Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Whoa! We just got discovery into Trump DOJ’s illegal targeting of FBI agents who worked on the 1/6 cases.
Fasten seatbelts…
-TN
The print is too small to read. Can you summarize the content or give us the gist of what this is about?
"It's a sad and beautiful world"
-Roberto Benigni
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,072
Just saw this:
I wanted to take a moment from the road to share this photo with you from Tucson, Arizona today:
Original projected attendance was 3,000 people.
23,620 showed up, making it the largest political rally in Arizona history.
While Republicans try to gut Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security
to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, people across the country are
standing up against these attacks on the working class.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,072
The Trump administration's erasure of federal data has put the Internet Archive in the spotlight. The organization, with its small but mighty team, is working to help save the world's digital history.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,072
From Bernie Sanders post:
We
just finished up a truly remarkable few days on the road. Rep.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and I held five rallies in three states in
three days. And the response was incredible.
North Las Vegas, Nevada
We began in Las Vegas on Thursday where we were joined by Congressman
Steve Horsford — a former member of the Culinary Workers Union and past
Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. The last time Donald Trump
was in Las Vegas, in January of this year, 2,000 people came out to his
event. 3,200 people joined ours. It was the largest event I have ever
held in the city.
Tempe, Arizona
And then it was on to Tempe, Arizona. And that was pretty crazy.
The
largest rally turnout we have ever had in the Tempe-Phoenix area was
11,300 in 2015 when I was running for president. This weekend, in a
non-campaign event, 15,000 Arizonans turned out. Not only was the arena
filled to capacity — many thousands waited outside in the parking lot.
Remarkable.
Greeley, Colorado
On Thursday we began the day in Greeley, Colorado. Greeley is a small
city with a population of 108,000. Well, 11,300 of those Coloradans
joined our event. There were more people in the overflow area outside,
nearly 6,000, than we could fit into the gym.
Denver, Colorado
And then it was on to Denver. Total insanity.
When
you run for President you hold a lot of rallies. And I have. But I’ve
never held a rally like this - ever. At Denver we were joined by great
musicians and speakers from the trade union movement. And 34,000 people
turned out. 34,000 people! This is, by far, the largest rally that I
have ever held anywhere. And, by the way, it is a larger number than
Trump ever had in Denver.
Tucson, Arizona
On
Saturday morning we had our last rally - in Tucson, Arizona. We were
joined by Congressman Greg Casar from Texas -- the Chair of the House
Progressive Caucus. It was a warm, beautiful day. We were planning on
8,000 to 10,000 people attending. We were wrong. Over 23,000 showed up
at the high school football stadium.
So. What do these huge turnouts tell us? I think the answer is pretty clear.
The
American people do not want Trumpism. They do not want oligarchy. They
do not want authoritarianism. They are tired of massive income and
wealth inequality and the greed of the billionaire class. They are tired
of a corrupt political system that allows billionaires in both parties
to buy elections and leaves working people behind.
All
across this country Americans are prepared to take on the forces that
control our economic and political lives. They are prepared to fight
back. They want a government and an economy that works for all, not just
the 1%.
And they understand that the Democratic Party isn’t going to save us. This fight is up to all of us at the grassroots level.
What history has always told us is that real change only occurs when ordinary people stand up against oppression and injustice.
That
is the history of the founding of our nation when brave men and women
took on the mighty British empire. It is the history of the abolitionist
movement, the labor movement, the civil rights movement, the women’s
movement, the environmental movement and the gay rights movement.
Yes,
the oligarchs ARE enormously powerful. They have endless amounts of
money. They control our economy. They own much of the media. They have
enormous influence over our political system.
But, from the bottom of my heart, I am convinced that they can be beaten. But it won’t be easy.
Our job in the days, weeks and months ahead is to energize and organize.
We
need to hold meetings and rallies in all 50 states, and then do it again
and again and again. And when those rallies are over, we need to
organize the people who attend to mobilize in their communities and
fight back in every way we can.
We
need progressives to run for office at all levels. I am talking about
school boards, city councils, state legislatures and the races that are
not in the news but make a tremendous difference in local communities.
I’m talking about races for governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
But
it’s not just running for office. At a time when many of our people feel
lonely and isolated, we need to build community and bring people
together. In the deepest sense we need to care for each other and give
each other strength.
