No Kings Movement is Growing. What's Next?
Change of Plans
Indivisible Mohawk Valley May 2025 Meeting***
Wednesday, May 21st
6:00-8:00 pm
Meeting will be held over Zoom
Here is the link to register.
Agenda:
6:00 pm-6:30 pm EVERYONE join the Zoom. We're going to preview and update everyone on the plans for our local "No Kings" rally on June 14th.
6:30-8:00 pm IMV Orientation to help new and newish members better understand our community, history followed by Q&A. Bring your questions!
***We are cancelling our planned in-person IMV May 2025 meeting.
Why? Indivisible National’s insurer is no longer providing the Certificate of Insurance that is required for us to rent a large space (at MVCC or many other large venues). We need time to research finding our own insurance and/or exploring other large venues.
Why could this be a good thing? The weather is finally going to be nice in the next few weeks, and many people may want to spend time outdoors on Sunday anyway or have weekend plans with family, graduations, and other events. So a couple hours on a weeknight Zoom seems very doable. Still, we have heard you say loud and clear that you are looking for more opportunities to interact in person and build community to strengthen the ties that can hold the line against the rise of authoritarianism. Therefore, we are going to be encouraging everyone to get involved in working groups that meet the needs of this movement now. That may include issue groups, groups focused on rallies or messaging/framing, and groups focused on electoral work or geographical connections (Herkimer county, Rome area, etc.) More to come!
If you really need to attend a rally TODAY
(Yes, we know that some days the news will take you over the edge unless you can get to a pro-democracy anti-fasist resistance event!):
Head over to the Clinton village green with your favorite recent rally sign. Join the 4-5 pm rally with the Kirkland Town Democrats and IMV members.
Rain or shine. Dress for the weather.
What Are the Plans for No Kings on June 14th?
1) You'll learn the latest information at the start of the May 21st IMV Zoom meeting (above). And get involved in making it BIG.
2) We encourage you also to show up for the weekly national call, "What's the Plan?" that Ezra and Leah do on Thursdays at 3-4 pm. You will hear about plans and strategy from them, as well as how we as a movement are responding to the week's news and shaping an overall strategy to fight the destructive budget and anti-democratic corruption of Trump and the Republicans in Congress.
3) Here's some math for you in the meantime: There were an estimated 2.5 to 3 Million people who participated in the Aprl 5th Hands Off rallies. In order to build to the kind of mass movement we want to see nationally by mid-June, we are looking at getting 4X the number or people--or about 11 Million in the streets on No Kings Day. Locally, that means that our 1500 or so across three different locations needs to increase by 4X as well. Gulp! That's 6000 Mohawk Valley residents! Is it really possible? We think so, but it depends on every single one of us. If everyone who attended on April 5th brought four friends, we would hit our Mohawk Valley number! We'll need every single one of you--your recruitment efforts and your ideas for reaching even more friends and neighbors. For now, SAVE THE DATE! We need this to be the biggest mass demonstration in the Mohawk Valley in history.
But we've been protesting! When will our efforts succeed in stopping Trump?
OK, you've probably heard about the threshold for mass activism of 3.5%. The scholars who study the history of people standing up against authoritarianism and anti-democratic backsliding have said that is the percentage of the population that needs to be in the streets before the tide shifts. Of course, it's more complicated than that. Want to know more? On Chris Hayes' podcast, "Why Is This Happening?" this week, Hayes interviewed global expert on non-violent civil resistance movements, Erica Chenoweth. The episode covers a lot of ground and lays out the best research on how Trump-like movements in history and across the globe are defeated--or not. Well worth the listen! (Apple podcast link or Spotify link)
So, yes, we need to be out doing mass demonstrations all across America, and we need to keep our local protests big and strong. But what else could we each be doing to make a difference? What could we do before June 14th? Here is a great short piece by Gil Duran that explains how you can use a simple technique in your own personal power called "Social Proof" to help make Trump increasingly unpopular and less powerful. Social proof is just the idea that we tend to copy the actions of those around us to try to conform to a behavior that we believe fits the situation. This is the basic summary with the actions we can take:
"History shows that when authoritarian regimes collapse, it’s not usually because of a single heroic act — it’s because the center of public belief shifts. It happens when the majority stops pretending the emperor has clothes, when people stop complying, and when the quiet many become a visible, vocal force. And that visible opposition has a powerfully persuasive effect on others.
The more people understand how unpopular this administration is, the more unpopular it will likely become. The more visible the majority becomes, the more powerful it gets. And that’s where our opportunity lies: not just in elections but in a rising wave of civic courage — one that’s already begun.
So, here’s an idea: Use social proof against this fascist regime. Every time a terrible new poll comes out, share it with everyone you know. Email it to friends and family, tell your neighbors, post it on social media. Spread the word: Trump is unpopular! The American majority opposes Trump and considers him a loser.
Trump’s power depends on the illusion of popularity and support. Strip away that illusion, and all that’s left is a desperate man clinging to authority and digging a deeper hole for himself and his party. That’s why being loud, visible, and united is important. When people see a majority standing up, they’re more likely to stand up, too.
