I am a retiree and have little personal experience in collective political action. When I was eighteen, I put together a wildcat strike that fizzled. It cost me my job. When I was 28, I wrote a letter to Leonid Breshnev asking him to let the Pentecostals seeking refuge in the basement of the U.S. embassy in the Moscow to be allowed to emigrate. I had the opportunity to speak to the U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union personally and he confirmed that they would arrested by the Soviet police if they left the U.S. Embassy. However, I never mailed it–that’s another story. When I was 42, I held up a sign on a Sunday afternoon pro-life demonstration. Occasionally I’ll boycott a company (like Musk’s “X”) because of the company’s policies. But that’s it. I missed the sixties and seventies.

I recently had an opportunity to get involved in a nationwide protest group that you may have heard of but which I won’t mention. I had attended a demonstration and noted all sorts of missed opportunities to rally a peaceful crowd. But then, as I considered the situation, I decided against it, for a number of reasons, including the fact that I could not properly vet it. I could not access their board of directors (if they even had one.) I wondered: “Who controls the organization?” Liberals? Progressives? Marxists? Black bloc anarchists? Do I want them to have my contact information? And even it the group is legitimate now, who can say with certainty that it won’t be co-opted later?

A peaceful demonstration is one thing. Like the recent Civil Rights commerative gatherings at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. But then, what if the Proud Boys, or the Klan, or the Oath Keepers show up and start pushing people around? We might all find ourselves in the clink.

Before I decided whether to commit or not, I had a conversation with my wife and then made a call to a friend in Texas (also retired) who has been around the block a few times. We spoke quite a while and he clarified my thinking. He had been in demonstrations as a young man but now as a retiree, he had other ways to express himself, presumably without raising his blood pressure and cholesterol levels. I want to share some of that wisdom with you.

A person must be completely uninformed about our Constitution and Republic, our laws and traditions if he or she does not see that something is currently amiss in our society. Either that, or perhaps what some people say (that MAGA is a cult) is true. Or, they are uncomfortable with a multicultural society. Perhaps it’s something else that I’m missing. I was never a big fan of Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton. Yet, our nation survived their two terms and moved on. This time it’s different somehow.

Most of us know the basic laws in our country so we know what’s legal and what is dubious or unethical. But the rules are changing weekly and Congress is not passing any new legislation to that effect. Consider:

• “On March 5, Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services sent out an email notifying hospitals and birth centers that “effective immediately, the option for parents to participate in the enumeration at birth process will be suspended,” the Portland Press Herald reported, adding that the agency was following guidance given to it by the Social Security Administration.” This action was taken by Social Security Administration acting Commissioner Lee Dudek because he in his own wisdom thought “the governor of Maine [was] not being real cordial to the president.” He believed that Governor Mills was being disrespectful to his President and that there would be hell to pay (in this case, postpartum women would have to show up in person at a Social Security office to apply for a mandatory social security card.) In Red States (actually, in all the other 49 states red or blue, the hospital can enroll the newborn. Said Dudek “I screwed up. I’ll admit I screwed up.” The same courtesy was denied to Maine families who needed deaths reported by funeral homes. Earlier the President had threatened to cut off federal funding to Maine if the governor did not make a “full-throated apology” to him personally. That’s known as collective punishment.
• The President reserves the right to interpret the Fourteenth Amendment in terms of birthright citizenship. In fact, this is the prerogative of the court system in America, not the executive branch.
• The President is calling for the impeachment of judges who rule against his policies and diktates (i.e., executive orders.) These judges would include those who were involved with his various arrests and lawsuits during the last four years as well as any judge today who rules against whatever unlawful thing the President wants to do on any given day. Chief Justice John Roberts, a Republican appointee, is apparently concerned enough about this that he recently wrote “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.” Trump responded that he was not specifically named in the Chief Justice’s memo which makes one wonder whether POTUS thinks it does not apply to him. The reasons for a federal judge’s forced retirement or dismissal as a judge are typically treason, bribery and high crimes and misdemeanors. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution further adds that judges “shall hold their office during good behavior.” See also here.
• Something closer to home for me deals with Columbia University. The government threatened to withhold $400 million from Columbia in funding (likely grants for medical and scientific research, perhaps student financial assistance) unless they surrendered to the Government’s demands, which they did. These demands include “banning face masks on campus, empowering security officers to remove or arrest individuals, and taking control of the department that offers courses on the Middle East from its faculty.” In other words, the Trump Administration gets to decide how and what this private university will teach about the history and contemporary politics of the Mideast. Other reports say that the Federal government demanded similar control over the curriculum for Africa and Asia. This amounts to a form of academic receivership. It is also censorship. What will come next? Women’s Studies? Race and Culture? Human Sexuality?
• Some of the problems deal with heavy-handed, ill-conceived such as summarily dismissing patriotic and effective women commanders and black general officers. Or plain clothesmen snatching a Turkish, Muslim woman studying for her Ph. D at Tuffs off of a street in Somerville, MA. What if six people wearing hoodies, dark clothing and masks surrounded you, pulling your cell phone away while forcibly removing your backpack? At some point they displayed badges, but any woman would feel alarmed at this behavior under any circumstances (especially a Muslim woman.) If her “crime” was an anti-Israeli, pro Hamas editorial in the student newspaper (or whatever), then meet her discretely at the police station or the Tuff’s International Student Office or in court. Have her arrested by female police officers, not men grabbing her arms and otherwise touching her. It’s not like she was part of a terror cell purchasing explosives. Stop her at the airport boarding a plane if you must. But are we now saying that students (and professors) who are in the U.S. on a visa do not enjoy the same free speech rights that Americans do? If so, what freedom will be curtailed next? Religion by banning mosque attendance? Habeas corpus? Freedom from cruel and unusual punishment?

