Peaceful Protest, Strategic Resistance.

Some have said that political protests will die down as people wear out. I think people are just getting started. Tomorrow, Saturday, Feb 4, there is a rally in Scoville Park (Oak Park) related to Immigration/Refugees (noon to 2 pm) as well as a demonstration at Daley Plaza, Saturday Feb 4, to support Standing Rock and Clean Water (at 1 pm). 

Meanwhile, in the last week, five of my friends who had not yet started any political action, who took a pass on the March for Women, are now asking, “What can I do?” and “Where do I sign up?” And those people who went to the march? They did not go as a one-time balm to their election day pain, they were going because the new reality requires a response, a sustained response.  I rode the bus with determined women. Some had physical limitations which made the overnight rides and daytime treks challenging, but they were willing to tough it out because they love their country more than any one President or Congress.

People are just now starting to exercise their full participation in our shared democracy. And by exercising we get stronger and can go longer. (So long as our protests remain peaceful, unlike the anarchists who disrupted Inauguration Day and Berkeley, to avoid an increase in authoritarian response).

At the end of the day, protesting is only one piece of the puzzle. We need to protest peacefully and also resist strategically. What can we do?

Sign up to follow updates and suggested action from one or more of these sites:

• IndivisibleGuide.com (ways to resist Trump)
• Womensmarch.com
• MoveOn.org (and Jan 22 recorded call)
• ThinkProgress.org
• RobertReich.org
• Flippable.org (stay tuned to local state races to flip one district at a time)
• SwingLeft.org (stay tuned to local state races to flip one district at a time)

Read multiple news sources including at least one of these:

• DemocracyNow.org  (AM 820, Chicago’s Progressive Radio 8 pm CST, also see transcripts online)
• CPT Radio (AM 820, Chicago’s Progressive Radio, most segments are terrific)
• NPR.org
• PBS New Hour

• New York Times
• Washington Post
• The Atlantic
• The Economist

For well-researched comic relief:

• The Rachel Maddow Show
• Samantha Bee – Full Frontal
• John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight

Special talks and insights:

• Ideas for nonviolent action (and more)
• Jonathan Haidt – The Moral Roots of Liberals and Conservatives (Ted Talk)
• Thomas Friedman on Thriving in the Age of Acceleration (podcast)
• MichaelMoore.com

Please share your favorite news or political action sources too via comment.