In early February 2025, the president initiated massive changes at the Department of Justice, FBI, and the CIA. By gaining unprecedented control of federal law enforcement, he had cast the die for an authoritarian reign. This was especially alarming considering the Supreme Court's ruling that the president is immune from prosecution for crimes committed in the role of Chief Executive. With his party in control of Congress and no will to oppose him, it seemed that just two weeks into his presidency, he had already upended the balance of power prescribed by the Constitution.
A friend on Facebook posted a message that read: "If you ever wondered what you would have done if you lived in Germany in the late 1930s, it's whatever you are doing right now." I texted her that I agreed with the sentiment. She replied, "What are we going to do about it?" I responded, "Let's get a group of like-minded people together IN PERSON to talk about ideas."
We picked a public place and a date. She invited people. I invited people. We were both surprised when 12 others showed up to discuss their concerns about authoritarianism in the United States. We've met six times since then. More people continue to join us. We've attended rallies together. We've contributed to local charitable organizations that have lost federal funding. We've supported local political leaders who have shown the will to stand up to tyranny.
Most importantly, we've become a support group for one another. We talk about our concerns. We help keep one another informed. We've developed a network of relationships built on trust and motivated one another to action. We are building the foundation for long-term, grassroots resistance.
For some, our meeting place is out of the way, and they've started forming their own groups in their local communities. I've been encouraged to write publicly about what our group is doing to encourage others to do the same. This Substack is meant to serve as a casual guide for how to start an informal resistance 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.
A note about digital hygiene: Before you subscribe to this Substack, understand that your email address is added to a subscriber list. We will never share the list, but there is always the possibility that it could be hacked or seized. As a best practice, we will not use the specific names of people in resistance groups, and we will not use this forum to talk about specific plans of action.
Thank you for starting this! Stickers ASAP.
I am so proud to call you my friend!