This
is a pivotal moment in American history. What we do now will not only
impact our lives, but the lives of our kids and future generations. In
terms of climate change, it will determine the well-being of the entire
planet.
Now is not the time for despair. It’s not the time to hide under the covers. It’s the time to organize and fight back.
Together, we can and will win.
In Solidarity,
Bernie
"It's a sad and beautiful world"
-Roberto Benigni
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,072
edited March 23
86,847 people in three days.
At our first stop alone, half the crowd were brand new people not previously on any list of contact. Many were first timers.
What is happening right now is different. We must use this moment to fight back and defend our democracy.
"It's a sad and beautiful world"
-Roberto Benigni
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,072
Yesterday
I rallied thousands in Atlanta to oppose this Administration’s
unprecedented attack on our Constitution and the rule of law.
I wanted to take a moment from the road to share this photo with you from Tucson, Arizona today:
Original projected attendance was 3,000 people.
23,620 showed up, making it the largest political rally in Arizona history.
While Republicans try to gut Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security
to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, people across the country are
standing up against these attacks on the working class.
1995 Milwaukee 1998 Alpine, Alpine 2003 Albany, Boston, Boston, Boston 2004 Boston, Boston 2006 Hartford, St. Paul (Petty), St. Paul (Petty) 2011 Alpine, Alpine 2013 Wrigley 2014 St. Paul 2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley 2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley 2021 Asbury Park 2022 St Louis 2023 Austin, Austin 2024 Napa, Wrigley, Wrigley
I wanted to take a moment from the road to share this photo with you from Tucson, Arizona today:
Original projected attendance was 3,000 people.
23,620 showed up, making it the largest political rally in Arizona history.
While Republicans try to gut Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security
to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, people across the country are
standing up against these attacks on the working class.
From Wikipedia, just for the heck of it. We should never forget her political origin. (Edit, there are many large print posts about AOC, I was replying to that)
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a big tent, democratic socialist political organization in the United States.[9]
During the 2023 DSA National Convention, Marxist and revolutionary socialist factions won a majority of seats on the DSA's 2023–2025 National Political Committee, marking a further shift to the left.[4][74][75]
“This is our lesson, and we hope socialists everywhere will pay close attention: the Democratic Party is a dead end. It is a "party" in name only; truly, it is simply a tangled web of dark money and mega-donors, cynical consultants, and lapdog politicians. ... We don't want milquetoast progressive reformist-reforms; we want socialism.”
During the 2023 DSA National Convention, Marxist and revolutionary socialist factions won a majority of seats on the DSA's 2023–2025 National Political Committee, marking a further shift to the left.[4][74][75]
“This is our lesson, and we hope socialists everywhere will pay close attention: the Democratic Party is a dead end. It is a "party" in name only; truly, it is simply a tangled web of dark money and mega-donors, cynical consultants, and lapdog politicians. ... We don't want milquetoast progressive reformist-reforms; we want socialism.”
Yay so? It’s still better than the white Christian supremacy of the KKK currently in power but you do you.
i am only interested in winning back the congress and White House. Moving to the far left is no way to achieve that in America , but you do you Hal..
Boo! AOC scares you like she scares Lindsey Flimsey Flip Flop Faloozy. She’s one of 213 and called out Chuck. No calls for her ouster. No demands she step down. And she’s been overwhelmingly reelected in her district three times. But, BOO!
How about moving to the left? You going to move to the left? Your rhetoric leaves a strong impression.
i am only interested in winning back the congress and White House. Moving to the far left is no way to achieve that in America , but you do you Hal..
Boo! AOC scares you like she scares Lindsey Flimsey Flip Flop Faloozy. She’s one of 213 and called out Chuck. No calls for her ouster. No demands she step down. And she’s been overwhelmingly reelected in her district three times. But, BOO!
How about moving to the left? You going to move to the left? Your rhetoric leaves a strong impression.
I’d say these facts demonstrate her district is far left, with a clear recent move slightly to the right, as trump is improving with a demo very prominent in her district. Probably why he is currently president. But let’s not get facts in the way.
i am only interested in winning back the congress and White House. Moving to the far left is no way to achieve that in America , but you do you Hal..
Boo! AOC scares you like she scares Lindsey Flimsey Flip Flop Faloozy. She’s one of 213 and called out Chuck. No calls for her ouster. No demands she step down. And she’s been overwhelmingly reelected in her district three times. But, BOO!
