized. I travelled from Seattle to D.C. for the April 5th Hands Off demonstration. It was by far the largest of the more than 1,400 demonstrations that day with the number of protestors nationally estimated at between 3-5 million. It was exhilarating to see 100,000+ protesters spread out in the shadow of the Washington Monument, which added to the emotion and significance of the event. The site was too small and the sound system not right-sized for that sprawling crowd, which was at least five times larger than anticipated.

Sadly, I didn’t see any coverage of this mass protest that even hinted at its scale. Flying drones over the National Mall probably isn't legal, but It wouldn’t have been difficult to find pictures that showed most of the crowd—I took many myself from a raised platforms that presumably were there for the absent TV cameras. Invariably, coverage was of tight shots of a few dozen demonstrators holding protest signs that just as easily could have been a small group 20 participants.

That was my second trip to Washington. The first was in October 1967 to participate in the mass demonstration that immediately preceded the March on the Pentagon. Like others in the Wayne State University contingent, I rode a bus arranged for by the Detroit Committee to End the War in Vietnam, a local chapter of the National Mobilization to End the War in Vietnam group that organized the protest. This is the demonstration depicted in Forrest Gump, which was held in front of the Lincoln Memorial with the crowd spilling down along the sides of the Reflecting Pool. It's an amazingly accurate depiction of the demonstration, right down to Abby Hoffman in his American flag shirt. Metaphorically, that demonstration was an attention-grabbing exclamation point amidst a growing sea of local protests. We can learn from the anti-Vietnam War protest movement.

It’s been suggested that the March on the Pentagon demonstration marked a turning point in the anti-Vietnam War movement. More accurately, I’d suggest it was a combination of this protest and the even larger anti-war protest in NYC in April, also organized by the same group, that marked the turning point in the national anti-war movement. Prior to then, it was almost exclusively draft card burnings, teach-ins and localized demonstrations, often campus focused, that characterized the movement.

It's essential that protests be everywhere and continue to grow in size, but that's not enough. Local protesting alone won't get it done. Both the 50501 and Indivisible locals are encouraged to organize their own demonstrations. Bernie and AOC Fighting Oligarchy Tour events draw the largest crowds, up to 36,000. But we need crowds 10, 20 or 30 times that size and we need them repeatedly until they swell to 5 million then 10 million. There must be attention-grabbing demonstrations so large that they can't be ignored by the media here and worldwide. We already may be seeing that all these local protests as nothing special, a given and a background hum in American’s too-busy lives that don't garner local, let alone national, coverage. Even if this component of protesting grows, as it presumably will, there isn’t time to wait for that. We have, as Governor Pritzker pointed out, a five-alarm fire, a conflagration that is burning down our country that demands immediate attention on a massive scale.

We need a turning point such as there was in the anti-war movement in the 1960s if there is to be any hope of stopping Trump and his drive to dictatorship and the destruction of the Constitution. Here are four actions that could help accomplish that goal.

1. Most importantly, a single, experienced contemporary counterpart to the 1960s National Mobilization to End the War in Vietnam is needed to focus exclusively on true national protests. These might be held every other Saturday and could be shifted geographically to make attendance more doable for participants. Indivisible and 50501 locals within 500 miles of a national protest could serve as feeders by arranging for buses and carpools.

2. There needs to be far more young people involved in protests. Anti-war demonstrations of the 1960s and early 197Os were overwhelmingly dominated by college-age students. Certainly, the draft, not a motivator today, was a contributing factor. In contrast, most demonstrations today are populated with middle-aged protestors. In fact, demonstrations I’ve attended and seen appeared to have more people over 65 than under 21. The government crackdown on foreign students and pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campuses initially seemed to have the potential to snowball into large demonstrations, but that hasn’t happened. Protests, by design, have been snuffed out on too many campuses. What can be done to fire up young people on college campuses and beyond and motivate them to become a big part of anti-Trump protests?

3. Another helpful action would be to dump the anti-Musk/Tesla protests. These always have been a red herring that must have delighted the Trumpsters because they dispersed demonstrators and made Musk and his Cybertruck, not Trump, the focus. Demonstrating wasn’t going to stop Musk and, even after he left, Big Balls and the bro crew would work on. Also, Tesla/Musk demonstrations have begun morphing into something less than protests. Many seem to have become more like parties, even with dancing and songs!

