The next seven weeks are consequential and will require a united front to have maximum impact: No Kings 2 (Oct 18); The Fall of the Regime Mass Mobilization (beginning Nov 5); and Blackout the System, 2nd Wave (Nov 25-Dec 2). Let’s bring this Regime to its knees, together!
I’ve seen all these things happening, and they are hopeful signs of progress. No one can predict the future, but I choose to stand with determination to save our democracy. See you in the streets! Thanks for all you do.
Need to hear more about the boycott plans -- thought Signal would be the forum for plans. And what's the Mass Mobilization from Nov.. 5? Would appreciate a view of the Big Picture.
Looking forward to your “connecting article”, K…thank you! Mine (from The Mother of Exiles) comes out this morning! I take a three-legged stool approach. Anyway, many thanks!
I think that the regime may invoke the Insurrection Act on No Kings Day this Saturday. They've already done the preliminaries with ICE, CBP, the National Guard and other militaristic groups attacking people at schools, courthouses, streets and homes. They've also paved the way by declaring "Antifa" as a terrorist group. Even if all the protests are peaceful, as they have been since March, they will manufacture violence even by committing crimes themselves to make this look justified. Their Fox and OAN "news" will falsely show violence, and the rest of the news media will chicken out and not cover our protests or minimize them. We will still protest! We will not stop until we remove, impeach and convict all of them! We're looking forward to going to two protests Saturday and encourage everyone to peacefully, joyfully join us!
Every dissent makes a difference, but this Saturday we have a chance to take part in a massive one. Unlimber your inflatable animal costumes and break out the signs!
We are skeptical. With everybody and her sister screaming about No Kings on Saturday, all we can say is “We’ll see.”
We call ourselves “resistance” and a “rebellion" and people who "dissent," but we’d like to caution and suggest that words without action are useless.
Yes, a million-person march might be considered action, and it looks great on camera … but it doesn’t affect policy, Republican members of House and Senate, or any Trump supporter one iota.
Until mass demonstrations actually interfere with the workings of an authoritarian regime by taking place on a working day, or by blocking regime/society functionings in a significant way - while remaining non-violent - then nothing is achieved, insofar as we can see at this point.
There will be a tipping point somewhere, perhaps, if the rules of law are followed, Republican representatives begin separating from Trump and his cronies, and policy can be changed. Maybe in two years?
Mere numbers don't make a difference unless the numbers make a TANGIBLE difference in how the authoritarian regime functions.
All of Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan's work emphasizes this. All of our preceding activists talk about this. Check into Gene Sharp's 198 Methods of Nonviolent Action... check into Andrew Boyd and the team at Beautiful Trouble (great resource for everyone now: https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/tool/direct-action) ... check into the team at the Albert Einstein Institution (https://www.aeinstein.org/)...
The 50% of American voters who voted for Trump (if we can believe that he and Musk didn't rig the election!!) aren't going to change their support until they are impacted personally - and some already are being impacted, so we shall see.
Only the people can save the people, and the examples you give of communities actively resisting ICE and so on are great. Community mobilizations are key, in action, and in the moment, and not reserved for weekends. That's what we feel, and for sure we're impatient, so we share your hope that the needle is shifting, but it must be concrete and not just feel-good.
I’m reaching out and encouraging all I can to not believe the lies of the regime. Hoping I have a little authority with them since I live in Portland and can give an eyeball account. But, one person has let me know that I’m not seeing accurate reporting. Oh well …
A friend and I spent time this morning on a bridge with a No Kings banner. It was the very best way to start the day!!
Thank you, K Starling, for your work here! So appreciated.
Hi there! I'm in Lake Oswego which is a suburb 5 miles (12 minutes) from the ICE facility that's getting so much attention here. There is no physical separation between the two cities. Check out the daily Oregonian for reports of non-events happening there. The helicopters fly this far out at night. Friends who live in that neighborhood talk about the racket at night. The Naked Bike Ride is an annual thing here in Portland ... the "emergency" bike ride was held to highlight the absurdity of the claims being made by the feds. It maddens me that people I know are believing the lies of "civil unrest." Peaceful protesting is not civil unrest. I would rather people drop the obscenities, but the words don't rise to the level of civil unrest. I don't know if any of this helps. I'm just fed up with the lies about us and fear this is just the beginning. I'm looking forward to Saturday ... and all the days after to push back on this horror of a regime.
The next seven weeks are consequential and will require a united front to have maximum impact: No Kings 2 (Oct 18); The Fall of the Regime Mass Mobilization (beginning Nov 5); and Blackout the System, 2nd Wave (Nov 25-Dec 2). Let’s bring this Regime to its knees, together!
I’ve seen all these things happening, and they are hopeful signs of progress. No one can predict the future, but I choose to stand with determination to save our democracy. See you in the streets! Thanks for all you do.
