When We Aren’t Afraid, Dictators Are.

Protest Independence Mall, April 19, 2025

Today’s protest are the beginning of a growing attitude that disempowers tyrants.

We are on our 2nd set of nationwide protests against the current King, one that we will kick to the curb just as we did King George III in the 18th century.

Some people won’t be there because they are in high risk groups. Immigrants, especially those without papers, might stay away. Foreign nationals, of course, generally won’t feel comfortable.

But really, NOBODY is safe and the safety comes in numbers so we’ll ultimately need to get tens or even hundreds of millions into the streets. The target is 11 million Americans because that’s the number needed for a movement to be virtually undefeatable. 3.5% of the population. That’s what the research says. And I agree that it’s a good rule of thumb. But we might succeed with less or fail with more. Good execution of a plan counts. That said, we can afford to make some mistakes and, sadly, perfection is very, very unlikely.

Even Gandhi and King’s movements made mistakes, and still succeeded.

So here we are, with big coalitions that are bringing out a few million into the streets. The numbers should grow over time, as people get more comfortable with the idea of protest and less comfortable with what the regime is doing to their lives.

Today

Today I was at the protest on Independence Mall. Like most people, I carried signs and chanted with the crowd. I listened to speakers. Most of the protesters performed a small march around the area and then returned to continue the rally.

I stayed in place.

I found a perch atop a stone that had etched into it the text of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution. After the protests ended, I stood up, pulled out a megaphone and spoke to the people who remained.

Crowd of protesters in Philadelphia, PA. April 19, 2025.

I read a speech that was loosely based on the Declaration of Independence. It listed the grievances and demands of The People as they relate to the current tyrannical regime

You can find, read, download and even sign the speech here.

We need to keep at it. I urge you to attend protests in your area. Stand up, speak out, and be heard. Be courageous. There is no safety in cowardice anyway.

If you want me, you’ll find me standing up on (and for) the 1st amendment and all of our unalienable rights.

Me at the protest. I’m higher than most because I’m on the First Amendment rock.