The only good way to take down an authoritarian is democratically. Here’s another truth: Every mass mobilization that Indivisible has helped organize -- from Hands Off a year ago to No Kings I, II, and III -- has been historically large, powerful, and joyfully nonviolent. We defend our constitutional rights by using our constitutional rights. Sometimes we use those rights to say uncomfortable truths loudly.
So here are some more truths: Trump is an authoritarian. He's a convicted rapist who's all over the Epstein files. His secret police force has murdered Americans. His regime serves billionaires and himself at the expense of everyone else. He violates the Constitution constantly, including recklessly starting a war with Iran. He's deeply unpopular. His own coalition is fracturing. And he's currently on track for an electoral blowout in midterm elections that he's openly threatening to sabotage.
Proclaim some truth with your community this Friday on May Day. Earlier this year, the heroes of Minnesota organized the “Day of Truth and Freedom” -- a day where the people of the Twin Cities flexed their economic power to raise the alarm against the occupying regime. Indivisible is backing the May Day Strong coalition for a similar, national effort this Friday. In many communities we’ll see schools closed down, workers off the job, and stores empty. This is a tactical escalation -- the kind of peaceful action we’ll have to supercharge if Trump tries to sabotage the midterms.
The more we insist on the truth, the more inevitable it becomes that members of this regime will have to face that truth one day. That day is coming, and the people doing No Kings are bringing it.
Your weekly to-dos
- Join May Day Strong's Mass Call ahead of Friday’s day of action (Weds 8pm ET/5pm PT). You’ll hear from organizers mobilizing across the country about the importance of economic disruption as a tactic in fighting authoritarianism and how you can take part in the day of action this Friday (If you haven’t already, find a May Day event near you. There are already more than 3,000 events planned across the country.)
It’s time to talk about truth, organizing, and strategic nonviolence again. Anybody even a little acquainted with Indivisible knows we believe political violence is a threat to democracy, full stop. This is a core belief in no small part because we know authoritarian regimes use political violence to justify repression of the nonviolent opposition.
The truth is Trump is an authoritarian, and it’s important that we say the truth. After a fringe extremist attacked the White House Correspondents’ dinner this weekend, Trump immediately tried to blame nonviolent, pro-democracy protests. He told 60 Minutes, “The reason you have people like that is you have people doing No Kings.”
Well, as one of the millions of “people doing No Kings,” I call bullshit.
This is all right out of the authoritarian playbook. In a deeply researched piece looking for practical lessons on global democratic backsliding, Zack Beauchamp found that authoritarians succeed in consolidating power by preventing their opposition from raising the alarm about their efforts to consolidate power. Trump may be in mental decline, but he still understands that much. Democracy dies in darkness, so it’s the pro-democracy organizer’s job to keep the lights on.
The regime does not like that. Like clockwork, regime-aligned media kicked in over the weekend to blame Democrats and call for them to “tone down” the rhetoric. Even putting aside the hypocrisy and concern-trolling from Trump and his allies, the correct response to the tone police is to refuse to tone down the truth. Sugarcoating the truth only serves those who want us to believe lies.
In solidarity,
Ezra Levin
Co-Executive Director, Indivisible
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