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The Resistance Is Off To An Incredible Start. Here’s How We Can Continue The Momentum

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Marching In The Streets Is Just Step One

So we’re a few weeks in to the Trump administration and reality is setting in: Things aren’t going to get better, he’s not going to calm down, and we can’t just sit back and wait for things to happen anymore.

We’ve all seen the protests around the country and, like many of you, I’ve been amazed at our new levels of engagement. I love seeing so many people in the streets and being unafraid to shout out loud that we’re not willing to take a single step backward. 

But now that we’re getting into a rhythm and having to figure out how to live in the world these days, let’s talk about how to keep this going. If we’re going to have an impact, we’re going to have to do more than just take to the streets. Let me be clear: Taking to the streets is awesome, and we shouldn’t stop that, either. I just think we need to round out our efforts. 

Show up. 

We’ve all demonstrated that we have the ability and desire to leave our comfortable couches and make ourselves seen and heard. It’s time to focus that movement toward action. City council meetings, state legislative sessions and school board meetings are all open to the public. Show up. Many of them leave time for citizen input and gladly welcome your thoughts. If you’re concerned that Betsy DeVos has absolutely no relevant experience and you’re scared of what she might do, show up to your local school board meeting and comment on the agenda and what’s being proposed. 

Most state legislatures allow for public comments during committee hearings on bills. Find out what’s on the calendar, attend the meeting, and sign up to be heard. If elected officials don’t hear from us, they’re going to think that what they’re doing is fine — and it’s a lot harder to ignore someone when they’re speaking to you face to face.

Use your time wisely.

There are a lot of different groups calling for action these days, but they’re not being so efficient with their resources. Signing a third-party petition is almost certainly a waste of time. What you’re really doing is signing up for an email list. Postcard parties are a great way to build community but a horrible way to make your voice heard. Elected officials don’t spend their time reading your emails and your postcards. Emails typically go through an auto-sort formula and get an auto-reply email in response. Postcards end up in the trash. A phone call and an actual conversation is going to be far better, every time. 

Start volunteering. 

We all know our public schools ad other community groups need more resources. Complaining on social media that the government is cutting funding isn’t going to help them. Rolling up your sleeves and getting involved is a surefire way to have a real impact. It might not be glamorous work. You might help with cleaning a facility or addressing envelopes, but you may also help run a program with kids in need or building relationships with new friends and neighbors. 

I used to work for a community LGBTQ nonprofit. We always needed help. Always. It wasn’t always exciting in the moment, but having volunteers around helped us further our mission and reach more people, and when we were successful, it was amazing. I promise you there are groups out there just waiting for you and hoping you’ll call them.  

There are so many ways to effect real change now, no matter who you are or where you live. We aren’t going to be able to change everything, but wow, if we focus our efforts on what we can do? We can make some pretty amazing things happen. 

Robbie Medwed is an Atlanta-based LGBT activist, educator, and writer. He’s hopeful more of you will start showing up for your home communities and stop doing silly things that won’t have much of an impact. Follow him on Twitter: @rjmedwed.

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News

Trump Appears to Think Jeb Bush Was President: ‘He Got Us Into the Middle East’

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6 hours ago

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September 25, 2023

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During a rally in South Carolina on Monday, Donald Trump appeared to confuse former Florida GOP Governor Jeb Bush with his brother, former President George W. Bush, while bragging to supporters how he beat him.

Jeb Bush, who was largely considered to be the default Republican Party nominee for the 2016 presidential election when he launched his campaign, dropped out in February of 2016 after the South Carolina primary.

“When I come here, everyone thought Bush was going to win,” Trump said, before claiming he was “up by about 50 points” over Bush. “They thought Bush because Bush was supposedly a military person.”

“You know what he was…He got us into the Middle East,” Trump claimed, wrongly. “How did that work out?”

READ MORE: ‘Isn’t Glock a Good Gun?’ Trump Asks Before Saying He Is Buying One – Campaign Forced to Deny He Did

“But they also thought that Bush might win. Jeb. Remember Jeb? He used the word ‘Jeb,’ he didn’t use the word ‘Bush,’ I said, ‘You mean he’s ashamed of the last name?’ and then they immediately started using the name Bush,” Trump claimed.

The ex-president went on to continue denigrating Jeb Bush, accusing him of bringing his mother to campaign with him.