How about moving to the left? You going to move to the left? Your rhetoric leaves a strong impression.
I’d say these facts demonstrate her district is far left, with a clear recent move slightly to the right, as trump is improving with a demo very prominent in her district. Probably why he is currently president. But let’s not get facts in the way.
Stupid is why COOTWH is POTUS. What does far left in her district look like, comrade? Indoctrination classes? Tai chi on the city square on weekends? Forays into manhattan to steal from the rich to give to the poor?
Your wiki copy/paste along with your content make no sense. Cue the attack complaint.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
0
brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,072
As
someone who covered and vividly remembers the Vietnam War protests that
consumed this country in the 1960s and ’70s, I can safely say that the
anti-Musk and Trump demonstrations popping up around the country are
small by comparison. But they’re growing … and quickly. For how long and
to what end it’s too soon to know. But they are worth noting.
Whoever
thought Tesla dealerships and charging stations would be the epicenter
of unrest? They are, by the hundreds. The actions of Trump and his
unelected sidekick have gotten many Americans off their collective
couches, which is saying a lot.
The Republican Party has long
claimed to be the party of free speech. If that claim was specious
before, it is outright ridiculous now. Trump has suggested opposing him
could land you in jail. He has threatened to pull funding from colleges
and universities that allow illegal — his word — protests on campuses.
He has promised to arrest, expel, and/or deport students and faculty who
participate, citing supposed national security concerns.
It has
already happened. Some university students, in the country legally, have
been yanked out of their homes or grabbed off the street because of
possible objections to the war in Gaza. One does not have to approve of
what they have done to say that, at the very least, they are entitled to
legal due process.
Trump’s inclination toward curtailing freedom
of speech extends to everyday Americans. The head of the National
Republican Congressional Committee told his caucus to cancel in-person
town hall meetings. As videos posted on social media have shown, growing
numbers of people are angry, and they want answers from their elected
representatives. Rather than face the proverbial music, Republican
members are running scared. Representative Bill Huizenga of Michigan
even told his constituents to stop calling his office. One hopes they
are ignoring that request.
Our nation was founded on the
principles of dissent and criticism. In the early 1760s, Britain imposed
several direct and indirect taxes on the American colonies. The
colonists, who were not represented in the British Parliament, believed
Britain was taxing them unfairly to pay its war bills. The Boston Tea
Party, an act of noncooperation in which colonists dumped British tea
into Boston Harbor in protest, led to the start of the Revolutionary
War.
Founding father John Adams hoped historians would view the
many acts of noncooperation by colonists as the real “revolution,” not
the War of Independence that followed them. “The Revolution was in the
Minds of the People, and this was effected, from 1760 to 1775, in the
course of fifteen Years before a drop of blood was drawn at Lexington,”
Adams famously wrote to Thomas Jefferson.
According to the Crowd
Counting Consortium, a Harvard-UCONN research project, resistance is
alive and growing in the United States. In February, the effort counted
2,085 protests, versus 937 in February 2017, just after Trump was
inaugurated the first time. And March is on course to have more than
3,000 protests.
Diversification of resistance methods is a
hallmark of 2025. We have seen traditional protests but also more
economic noncooperation, such as boycotts, strikes, and withholding of
labor and purchasing power.
Consumer activists have launched
boycotts of stores such as Target and Amazon to protest rollbacks of
their DEI programs. During the February 28 Economic Blackout, a
nationwide boycott, Target experienced a 9% drop in in-store traffic and
a 14% drop on its website, according to Similarweb.
No retailer
has been harder hit than Tesla. Its CEO, Elon Musk, is Enemy No. 1 for
the many who view him as doing Trump’s dirty work, indiscriminately
purging the U.S. civil service and upending the lives of thousands of
Americans.
Once a symbol of liberal virtue, Tesla has become an
albatross for many climate-conscious drivers. The car maker was the
target of its very own protest day last weekend at hundreds of
dealerships and charging stations all over the country and in Europe.
Some
destruction has been directed at Tesla cars, showrooms, and charging
stations. This is unfortunate and undermines public support for
nonviolent protests.
Billionaires likely don’t care much about
protests of any kind, but they do care about making money. The fact that
Musk’s misdeeds are affecting Tesla’s bottom line has got to irk him,
especially since a majority of his billions is tied up in the electric
vehicle company’s stock price.