WHAT CAN YOU DO PERSONALLY?

First of all, disavow any notion of violence, either by acting out physically yourself or by inciting violence in others by saying insulting things or carry provocative signs, banners and so on. These are legally classified as “fighting words” and are not protected constitutionally in the best of times. Avoid combative or suggestive language such as “Someone needs to paint a target on that person” or references to being “shot in the face.” Don’t talk about overthrowing the government, unless it is clear that you mean voting it out of office during the next election.

Secondly, know what you are protesting. Does it have to do with saving Medicare and Social Security? Health care for veterans? Closing the Department of Education? Support for Ukraine? Civil Rights violations? Calling for the resignation of a department chief? Too many squirrels in the park? Without a point, no observer will be able to draw any conclusions.

One way to protest is a boycott. I used Twitter quite a bit and had professional contacts that did as well. When Elon Musk bought it, I stopped using it. As a result, I could no longer conveniently get in touch with my contacts. If enough people concerned about Musk’s role in government closed their accounts, he might get the message (or not.) When you boycott a business (for example, a U.S. retailer that sells product made in Asia by children) or a convenience store chain that sells vaping products, it’s always helpful to write or e-mail that business to tell them you are upset. I read a story once concerning my alma mater was a week away from their football team playing in the Orange Bowl. One of their starting players was arrested or had a formal complaint filed that he had physically and violently assaulted his girlfriend. The university assured the media that (1) they were taking the complaint seriously but that (2) they decided to let the assailant participate in the playoff nonetheless. I called their public information office to tell them how it seemed that football was more important to them than the safety of one of their students. “No!” I was completely wrong, they said. Yes, he played in the game.

Let your opinion be heard. I call or e-mail my elected representatives in Congress regularly. Don’t bother writing the letters because it may be weeks before they get it. This is because as far as I known, letters still go to a special facility to be checked for anything suspicious before they are passed on to the Capital. If I heard that my Vet benefits or retirement fund would be reduced or delayed, you can bet I’d be on the phone with my elected representatives. Of course, as someone who leans Democrat, all of my elected representatives are democrat so that already feel sorry for me. The people up to mischief are republicans, but as I cannot vote for or against them because they do not represent my district, I likely can’t even e-mail them because their contact forms reject my zip code.

Writing on social media can be useful, but remember that anything and everything you post will be available to government officials who can use it against you if they decide you are a nuisance or a person of interest.

Things that get attention are switchboards in Washington that get jammed, or when angry people show up at town hall meetings. This is happening to republican members of Congress with such increasing frequency and effectiveness that the Speaker of the House has suggested that perhaps republican members of Congress should no longer attend public gatherings. This is because it is embarrassing to the GOP. It also gives media attention to the unhappy citizens. Once again, conduct yourself in a civil manner. No profanity, no violence. You can be respectful and still be assertive.

Signs and t-shirts are also effective. You can design and print customized handouts on your printer at home and distribute them at public events if the sponsor of the event does not mind. If you pay your bills by mail, include a mailout with your check. If you like going to clubs on open-mic nights, say a few words to the audience about the injustice you are encountering. Letters-to-the-editors of newspapers are effective as are guest opinion pieces. Social media posts can be effective. Encourage your followers to repost them. If you have a Facebook account, Facebook will promote your post for a small fee and a thousand more people may see it.

Look for opportunities to boycott a business if it acts against your interest. Just don’t give them your business. When I do this, I make sure to politely let them know that I am doing this so they know that their discriminatory policy (or whatever the issue is) comes with a cost to their bottom line.

Your message should include a “call to action.” If you have cancer and government sponsored medical insurance and that insurance no longer pays for chemotherapy because the administration wants to reward wealthy people another tax break and they need to fund it through cutbacks in services to those of us who are not wealthy, tell the people you contact what they should do and who they should contact. Provide them with phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Ask them to promise that they will do so.

Seek out and meet like-minded friends. They are your support system. Have regular get-togethers, luncheons and so on.

Finally, you need to stay informed. The mainstream media (the three major networks, the NY Times, CNN, Public Broadcasting, Associated Press, USA Today etc.0 may be biased, but they get their facts straight much more often than other cable-news networks, and online bloggers do.

Don’t give up! The answer to the problems today do not necessarily mean we need democrats in power. We need responsible, even-tempered sober-minded people who are not misogynists or narcissists caught up with conspiracy theories, or loony ideas. They need moral convictions and the courage to stand up for what is right and just. These people may be democrats like Kamala Harris, but they may also be republicans land patriots like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. They may vote against your interest at times, but you can trust them.