“Remember,” Trump said, “he brought his mother, his wonderful mother who’s 94 years old and it was pouring and they’re wheeling her around and it’s raining and horrible. I said, ‘Who would do that your mother, 94 years old. How desperate are you to win?”

Media Matters’ Craig Harrington, commenting on Trump’s latest gaffe, observed: “In the past two weeks, Donald Trump has:

– Warned that Joe Biden might start ‘World War 2’
– Confused his 2016 election opponent (Hillary Clinton) with former President Barack Obama
– Confused his 2016 primary opponent (Jeb Bush) with former President George W. Bush.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: ‘Careening’ Toward ‘Risk of Political Violence’: Experts Sound Alarm After Trump Floats Executing His Former General

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Fulton County Judge in Trump Case Orders Jurors’ Identities and Images Must Be Protected

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7 hours ago

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September 25, 2023

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The Fulton County Superior Court judge presiding over Georgia’s RICO, conspiracy, and election interference case against Donald Trump on Monday afternoon ordered the identities and images of all jurors and prospective jurors to remain secret, ordering they may only be referred to by a number.

“No person shall videotape, photograph, draw in a realistic or otherwise identifiable manner, or otherwise record images, statements, or conversations of jurors/prospective jurors in any manner” that would violate a Superior Court rule, Judge Scott McAfee ordered, “except that the jury foreperson’s announcement of the verdict or questions to the judge may be audio recorded.”

“Jurors or prospective jurors shall be identified by number only in court filings or in open court,” he added.

READ MORE: ‘Careening’ Toward ‘Risk of Political Violence’: Experts Sound Alarm After Trump Floats Executing His Former General

Judge McAfee also ordered no juror’s or prospective juror’s identity, “including names, addresses, telephone numbers, or identifying employment information” may be revealed.

MSNBC’s Katie Phang posted the order, and added: “Another important part of the Order: no responses from juror questionnaires or notes about jury selection shall be disclosed, unless permitted by the Court.”

Judge McAfee’s order comes after Donald Trump’s weekend of attacks on his former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley. Trump strongly suggested he should be executed for treason. Trump also strongly suggested he would target Comcast, NBC News, and MSNBC if he wins the 2024 presidential election.

Responding to the news, MSNBC’s Medhi Hasan observed, “We have just normalized the fact that the former president, and GOP presidential frontrunner, is basically a mob boss.”

 

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‘Isn’t Glock a Good Gun?’ Trump Asks Before Saying He Is Buying One – Campaign Forced to Deny He Did

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9 hours ago

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September 25, 2023

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During a photo shoot at a South Carolina gun shop, Donald Trump posed with and then said he wanted to buy a Glock, asking if it is “a good gun.”

Some say it might be illegal to sell a gun to anyone under criminal indictment, and if he took the gun with him that too might be illegal. It was not clear if, despite saying he would, he actually bought the firearm. The Trump campaign initially said he had, although later backtracked on its claim, and deleted the social media post saying he had.

In the photo op (video below,) Trump posed with several people, including the Republican Attorney General of South Carolina, Alan Wilson, who has held that elected position since 2011.

“Trump’s spokesman announced that Trump bought a Glock today in South Carolina. He even posted video,” wrote former Chicago Tribune editor Mark Jacob. “If Trump took the gun with him, that’s a federal crime since he’s under indictment. There’s also a law against selling a gun to someone under federal indictment like Trump.”

READ MORE: ‘Poof’: White House Mocks Stunned Fox News Host as GOP’s Impeachment Case Evaporates on Live Air

Reuters’ crime and justice reporter Brad Heath posted the federal laws that might apply, as well as Trump’s campaign spokesperson’s clip of the ex-president’s remarks, and his spokesperson saying, “President Trump purchases a @GLOCKInc in South Carolina!”

CNN analyst Stephen Gutowski, who writes about gun policy, added, “It would be a crime for him to actually buy this gun because he’s under felony indictment. Did he actually go through with this purchase?”

“People under felony indictments can’t ‘receive’ new firearms. That also means you can’t buy them,” he also wrote.

MSNBC anchor and legal contributor Katie Phang wrote, “I don’t know if he actually bought the gun. At least it didn’t happen in this video. Also, the Attorney General of South Carolina is in this video. Is he watching Trump commit a crime?”

But some pointed to a federal judge in Texas’ ruling from last year. Reuters reported, a “federal law prohibiting people under felony indictment from buying firearms is unconstitutional.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

 

 

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