"We shall overcome someday." Protest by the people across 50 states. Exploit the chaos rather than lament.

We march, we protest, we call, we write, we fight on. And do it again.

Network NOVA LIVE

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Katherine White

Feb 18, 2025

Transcript

Did you feel the vibe shift yesterday? Did you hear it? I did.

The crowd at the U.S. Capitol beautifully sang, “We are not afraid today, deep in my heart I still believe we are not afraid today.” Tears of raw emotion overtook me. Around me, signs were held high; even dogs trotted around the Capitol reflecting pool wearing “Bad Doge” placards. I admired the wit and sarcasm, the patriotism. Every once in a while, there was a shout of delight, even laughter, when friends united in the crowd.

Americans went to "storm" the US Capitol with truth bombs on the official Presidents’ Day holiday. We were not violent; we did not breach the Capitol doors, beat up police officers, spray bear mace, or deface the people's building. Americans came together to say NO to the defunding of our government programs that help veterans, caretake our security and personal data, enforce the laws, deliver justice, and send out funds for Medicare, food programs, farmers, the elderly, and health care programs. Trump is defunding public education and science research grants.

MAGA DOGE bandits are dismantling our federal government using claims of “waste, fraud, and abuse.” While no documentation has been presented, the claim served to amplify the department’s controversial mandate. The backlash protests from these cuts and illegal firings reverberated across 50 states today — and will continue.

This Administration is corrupt and corrupting- it is pulling America away from our friends and aligning with alt-right leaders who detest freedom and real democracy, and in this chaos, we can exploit rather than lament, organize rather than agonize, and take action rather than submit.

We the People, in order to form a more perfect Union, continue to persist.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity …

We the people are fighting back.

I thought to myself: Democrats are so orderly. Across the Capitol grounds, the opposite is true: MAGA is so chaotic.

“In the midst of chaos there is opportunity. In any opportunity, there is risk.”
— Sun Tzu

Is there an opportunity for us in the chaos?

Virginia Delegate Sam Rasoul’s powerful workshop for Network NOVA’s 2020 Women’s Summit, called “Owning Chaos” comes to mind in these trying times. Chaos Theory teaches us to expect the unexpected. Recognizing the chaotic, fractal nature of our world can give us new insight, power, and wisdom.1 Take a step back from the whirlwind and look at all the ways to counter and take advantage of the moment. Go on the offensive everywhere.

“In chaos, anything is possible.” — Ocasio-Cortez

Indivisible guide understands this moment of disorder, Democrats should do everything all at once to leverage power or obstruction where possible. Early on, we witnessed leaders like former FBI Director Chris Wray step down rather than throw sand in the gears of everything — every ripple matters and causes unexpected butterfly effects elsewhere. The Indivisible Guide urges us to exploit all opportunities of disorder and factions brewing within the GOP. 2

Frances Fox Piven article in the Nation argues in 2017: “So how do resistance movements win—if they win—in the face of an unrelentingly hostile regime? The answer, I think, is that by blocking or sabotaging the policy initiatives of the regime, resistance movements can create or deepen elite and electoral cleavages.”

We are now full circle since 2017, and we must take advantage of the chaos rather than play by the rules we so deeply cherish. Those norms are now gone, and we must create our own playbook. The abolitionist movement is a good example. On the Friday Power Lunch,

Finale Norton

likes to quote Linda Hirshman, who wrote “The Color of Abolition.” Hirshman understood that there are lessons learned from that era that are still relevant today. The resistance movements in the American past can inform our present movement.

Major takeaways from Hirshman’s teachings ring true: We must shine the light on injustice wherever it rears its ugly head. Head out like evangelists to spread the word door to door. Form community circles and invite others into your community. Take action.

NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW

ON TYRANNY: Timothy Snyder reminded us not to obey in advance.

On day one, surrounded by billionaire backers, Trump signed 26 Executive orders, each one worse than the other. Democrats issued statements decrying Trump's overreach on ending birthright citizenship and programs that support diversity, especially the Laken Riley Act that vastly expanded the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants, paving the way for immigrants to be deported without regard to innocence or guilt.

Forty-six Democrats crossed party lines and joined Republicans in voting to pass the bill. Why does this first act to obey by Democrats in advance to get along matter? It set the path for the MAGA party to advance Trump's hardline immigration agenda. By obeying in advance, they lost their power and put our party on the defensive.

SHAME ON CONGRESS

We can no longer wait or rely on our elected officials to shoulder the fight against fascism. It is up to us, the people.

The crowd chants, “Shame on Congress” and “Congress, do your job.” The level of anger toward elected officials who are not meeting the moment is palpable. At first, the Democratic leaders in the 119th Congress entered with the belief that they could appeal to Republicans’ sense of duty to their oath of office. Now, as we head into week 4, a “Constitutional crisis” in hand, any initial goodwill has vanished, and Democrats remain essentially leaderless. In this power vacuum, the grassroots, the people, have arisen. We are the leaders we were waiting for to take action.

THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE

Americans are rising everywhere at once. “This is what Democracy looks like,” shouts the crowd in front of the U.S. Capitol on Presidents’ Day. Another opportunity arising in the chaos is coalition building - the formation of deep abiding alliances. We build and grow as the party of not only opposition but the party we want to be.

We will continue to show up for our country. We will make new allies and new friends and connect with old friends because part of showing up is to find strength in that solidarity. Uniting for the long fight ahead. We find our friends along the way, and they give us added strength to fight every day. Joining with others adds a level of accountability and responsibility to show up for each other.

You are not alone; you are not alone. Shoulder to shoulder, our voices rising higher, in unison, we soldier on for each other.

Social justice musicians Crys Matthews and Heather Mae meet up with grassroots activists Bob and Antonia Fasick of Network NOVA.

We must act together, everywhere, every day. As Robert Hubbell stated in his recent Substack article, that our fight must: “We must do everything, everywhere, all at once.” Grassroots activists are responding urgently to the takeover by MAGA/Musk, while our leaders seem to be disconnected. Robert says we must stop waiting for Democratic leaders to tell us what to do. We know what to do. We must use every tool in our toolbox.