The part that bothers me is how the News grossly underestimates the crowd size of protests.
I see thousands protesting and the News reports “there were hundreds protesting”.
If there are hundreds protesting, they say “there were dozens”.
This needs to turn into sustained economic resistance.
Need to hear more about the boycott plans -- thought Signal would be the forum for plans. And what's the Mass Mobilization from Nov.. 5? Would appreciate a view of the Big Picture.
Yes, I plan to get on that tomorrow. It’s scheduled for me to send a connecting email. No Kings has been a lot of work.
Looking forward to your “connecting article”, K…thank you! Mine (from The Mother of Exiles) comes out this morning! I take a three-legged stool approach. Anyway, many thanks!
I hope we can go less ooublic soon, but I do understand that you have A LOT on your plate, and No Kings has to take precendence
Sounds like K has you covered, but if you want more, I have numerous articles/videos about Nov 5 on my Substack, with even more to come!
I think that the regime may invoke the Insurrection Act on No Kings Day this Saturday. They've already done the preliminaries with ICE, CBP, the National Guard and other militaristic groups attacking people at schools, courthouses, streets and homes. They've also paved the way by declaring "Antifa" as a terrorist group. Even if all the protests are peaceful, as they have been since March, they will manufacture violence even by committing crimes themselves to make this look justified. Their Fox and OAN "news" will falsely show violence, and the rest of the news media will chicken out and not cover our protests or minimize them. We will still protest! We will not stop until we remove, impeach and convict all of them! We're looking forward to going to two protests Saturday and encourage everyone to peacefully, joyfully join us!
Organize securely at No Kings rallies. Protect privacy: No phone numbers, apps nor texts.
https://thedemlabs.org/2025/10/14/organize-securely-at-no-kings-rallies-fast-alert/
Every dissent makes a difference, but this Saturday we have a chance to take part in a massive one. Unlimber your inflatable animal costumes and break out the signs!
We are skeptical. With everybody and her sister screaming about No Kings on Saturday, all we can say is “We’ll see.”
We call ourselves “resistance” and a “rebellion" and people who "dissent," but we’d like to caution and suggest that words without action are useless.
Yes, a million-person march might be considered action, and it looks great on camera … but it doesn’t affect policy, Republican members of House and Senate, or any Trump supporter one iota.
Until mass demonstrations actually interfere with the workings of an authoritarian regime by taking place on a working day, or by blocking regime/society functionings in a significant way - while remaining non-violent - then nothing is achieved, insofar as we can see at this point.
There will be a tipping point somewhere, perhaps, if the rules of law are followed, Republican representatives begin separating from Trump and his cronies, and policy can be changed. Maybe in two years?
Mere numbers don't make a difference unless the numbers make a TANGIBLE difference in how the authoritarian regime functions.
All of Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan's work emphasizes this. All of our preceding activists talk about this. Check into Gene Sharp's 198 Methods of Nonviolent Action... check into Andrew Boyd and the team at Beautiful Trouble (great resource for everyone now: https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/tool/direct-action) ... check into the team at the Albert Einstein Institution (https://www.aeinstein.org/)...
The 50% of American voters who voted for Trump (if we can believe that he and Musk didn't rig the election!!) aren't going to change their support until they are impacted personally - and some already are being impacted, so we shall see.
Only the people can save the people, and the examples you give of communities actively resisting ICE and so on are great. Community mobilizations are key, in action, and in the moment, and not reserved for weekends. That's what we feel, and for sure we're impatient, so we share your hope that the needle is shifting, but it must be concrete and not just feel-good.
Thanks and I look forward to a less public form for communicationn. I don't do social media and am uncomfortable not knowing who reads this.
I’m reaching out and encouraging all I can to not believe the lies of the regime. Hoping I have a little authority with them since I live in Portland and can give an eyeball account. But, one person has let me know that I’m not seeing accurate reporting. Oh well …
A friend and I spent time this morning on a bridge with a No Kings banner. It was the very best way to start the day!!
Thank you, K Starling, for your work here! So appreciated.
Hello, I’m writing about Portland if you’d like to share more.
Hi there! I'm in Lake Oswego which is a suburb 5 miles (12 minutes) from the ICE facility that's getting so much attention here. There is no physical separation between the two cities. Check out the daily Oregonian for reports of non-events happening there. The helicopters fly this far out at night. Friends who live in that neighborhood talk about the racket at night. The Naked Bike Ride is an annual thing here in Portland ... the "emergency" bike ride was held to highlight the absurdity of the claims being made by the feds. It maddens me that people I know are believing the lies of "civil unrest." Peaceful protesting is not civil unrest. I would rather people drop the obscenities, but the words don't rise to the level of civil unrest. I don't know if any of this helps. I'm just fed up with the lies about us and fear this is just the beginning. I'm looking forward to Saturday ... and all the days after to push back on this horror of a regime.
I love your substack!