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To fight a coup - show up and be counted - here's how (with links) [1]

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Date: 2025-02-18

"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the vitriolic words and violent actions of the bad people, but the appalling silence and indifference of the good people" — Martin Luther King Jr. — Noble Peace Prize acceptance speech.

What you can do

America is in the grasp of MAGA. The GOP controls everything. The Democratic Party is shellshocked. Democracy totters. Meanwhile, many patriots wonder what the hell they can do to make a difference. I wish I could offer a simple silver bullet solution. I can't. But the resistance must start somewhere. The first step is for everyone who cares to show it. Go somewhere and be counted.

No Kings Day protests

On Monday. thousands of Americans took to the street with flags, placards, banners, and voices raised. The attendance paled in contrast to the national protests in January 2017 — right after America's carbuncle first lied under oath about protecting the Constitution. And the media largely ignored Monday’s events.

Don't be disheartened. The audience at the first Rolling Stones concerts numbered in the 10s. But they stuck to it. People liked their music. To date, they have sold c.35 million concert tickets and c.225 million albums. Not everyone wins. But quitters always lose.

One woman's story

Bearing that in mind, be like Parkrose Permaculture. She went to a President's Day rally in Portland. Or, as she calls it, 'Resident's Day' (the 'P' scratched out) or 'No Kings Day'.

She reported her experience on her YouTube channel in a video titled: I went to the No Kings Protest in Portland. Here's My Takeaway. ( Link here . Full video at the bottom)

I have never met Parkrose — I don't even know her real name. I live almost 3,000 miles from where she marched. But she is my sister-in-arms. As is everyone who has and will take to the streets.

Here are the highlights of her video. She starts by outlining what she and her group do besides going to rallies.

"My local group is going to be going to our Senator, Jeff Merkles, Town Hall event this weekend. We have a protest scheduled at the Tesla dealership. And there is also regular chapter meetings."

She continues by discussing the media's subpar coverage of the protest.

"The Oregonian had a post about it. They called it an "Anti-Trump Crowd". Nope! We were Americans marching for our liberty and against tyranny. Marching against the coup that Elon Musk and Donald Trump are carrying out. And in support of our constitutional rights. It's a weird, weird choice of wording for the title of your article, Oregonian."

Parkrose also has a beef with the paper over the size of the crowd. They say 'hundreds'. She estimates 2,000. Good for her. The media needs to know people are paying attention. And they will call them out for downplaying or ignoring the growing national demand to protect civil rights.

( CLICK HERE for the Oregonian article)

She added that there were a lot of reporters there from local stations and an AP representative right behind her. The media needs content — let Democrats give it to them. People complain that the media is biased. It is. But adding to the problem is that Trump sells. Democrats have to give the media the clicks it craves.

Parkrose celebrates the variety and enthusiasm of the attendees

"Folks had signs, and cattle bells, and bullhorns. And all the things you normally associate with a protest. The makeup of the crowd was very diverse. There were lots of retirees there. The Boomers were out in force protesting. There was a group of folks that were there in wheelchairs with signs that said 'Save our Medicaid'. There were lots of children there. There were people of all ages. I saw people with signs saying they were federal workers who had been laid off."

This being Oregon, those included a lot of US Forestry Service workers. Parkrose also referred to other groups threatened by the coup.

"There were protest signs that ran the gamut. Everything from being angry about the obliteration of trans rights and women's rights in the US. Teachers with signs concerned about the funding of education. A number of older folks with signs saying they were worried about losing their Social Security. And there were signs calling Elon Musk' Twittler' and signs saying 'Elon come oligargle these nuts'. Lots of signs saying 'Veterans against Trump'. Lots of signs; 'Stop the coup'."

She says she had felt alone and surrounded by many people who were "tuned out" and in "denial". However, she adds:

"And so it's really good to connect with a couple of thousand other people who understand what is happening and want to fight for our democracy.”

She again celebrated the Boomers who were getting people to march on "our streets" like they were old pros at protesting. That is not surprising, considering some probably protested the Vietnam War and marched for civil rights. Parkrose reiterated that the point of the exercise was not to get into argy-bargy with the cops. But to:

"Raise awareness and … start to garner more public support

Her point is that violence undermines that public support. People don't view rioting favorably. (Besides, you can always escalate if all else fails.)

Parkrose is also a realist.

"I realize that protest is not going to stop this coup. I realize it's going to take a much larger national turnout for a longer period of time. But we have to start somewhere. We have to be bundling momentum. We have to be building connections. We have to get people engaged and involved. And I think events like this are really good."

She finished

"This is not the end. This is the beginning of a sustained resistance."

Which America is going to need because:

"Congress is not going to save us. It's up to us — the American people."

Amen.

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