Love, Grace, Dissent

A dignified resistance

Yesterday, I met with a small group to make protest signs for the upcoming No Kings rally on October 18. The real reason I attended the gathering was to meet some people from another resistance group. One of the goals of Corridor Rabbit is to connect different independent resistance groups so we can coordinate and share resources if and when that becomes necessary. Making a protest sign was an afterthought. I’m not one for funny signs or slogans, so I didn’t know what to write on my poster board.

Back in February, when I realized the second Trump presidency would be worse than the first, I felt compelled to take some action, but I didn’t know what to do. I recalled a sermon the pastor of my church gave not long after the election. He spoke about making decisions under uncertainty, and he said, when we don’t know what to do, we’re often well served if we allow our actions to be guided by the qualities of love and grace. At work, we had just purchased a button maker for a branding project, so I printed out a little message that read “Love, Grace, Dissent.” I pressed about a dozen buttons and pinned one to my shirt.

So, nine months later, with a marker in my hand, I thought I’d stick with my original message. I believe we need to voice our opposition to the administration, but I also feel we should do it with kindness. I’ve cautioned people about demonizing the president, and I think snarky slogans can be counterproductive (although I’ll admit they feel good in the moment). If we’re going to overcome this authoritarian administration, we’re going to need the people who regret voting for Trump to feel comfortable joining the resistance. Many of them will feel turned off by mean-spirited protest memes.

Moreover, our actions follow our thoughts and our words. If our protest signs are mean and spiteful, we may be inclined to act that way—and influence others to act that way as well. If our protest signs are thoughtful and respectful, then our actions will likely reflect those values. I hope you join a No Kings protest this weekend. If you do, I encourage you to dissent with love and grace.

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Corridor Rabbit is meant to serve as a casual guide for how to start and grow an informal resistance (persistence) group. It is not authoritative; it is a live journal documenting our efforts. It is a call to action. It’s an invitation to connect and share what you are doing to resist authoritarianism. Read more about the goals of Corridor Rabbit.