Social proof isn’t just a theory. It’s a weapon. Together, we can use it to show the nation, and the world, that the American majority will choose democracy over dictatorship, truth over lies, and courage over fear. The louder and more visible we get, the smaller Trump and his cronies become. And that’s how we win in the end." -Gil Duran
Take Action: Contact Your Members of Congress Today
Keep calling Sen. Gillibrand. She and the other crypto-curious Dems are trying to get to YES on the Republican "Genius" bill that facilitates Trump's Crypto scams. Without pressure, they will still probably trade away their votes for something meaningless, like an opportunity to vote on an amendment they know will fail. Call her office today and tell her to stand firm and unite with Democrats against Trump's Crypto Corruption.
Email your Members of Congress about bringing Kilmar Abrego Garcia home. If Trump is allowed to openly defy a court order, no rights are safe. We’re demanding that leaders in both parties use every tool at their disposal to ensure Abrego Garcia is freed and returned to America.
For those who are in NY21 (Rep. Stefanik) only: Send an email to get her on the record about plans to defund SNAP and Medicaid. Republicans don’t want us talking about Trump’s reconciliation plan because they know it screws working people to pay for billionaires’ tax breaks. We need to get her on the record and hold them accountable. You can also call her office during business hours.
Thank you to all who called Sen. Gillibrand's office on short notice ealier this week. Your calls made a difference! She had been working with Republicans to enable crypto scams-- including Trump's--by passing the "Genius Act." In the end, the Democrats in the Senate were unified, and together with three Republicans, voted Nay on the cloture vote that would have allowed the bill to go forward. Our constituent pressure has her spooked, but we need to keep her on her toes and stop her from negotiating with R's on crypto.
Colt Brumm for Holland Patent School Board
We love it when our active members run for local office! Colt Brumm is running for school board in Holland Patent, and is asking for our help. Here is his message:
"I need Indivisibles who live in the HP district to vote for me, of course, but I also need all local Indivisibles, whether they are in the district or not, to call, text, or chat with friends, family members, and neighbors to encourage them to turn out on the 20th and vote for me. The win number is somewhere around 400, so every single vote matters!
Here is a short summary of my platform. In addition:
Our schools are safer today than they were this time last year because I put in a boatload of effort to push the district to fix the problem of lead in the driving water. (It is only partially fixed, so I will continue to push for improvement.)
I have improved transparency by digesting publicly available data on the schools and publishing my findings online for the community to see.
I have obtained assistance from state and local officials in improving our district
I have advocated with elected officials for state and local policies which will benefit this district
All of this, and I'm not even on the school board yet. Imagine what I could get done if I was allowed to speak and ask questions in the school board meetings!"
Good luck to Colt, and we ask everyone to be sure to vote for your local school district budget and for school board candidates on Tuesday, May 20th!
Climate Crisis Working Group
CCWG Members Take Action For Climate
Wednesday, May 7th, seven members of the Climate Crisis Working Group of IMV attended a rally and lobby day at the NY State Capitol in Albany to urge our state legislators to put people and our planet over plastic by passing the Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act and the Bigger Better Bottle Bill. Together, these critical bills will address the crisis of planet-warming, ocean-polluting, landfill-clogging, human health-harming single-use plastics by reducing them at the source while saving taxpayers money and providing support for recycling and reuse efforts.
When they returned home, some then listened to Lt. Governor Delgado & Bill McKibben discuss the Affordability of Energy (Crisis and Solution) with an emphasis on leadership and the CLCPA. Renewable energy solutions such as solar and wind energy were also discussed.
Sum Up and Inspiration
For inspiration, how about Margie Thickstun's letter to the editor published in the Syracuse Post Standard about Rev. Dr. William Barber, who, in a move out of the authoritarian's playbook, was arrested for praying about the congressional budget in the Capitol rotunda?
Write your own letter to the editor (LTE) this week about Donald Trump's increasing failures in the courts, his increasing unpopularity, and the rise in opposition to his tariffs, his proposed Medicaid and his mass firing of federal workers who serve Americans at the VA and in the national parks. Here's a good list from Ezra Levin that is LTE-ready:
"He wants to reopen Alcatraz. He’s escalating his trade war -- this time on movies. His proposed budget includes $1 trillion for defense while slashing support for education, Medicaid, and public assistance. He’s fired his national security adviser who couldn’t figure out how to use a messaging app. He’s planning to spend tens of millions of dollars on a military parade for his birthday. He’s trying to kill PBS and NPR and the National Endowment for the Arts. He reiterated his intent to annex Canada. He keeps defending his economic agenda by saying children don’t need as many toys, and it’s fine if they cost more. Asked directly if he has a duty to uphold the Constitution, he responded simply, “I don’t know.”
Not comfortable writing a LTE? Then wield your personal "Social Proof" weapon by emailing or talking to people you know about how unpopular Trump is becoming. Prime the pump with them so that when you start talking about June 14th, they'll be just about ready to join you!
No Kings Mass Protest June 14th
"Donald Trump wants tanks in the streets and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday. A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn't staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else." Want to know more? Check out this clip of Rachel Maddow interviewing Ezra Levin, Indivisible's Co-founder, about what is going to happen on June 14th.
Who will you invite to join you?
What reason will you give for why everyone should show up?
Remember, we have to keep showing up, and we have to send a signal to our intended audience--everyone we know in our communities and our Mohawk Valley region--that the smart move is to distance yourself (and your business, organizations, or institution) from an unpopular, flailing and failing wanna-be dictator who will be mocked and derided by history.
Democracy is not a spectator sport.
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