Build the Resistance Newsletter #3
Broadcasting featured actions, resources, and wins to help you build the resistance.
Dear Friends,
It is our great honor to share our third newsletter.
Saturday, May 3 was Press Freedom Day, an international holiday respecting and celebrating the importance of a fully functioning, independent and free “Fourth Estate” that holds the powerful accountable and their actions under scrutiny. In an authoritarian society, or under a government that aims to make it so, freedom of speech and critical thinking are the first to go.
Somewhat ominously, the following day, Sunday, March 4 marks the memorial of the Kent State Shooting. This state-sanctioned shooting of four peaceful anti-Vietnam War protestors led to an unprecedented wave of protests mobilizing hundreds of thousands of students across over 100 university campuses in the summer of 1970, bringing a renewed commitment to ending forever wars meant to fuel the military industrial complex under the fake premise of defeating Communism.
As co-visionaries of protecting the long-held beliefs of democratic values and a government by the people, for the people, we must remind ourselves to not only uplift freedom of speech, but also freedom of assembly. As our voices would fall on deaf ears if there were no medium to broadcast them to the world, there would also be scarce topics for journalists to report on if concerned members of the public could not dialogue, co-create, and voice them. Any attack on freedom of assembly is also an attack on local autonomy and the ability for you to make decisions as a community without the federal government intervening and smothering any ideas that contradict the “cult-of-personality” that dictates federal policy.
After an electrifying series of May Day actions, it is important to not forget the sacrifices of previous generations of organizers. Be it union organizers or student protestors putting their bodies (and lives) on the picket line or the campus greens, their voices are not forgotten.
To those still engaged in improving conditions of your workplace or speaking up against your universities’ ambivalence to genocide and planetary destruction, your actions contribute to the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s steadfast belief that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
We’re coming to you this week to continue the fight, sharing with you three highlighted resources, two recent wins, and one legendary day of action.
We are open-sourced and volunteer-run — your submissions to our databases are the fuel for this people-powered engine. Keep ‘em comin!
FEATURED RESOURCES
Effective resistance requires the know-how to recognize and seize everyday opportunities. Check out this week’s three featured resources.
Boycott Central. Powered by Choose Democracy, over 21,000 people have signed up to boycott corporations that are enabling the destruction of our institutions.
DOGE Cuts by City, State, and Congressional District. This ongoing tracker, powered by Center for American Progress, catalogues the number of DOGE-related cuts that are impacting your state, your city, your community. In moments of chaos, knowing the full breadth of the damage wrought by the current administration is pivotal in protecting vital programs that serve the wellbeing of the American people.
How to Prepare a Phone for A Protest. With what we know about how the current Administration operates, showing up to a protest may pose heightened digital security risks depending on factors such as your citizenship status. This article by CalMatters provides an easy list of steps you can take before your next protest or direct action to ensure that your data and identity is secured, especially in the event of interaction with law enforcement.
FEATURED ACTION
This week we’re highlighting the May Day national day of action!
The first day of May is known as the International Worker’s Day, a holiday celebrating those that keep the global economy churning, yet are treated as expendable. Also known as May Day, at least tens of thousands of people showed up #MayDayStrong to over +1000 organized protests across the country. Don’t forget to check out and enter #BuildTheResistance to see your action highlighted in the Resistance Feed.
FEATURED WINS
Let’s not forget to celebrate our wins. This week we’re shining the spotlight on the purchasing power of the people, direct action leading to ICE accountability, and new public opinion polling spelling disaster at the ballot box
The People’s Purchasing Power.
The Trump Administration is run by billionaires, for billionaires, including far-right mega donors like Elon Musk who have donated hundreds of millions in campaign contributions to now play king. After mass demonstrations, boycotts, and targeted protests at Tesla dealerships across the globe leading to a devastating 71% reduction in Tesla profits for Q1, Elon Musk has been forced by popular demand to pledge a significant reduction in his time spent at DOGE.
Read more to learn the tangible impact you can take while still staying on your budget. A little goes a long way when the people tighten the oligarchs’ purse strings!
Ice frees mother and three kids after protests in US ‘border czar’s’ home town
A family seized by ICE during a raid on a dairy farm in a small Northwest town in New York, and then subsequently moved to a Texas facility by March 30th, was released from custody after more than 1,000 people protested outside of the border czar, Tom Homan’s NY home. Read more on this excellent example of why sunlight is the greatest disinfectant when it comes to dealing with fascism.
Hate Trump? You’re not alone
Only 39% of those polled approve of aspirational papal candidate President Trump’s handling of the economy, and only 36% have a favorable opinion of the reckless, essential job slashing DOGE, according to a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll. A strong majority say Trump bears responsibility for our current economic situation and 53% disapprove of how Trump is handling all aspects of the presidency. Read the full scoop.
Can we have a discussion with Governors and lawyers loyal to the constitution and ask how do we hold state bars to account (ie TN bar assoc). Can we fire these bar members or have other state bars disbar the lawyers on these bar associations?
They need to DISBAR lawyers violating the law. eg Pam Bondi, prosecutors under her and all state prosecutors violating the law. The constitution's 14th amendment "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
Everyone is equal in the eyes of the law NOT immune and above it. When the Judges of the court granted immunity to Trump they violated the constitution. Can we have those that voted for this to be disbarred and therefore fired?
How do we sue these lawyers after or while they are being disbarred?
Lets find out how we legally go after all the masked men that come into our homes? Can we citizen arrest them for illegal entry, not stating their name and agency or crime? Let us know how we can legally sue them (ie what laws exactly and where do we take these charges if we live in area where the courts are violating the law. Could we in these cases get court transcripts and disbar the judges that are doing this?)
Can Democratic Governors use the US Marshalls to arrest some of these people and prosecute them?
Also want to know if all the business that are being hurt by these BULLSHIT tariffs can band together and SUE the F out of Trump for lost revenue? This includes Vance for having money in AcerTrader, can bankrupted farmers sue him to get reparations with the money he is making off the loss of business due to this administration?
Is there a Class Action lawsuit against Bondi due for lack of due process, sue her for money they are owed?
Is there a class action suit against Patel for eg. illegally smashing peoples car windows to remove them from vehicles, going into OK home, taking their MONEY, laptop, goods, trashing the house and traumatizing the whole family?
Is there a class action lawsuit against Mike Waltz, Vance, Pete Hegseth for all the military personnel that they put at risk due to their incompetence and violation of the Espionage act? Spouses do not sign contracts…sue these guys
Everyone move your money out of US banks
Tell your bank “Until Trump and Vance are gone I do not have confidence in US banks”