CommentsRESISTANCE WATCH--I gotta admit, I’ve never been a big Michael Moore fan. Until very recently. I caught a particularly pertinent part of his interview with Chris Hayes on MSNBC one day this week: 'I want the 6-year old off the highway': The first 100 days of Trump is not the story, he said. The story is the First 100 Days of the Resistance. Attempts to kill the ACA are dead because the members of Congress can read the tea leaves well enough to know that if they trash the American people and throw them all off healthcare, they will pay the price for it next year.
“Everybody has to remember that this 100 days is about the citizens of this county -- that came out in mass. Within 24 hours of his inauguration, the largest demonstrations in the history of this country took place in D.C. and across the country and the world.
“It was an amazing thing.
“Ask anybody of my age or older…this goes way beyond anything we saw in the ‘60’s…I stood on that stage. Have you ever seen what one million people look like?
“For me, it was cathartic. We are not alone. A majority did not vote for him and people have been so active on so many levels…every day the switchboard lines for Congress are lit up … that number again is 202-225-3121…”
He went on about the Resistance being like a swarm of bees, coming from every direction. He’s been right about a lot – listen to the whole interview if you get a chance. Multi-pronged is how I’ve always viewed successful organizing campaigns – the strategic use of multiple grassroots tactics, an authentic coalition, the truth, the correct voice, and relentless work.
Clearly it works and is working. Marches for Science and Climate Change these past two Saturdays have surpassed expectations and for the first time in my memory, Los Angeles will see one unified mass May Day march. In June, local and nationwide LGBT pride parades are organizing as marches instead: Los Angeles Pride trades parade for a ‘resist’ march this year
In the meantime I’ve found a list of organizing, action, research, support, and activism that I sent it to myself as the “Holy shit!” list. I share it in two parts; spend some time with both. Share ‘em as well, please and thank you! – and keep ‘em coming!
How to get involved – the holy shit list!
Similarly, every day folks are creating and sharing tools and technology like this collection of Online organizing tools.
(Julie Butcher writes for CityWatch and is a retired union leader now enjoying her new La Crescenta home and her first grandchild. She can be reached at [email protected] or on her new blog ‘The Butcher Shop - No Bones about It.’)
-cw
The First 100 Days of the Resistance: They Go Low – We Go Local