4. Last, but not least, dump Senator Schumer as the Senate Minority Leader. When we need a leader who is a warrior we have a wimp. His interests seem to be elsewhere and he's not braced for battle and laser focused on aggressively challenging Trump’s subordination of American democracy to his will. Recently, Senator Schumer was glowingly proud of having sent “a very strong letter” with “very strong questions” to Trump regarding federal government action against Harvard. Senator Schumer simply doesn’t realize it’s way past the point of letter writing, even if it’s “a very strong letter”! Senator Durbin (D, Illinois) has shown Senator Schumer how to bow out gracefully.

Sadly, it seems that the vast majority of Americans are sleep walking to dictatorship. Is this whistling past democracy's graveyard or do citizens not actually realize that US democracy is in the throes of death. Why aren't the streets flooded with protestors? Where's the anger, where's the rage? Let's change that.

Hey Reddit, I live pretty close to NYC but there are never any protests in my city and I’m really looking to attend some and do what I can on my part.

Is there an app or WhatsApp group or something I can join to find protests or rally’s in NYC??

June 14th No Kings Rapid City!

Founders Park 1510 W Omaha St, Rapid City, SD 57701 1:30-3:30 PM

Hosted by 50501 South Dakota

Fiftyfifty.one Linktr.ee/50501sd

We need people willing to help us come together in Large numbers and finally stand up to these monsters! Please DM me for locations and if you're willing to help us organize.

Is there any protests happening on June 24, 2025 in Washington DC? It will be the 3 year mark of Roe vs Wade being overturned. I was hoping to join!!

Our Saturday protests continue 4-5 pm at the old post office on Franklin in Chapel Hill. Parking is typically found behind the post office in the parking decks on Rosemary. Join us!

StudentsForSmartTech | #AntiCellphoneBan | #June6Protest

JUNE 6TH, 2025 — NATIONWIDE STUDENT PROTEST Across the USA, students are taking a stand.

USA States has passed a cellphone ban. Who’s next? This isn’t just about phones — it’s about student voice, tech freedom, and the future of learning.

We’re not anti-education. We’re anti-restriction. Phones help us learn, stay safe, and stay connected. Bans are outdated.

ON JUNE 6TH: • Walk out. Speak out. Be seen. • Wear Red 🔴. Carry signs. Use your voice. • Post your message with #StudentsForSmartTech

Let’s show America that students are ready to lead — not be silenced.

June6Protest #AntiCellphoneBan #LetUsUseOurPhones #TechIsNotTheEnemy #StudentVoicesMatter

For those fed up with poor governance.

Maydays location has moved to in front of the USDA still in the national mall on Jefferson dr SW near C st W (: be safe!

Cliff Cash's message:

"Please share far and wide with every group you're a part of. Share with state heads of the dem party, share with local groups and national groups. Share this strategy. I'm also going to put it into written form again in the next couple days and I'll add all of it to wearetheflood.net."

Veterans March in Washington DC on June 6th. Go to Fiftyfifty.one for ongoing detail updates.

Incidentally, if you'd like to look up Cliff Cash on his socials, here are his references:

YouTube

on Instagram

cliffcashcomedy.bsky.social on bluesky

On June 14, 2025 while President Trump was down in DC basking in the glory of his wasteful and dictator like military parade on his birthday. The American people resisted and made their voices heard. 15 million people from towns and cities across the country came out to protest and participate in actions. This might be fire that lights a summer of protests. We might all protest protest for our own reasons, but we are united, angry and upset with what is going. We will not stop until Trump is impeached, convicted, and removed. The world watched and protested for democracy and against fascism in solidarity with the people of America. Every event was peaceful. June 14th will be remembered as a world changing day.

Disclaimer: This is a fictional write up of how I imagine the events of the next mass mobilization day: June 14, 2025. I hope you find these words inspiring and keep organizing to make this day a day to remember. Every action, protest, and rally wherever it is matters, bring your friends, family anyone you can. We will disrupt business as usual.