For the first time ever, Tesla saw a
drop in car sales in 2024. This year is looking worse. And Tesla’s
stock price has plummeted. As of this writing, Tesla has lost almost
half of its value since its December high.
According to the car
sales information company Edmunds, the number of Tesla trade-ins is at
an all-time high, and online interest in buying a Tesla is at its lowest
point in three years.
Lawmakers in New York state have called for the state pension fund to sell its 3.5 million shares of Tesla stock.
But
this is as much about Trump as it is Tesla. His flood-the-zone strategy
for turning America upside down has brought about an unintended
consequence. He makes a lot of different people angry, because no one is
exempt from these questionable and far-reaching policies. Trump has
created coalitions where none existed before, perhaps to his detriment.
Groups
that have historically supported Trump are now rethinking their
allegiance: farmers and automakers hit hard by cuts in federal spending
and tariffs; federal workers, many of whom have lost their jobs; Social
Security recipients; Wall Street investors.
Many members of this
new coalition are organizing. A nationwide mass mobilization, dubbed
‘Hands Off,’ will take place on Saturday, April 5, to protest Trump,
Musk, and their policies.
According to HandsOff2025.com,
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them. They’re
taking everything they can get their hands on, and daring the world to
stop them. On Saturday, April 5th, we’re taking to the streets
nationwide to fight back with a clear message: Hands off!”
Labor
unions, student organizations, and public interest groups are helping
to organize more than 600 planned actions, including rallies, marches,
and protests, across all 50 states.
When an authoritarian doesn’t
like or is afraid of the narrative, he tries to change it. When that
doesn’t work, he silences it. Trump is attempting to silence dissent.
Will Americans allow it? Or will they rise up as they did in the Vietnam
era? And if they do, will it make a decisive difference?
To
support my team’s efforts to protect our democracy through the power of
independent journalism, please consider joining as a paid subscriber.
It keeps Steady sustainable and accessible for all. Thank you.
No matter how you subscribe, I thank you for reading.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Comments
Fasten seatbelts…
-TN
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
PBS: “Have any of you been paid to be here?”
NEBRASKA FOLKS: “No… I’m actually taking work off to be here. I’m losing money.”
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHV9N6GROSV/?igsh=aXpzemJtMWRxejBk
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
The print is too small to read. Can you summarize the content or give us the gist of what this is about?
Just saw this:
I wanted to take a moment from the road to share this photo with you from Tucson, Arizona today:
Original projected attendance was 3,000 people.
23,620 showed up, making it the largest political rally in Arizona history.
While Republicans try to gut Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, people across the country are standing up against these attacks on the working class.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Better, thanks. Only I will need a lawyer to explain this all to me. Not your fault!
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
From Bernie Sanders post:
We just finished up a truly remarkable few days on the road. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and I held five rallies in three states in three days. And the response was incredible.
North Las Vegas, Nevada
We began in Las Vegas on Thursday where we were joined by Congressman Steve Horsford — a former member of the Culinary Workers Union and past Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. The last time Donald Trump was in Las Vegas, in January of this year, 2,000 people came out to his event. 3,200 people joined ours. It was the largest event I have ever held in the city.Tempe, Arizona
And then it was on to Tempe, Arizona. And that was pretty crazy.
The largest rally turnout we have ever had in the Tempe-Phoenix area was 11,300 in 2015 when I was running for president. This weekend, in a non-campaign event, 15,000 Arizonans turned out. Not only was the arena filled to capacity — many thousands waited outside in the parking lot. Remarkable.
Greeley, Colorado
On Thursday we began the day in Greeley, Colorado. Greeley is a small city with a population of 108,000. Well, 11,300 of those Coloradans joined our event. There were more people in the overflow area outside, nearly 6,000, than we could fit into the gym.Denver, Colorado
And then it was on to Denver. Total insanity.When you run for President you hold a lot of rallies. And I have. But I’ve never held a rally like this - ever. At Denver we were joined by great musicians and speakers from the trade union movement. And 34,000 people turned out. 34,000 people! This is, by far, the largest rally that I have ever held anywhere. And, by the way, it is a larger number than Trump ever had in Denver.
Tucson, Arizona
On Saturday morning we had our last rally - in Tucson, Arizona. We were joined by Congressman Greg Casar from Texas -- the Chair of the House Progressive Caucus. It was a warm, beautiful day. We were planning on 8,000 to 10,000 people attending. We were wrong. Over 23,000 showed up at the high school football stadium.
