Country’s backslide has ‘driven me to protest’

Editor:

Seeing our democratic republic backslide toward autocracy has driven me to protest. My list of driving forces includes: legal actions against political opponents; threats to nationalize voting processes; threats against universities, media networks, law firms to bring them under Trump’s control; appointed officials who fail to act as independent entities; suppression of dissent; deployment and threats of deployment of armed forces against Americans who exercise their Constitutional rights. 

On May Day, a coalition of over 200 organizations is calling for a national economic day of action: No work. No school. No shopping. In preparation, please shop locally. During this day, I also invite you to walk around town and take note of the businesses who supported this, and then patronize them when May Day is over. Buy their goods, eat at their establishments, use their services as thanks for their support. 

We want to send a clear message to the Trump regime: We will not do business as usual while they trample our rights, terrorize our communities, and ignore our Constitution. To do this, we need a widespread backlash that lets Trump know that we won’t just go along while he erodes our democracy. 

Remember Minnesota. ICE’s actions inspired the people to do more than march, they disrupted. Hundreds of businesses shut their doors; tens of thousands of people did not go to work or school and refused to spend any money. They would not continue business as usual while ICE brutalized their neighbors. 

Showing up matters. But showing up isn’t enough. We need to show that we have leverage through nonviolent, economic disruption. 

Jackie Bird 

Indivisible Gunnison County