January 8: Hitting the Ground in DC with RefuseFascism.org
by Sunsara Taylor
January 9, 2017 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
Saturday, driving down to DC: We got the call that Judge Jeanine wanted Carl Dix on her Fox News TV show. She'd seen his appearance, together with Cornel West, on The O'Reilly Factor and wanted her own chance to distort and attack the views of those opposing Trump. Needless to say, we were all thrilled with his performance. He was relentless in exposing the fascist program and dangers of the Trump-Pence regime, their complete illegitimacy, and calling for millions to rise up to stop them. Check it out here:
Sunday morning: We fanned out to several different progressive churches—spreading the Call from RefuseFascism.org to Stop the Trump/Pence Fascist Regime Before It Starts and making connections.
1:00 pm: After thawing out, we regrouped for a brief discussion of the first FAQ on RefuseFascism.org. This FAQ points to the combination of factors that could come together to prevent Trump-Pence from assuming the full reins of power. One is real conflicts among the rulers. These are sharpening up and rising more to the surface each day, most recently between the U.S. intelligence agencies and Trump. But, these conflicts won't go anywhere good without the second major factor addressed in the FAQs: a massive society-wide outpouring of millions and millions determined to prevent the imposition of a fascist America. This “uprising from below” could create the kind of political crisis that compels different factions in the established power structure which have real differences with Trump-Pence to solve the crisis by preventing them from taking the reins of power. This level of determined resistance has a basis in the deep shockwaves of anger and anguish that have been sent through the hearts of millions by the fascist character of the Trump-Pence regime—this is what we are tapping into and organizing.
2:30 pm: Before heading back out again, we filmed a quick video calling for night marches starting on January 14 and growing, night after night—from hundreds to thousands, and from thousands to millions. These marches will be focused in DC, beginning 4 pm January 14 at McPherson Square (I Street and 14th Street NW), but also take place across the country among those who cannot make it to DC. You hear that, everyone? If there is any possible way for you to get down to DC, get your butt down here. Come and #FloodDC! Stay in the streets, refuse to leave, right at the seat of power. Yes, we mean YOU. Check this video out and then spread it everywhere on social media—use #NoFascistUSA.
4:00 pm: Some of us attended the mass meeting of people planning protests to #DisruptJ20, to carry out nonviolent protest and political resistance on the day of the inauguration. About 300 people were there, representing different movements and organizations. We were glad to hear about their plans—many manifestations of resistance on J20, protesting the Alt-Right “Deploraball” on J19, a Climate Convergence on the 18th, and more—and spread broadly the invitation to them all to join in the efforts leading up to J20. Check out the events they are spearheading here.
6:30: I made an appearance on Fran Luck's radio program, Joy of Resistance Multicultural Feminist Radio, on WBAI. Fran is, like myself, a co-initiator of RefuseFascism.org and we got into the urgent necessity of stopping this regime before it consolidates its hands on power, really confronting the full horror of what a fascist America would mean for humanity, and then some of the basis and means through which this fascist regime could be stopped. Fran highlighted the recent full page ad in the NY Times that RefuseFascism.org placed, and both asked probing questions and threw her weight behind the urgency of rising up now.
Digging in Deep with Students: Throughout the day, we had several opportunities for very deep exchanges with a group of university students. When they asked us what we were all about, we offered to show them our new video we had just finished editing. When it finished, all ten of them burst into applause. Several spoke with great emotion about how, in the days after the election, they and many of their friends were crying repeatedly and feeling deeply depressed. A young Black man told of his father's experience growing up in Jim Crow segregation and how offended he was when Trump asked Black people, during the campaign, “What do you have to lose?” He said, “What we have to lose is all the things my father's generation fought for: the Voting Rights Act, the basic right to be treated as equals, the ability to feel safe... I am scared.” A young white student told us that just a couple months ago he had written a paper exploring the question of whether Trump is really a fascist or not, “I concluded that he is a fascist.”
These students, and many of the others we are just beginning to connect up with down here, are giving voice to the deep reservoir of opposition to Trump-Pence that exists. We made plans with some of them to join with our teams reaching out to local campuses and communities tomorrow and the next day.
Tomorrow: Stay tuned...
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