So. What do these huge turnouts tell us? I think the answer is pretty clear.
The American people do not want Trumpism. They do not want oligarchy. They do not want authoritarianism. They are tired of massive income and wealth inequality and the greed of the billionaire class. They are tired of a corrupt political system that allows billionaires in both parties to buy elections and leaves working people behind.
All across this country Americans are prepared to take on the forces that control our economic and political lives. They are prepared to fight back. They want a government and an economy that works for all, not just the 1%.
And they understand that the Democratic Party isn’t going to save us. This fight is up to all of us at the grassroots level.
What history has always told us is that real change only occurs when ordinary people stand up against oppression and injustice.
That is the history of the founding of our nation when brave men and women took on the mighty British empire. It is the history of the abolitionist movement, the labor movement, the civil rights movement, the women’s movement, the environmental movement and the gay rights movement.
Yes, the oligarchs ARE enormously powerful. They have endless amounts of money. They control our economy. They own much of the media. They have enormous influence over our political system.
But, from the bottom of my heart, I am convinced that they can be beaten. But it won’t be easy.
Our job in the days, weeks and months ahead is to energize and organize.
We need to hold meetings and rallies in all 50 states, and then do it again and again and again. And when those rallies are over, we need to organize the people who attend to mobilize in their communities and fight back in every way we can.
We need progressives to run for office at all levels. I am talking about school boards, city councils, state legislatures and the races that are not in the news but make a tremendous difference in local communities. I’m talking about races for governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate.
But it’s not just running for office. At a time when many of our people feel lonely and isolated, we need to build community and bring people together. In the deepest sense we need to care for each other and give each other strength.
This is a pivotal moment in American history. What we do now will not only impact our lives, but the lives of our kids and future generations. In terms of climate change, it will determine the well-being of the entire planet.
Now is not the time for despair. It’s not the time to hide under the covers. It’s the time to organize and fight back.
Together, we can and will win.
In Solidarity,
Bernie
86,847 people in three days.
At our first stop alone, half the crowd were brand new people not previously on any list of contact. Many were first timers.
What is happening right now is different. We must use this moment to fight back and defend our democracy.
Yesterday I rallied thousands in Atlanta to oppose this Administration’s unprecedented attack on our Constitution and the rule of law.
(You can watch my speech here on YouTube.)
https://x.com/MarioNawfal/status/1903936132494024726
2013 Wrigley 2014 St. Paul 2016 Fenway, Fenway, Wrigley, Wrigley 2018 Missoula, Wrigley, Wrigley 2021 Asbury Park 2022 St Louis 2023 Austin, Austin
2024 Napa, Wrigley, Wrigley
these rallies are wonderful, but voters have clearly rejected Medicare for all and other far lefts desires for nearly a decade.
If this is what makes us “extreme,” then we wear that label proudly.
We’ve built a movement fighting for each and every one of these issues — from Medicare for All to democratizing fundraising power in politics.
(Edit, there are many large print posts about AOC, I was replying to that)
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a big tent, democratic socialist political organization in the United States.[9]
During the 2023 DSA National Convention, Marxist and revolutionary socialist factions won a majority of seats on the DSA's 2023–2025 National Political Committee, marking a further shift to the left.[4][74][75]
.
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
How about moving to the left? You going to move to the left? Your rhetoric leaves a strong impression.
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
Your wiki copy/paste along with your content make no sense. Cue the attack complaint.
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Note
As someone who covered and vividly remembers the Vietnam War protests that consumed this country in the 1960s and ’70s, I can safely say that the anti-Musk and Trump demonstrations popping up around the country are small by comparison. But they’re growing … and quickly. For how long and to what end it’s too soon to know. But they are worth noting.
Whoever thought Tesla dealerships and charging stations would be the epicenter of unrest? They are, by the hundreds. The actions of Trump and his unelected sidekick have gotten many Americans off their collective couches, which is saying a lot.
The Republican Party has long claimed to be the party of free speech. If that claim was specious before, it is outright ridiculous now. Trump has suggested opposing him could land you in jail. He has threatened to pull funding from colleges and universities that allow illegal — his word — protests on campuses. He has promised to arrest, expel, and/or deport students and faculty who participate, citing supposed national security concerns.
It has already happened. Some university students, in the country legally, have been yanked out of their homes or grabbed off the street because of possible objections to the war in Gaza. One does not have to approve of what they have done to say that, at the very least, they are entitled to legal due process.
Trump’s inclination toward curtailing freedom of speech extends to everyday Americans. The head of the National Republican Congressional Committee told his caucus to cancel in-person town hall meetings. As videos posted on social media have shown, growing numbers of people are angry, and they want answers from their elected representatives. Rather than face the proverbial music, Republican members are running scared. Representative Bill Huizenga of Michigan even told his constituents to stop calling his office. One hopes they are ignoring that request.
Our nation was founded on the principles of dissent and criticism. In the early 1760s, Britain imposed several direct and indirect taxes on the American colonies. The colonists, who were not represented in the British Parliament, believed Britain was taxing them unfairly to pay its war bills. The Boston Tea Party, an act of noncooperation in which colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor in protest, led to the start of the Revolutionary War.
Founding father John Adams hoped historians would view the many acts of noncooperation by colonists as the real “revolution,” not the War of Independence that followed them. “The Revolution was in the Minds of the People, and this was effected, from 1760 to 1775, in the course of fifteen Years before a drop of blood was drawn at Lexington,” Adams famously wrote to Thomas Jefferson.
According to the Crowd Counting Consortium, a Harvard-UCONN research project, resistance is alive and growing in the United States. In February, the effort counted 2,085 protests, versus 937 in February 2017, just after Trump was inaugurated the first time. And March is on course to have more than 3,000 protests.
Diversification of resistance methods is a hallmark of 2025. We have seen traditional protests but also more economic noncooperation, such as boycotts, strikes, and withholding of labor and purchasing power.
Consumer activists have launched boycotts of stores such as Target and Amazon to protest rollbacks of their DEI programs. During the February 28 Economic Blackout, a nationwide boycott, Target experienced a 9% drop in in-store traffic and a 14% drop on its website, according to Similarweb.
No retailer has been harder hit than Tesla. Its CEO, Elon Musk, is Enemy No. 1 for the many who view him as doing Trump’s dirty work, indiscriminately purging the U.S. civil service and upending the lives of thousands of Americans.
Once a symbol of liberal virtue, Tesla has become an albatross for many climate-conscious drivers. The car maker was the target of its very own protest day last weekend at hundreds of dealerships and charging stations all over the country and in Europe.
Some destruction has been directed at Tesla cars, showrooms, and charging stations. This is unfortunate and undermines public support for nonviolent protests.
Billionaires likely don’t care much about protests of any kind, but they do care about making money. The fact that Musk’s misdeeds are affecting Tesla’s bottom line has got to irk him, especially since a majority of his billions is tied up in the electric vehicle company’s stock price.
For the first time ever, Tesla saw a drop in car sales in 2024. This year is looking worse. And Tesla’s stock price has plummeted. As of this writing, Tesla has lost almost half of its value since its December high.
According to the car sales information company Edmunds, the number of Tesla trade-ins is at an all-time high, and online interest in buying a Tesla is at its lowest point in three years.
Lawmakers in New York state have called for the state pension fund to sell its 3.5 million shares of Tesla stock.
But this is as much about Trump as it is Tesla. His flood-the-zone strategy for turning America upside down has brought about an unintended consequence. He makes a lot of different people angry, because no one is exempt from these questionable and far-reaching policies. Trump has created coalitions where none existed before, perhaps to his detriment.
Groups that have historically supported Trump are now rethinking their allegiance: farmers and automakers hit hard by cuts in federal spending and tariffs; federal workers, many of whom have lost their jobs; Social Security recipients; Wall Street investors.
Many members of this new coalition are organizing. A nationwide mass mobilization, dubbed ‘Hands Off,’ will take place on Saturday, April 5, to protest Trump, Musk, and their policies.
According to HandsOff2025.com, “Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them. They’re taking everything they can get their hands on, and daring the world to stop them. On Saturday, April 5th, we’re taking to the streets nationwide to fight back with a clear message: Hands off!”
Labor unions, student organizations, and public interest groups are helping to organize more than 600 planned actions, including rallies, marches, and protests, across all 50 states.
When an authoritarian doesn’t like or is afraid of the narrative, he tries to change it. When that doesn’t work, he silences it. Trump is attempting to silence dissent. Will Americans allow it? Or will they rise up as they did in the Vietnam era? And if they do, will it make a decisive difference?
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Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
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memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14