Thanks for sharing these stories of protest Bob. I think your friend asks the right question - how these protests are being channeled to create meaningful action? How do we channel this energy into creating effective coalitions (https://marcelharmon67.substack.com/p/the-power-of-coalitions), capable of exerting real power? Focused on resisting as well as building something better?
Have been meeting with a some individuals plugged into various sectors within our state talking through this. Struggling a bit, there's a lot of fear. But also starting to land on a potential model inspired some by Alt National Park Service. Will see where things go.
Love the guy who says tariffs are a consumption tax--you don't have to buy it. That's correct. Consumers can just stop spending. Many have. That's what the empty ports in California are all about. To some, that's just bad news for dock workers. My message to the MAGA talking trash is this: I don't know what you do to earn a living, but the canary in your coal mine just died.
Great, I hope we will have dissatisfied Republicans show up at our meetings, and Independents, people who didn't vote. They are all welcome. If it makes you want to cuss, then come join us, singing Power to the People!
1. Some modest insight about the Ames protest. Based on the larger Ames protests, (one at 500, first at 1500)--I talked with people who drove from Hamilton and Marshall County...and people who happened to be visiting friends and relatives who took them to the protest. Ames has smaller protests every Thurs at 4 and Sat. at 10:00 a.m,
2. And yes, let's hear from Jan Libbey. We all get support from reading others, seeing others at protests, viewing photos and reading columns, such as yours.
3. And there are start up groups all over the state. I hope I am not stepping on toes, but going a bit beyond commenting on Robert's Substack. If your readers know of a start up groups or an event, please let me know. I am working on an all volunteer start up to have a one stop shop for grassroots groups to list their existence, their events and do campaign training.
Reading this article was informative in many aspects. I’m struck with pleasant surprise, seeing citizen activists exercising their rights of speech and assembly at a corner outside a Casey’s in rural Iowa. Admittedly, this made me wonder once again, if this was another example of why we shouldn’t need 99 counties, or so many streetlights. But, I was thunderstruck by the existence of this ‘Pulling Coal’ phenomena! This is going immediately into my lexicon hall of fame, and believe it is destined for the OED (Oxford English Dictionary). Thank you Dr. Leonard, for being a great advocate and historian for resistance in our state during these extraordinary times.
These protests are incredibly important. They are springing up organically in rural America. In Trump country. That truth tellers like Dr. Bob are sharing these stories is critical. That others amplify these accounts is even more critical. This is how we roll when the United States of America is fulfilling the promise of our revolutionary idea proclaimed in our Declaration of Independence, formalized in our Constitution, and advanced over the years with Constitutional Amendments and Americans taking to the street to advance our shared values and the ideas of freedom and democracy.
There is a small group in Northwest Iowa you should check out called Podunk Resistance. They formed early in Trump’s first term and held protest in each town in the county before moving on to another county. You can find them on FB. Any resistance is important.
What you do is so important, Bob. You are a conduit between those protestors, what they are doing and saying, and the rest of us. It helps us all see what other Iowans are doing, and others see what we are doing. It helps us not feel alone, be inspired to build coalitions, make our phone calls, attend organizational meetings. Thank you to the press. Thank you to you.
Thanks for the post, Mr Leonard. I appreciate journalists like you who inform the public of what’s going on, something a lot of legacy media is failing to do.
This is the perfect read-listen experience. Thank you! Inspiring to see how people are rising up, speaking out. Thank you!!!
Let me know if you want to go to a protest!
Way to go #Iowa
Thanks for sharing these stories of protest Bob. I think your friend asks the right question - how these protests are being channeled to create meaningful action? How do we channel this energy into creating effective coalitions (https://marcelharmon67.substack.com/p/the-power-of-coalitions), capable of exerting real power? Focused on resisting as well as building something better?
Have been meeting with a some individuals plugged into various sectors within our state talking through this. Struggling a bit, there's a lot of fear. But also starting to land on a potential model inspired some by Alt National Park Service. Will see where things go.
Love the guy who says tariffs are a consumption tax--you don't have to buy it. That's correct. Consumers can just stop spending. Many have. That's what the empty ports in California are all about. To some, that's just bad news for dock workers. My message to the MAGA talking trash is this: I don't know what you do to earn a living, but the canary in your coal mine just died.
Loved the "canary" part...
Great, I hope we will have dissatisfied Republicans show up at our meetings, and Independents, people who didn't vote. They are all welcome. If it makes you want to cuss, then come join us, singing Power to the People!
3 observations
1. Some modest insight about the Ames protest. Based on the larger Ames protests, (one at 500, first at 1500)--I talked with people who drove from Hamilton and Marshall County...and people who happened to be visiting friends and relatives who took them to the protest. Ames has smaller protests every Thurs at 4 and Sat. at 10:00 a.m,
2. And yes, let's hear from Jan Libbey. We all get support from reading others, seeing others at protests, viewing photos and reading columns, such as yours.
3. And there are start up groups all over the state. I hope I am not stepping on toes, but going a bit beyond commenting on Robert's Substack. If your readers know of a start up groups or an event, please let me know. I am working on an all volunteer start up to have a one stop shop for grassroots groups to list their existence, their events and do campaign training.
Reading this article was informative in many aspects. I’m struck with pleasant surprise, seeing citizen activists exercising their rights of speech and assembly at a corner outside a Casey’s in rural Iowa. Admittedly, this made me wonder once again, if this was another example of why we shouldn’t need 99 counties, or so many streetlights. But, I was thunderstruck by the existence of this ‘Pulling Coal’ phenomena! This is going immediately into my lexicon hall of fame, and believe it is destined for the OED (Oxford English Dictionary). Thank you Dr. Leonard, for being a great advocate and historian for resistance in our state during these extraordinary times.
These protests are incredibly important. They are springing up organically in rural America. In Trump country. That truth tellers like Dr. Bob are sharing these stories is critical. That others amplify these accounts is even more critical. This is how we roll when the United States of America is fulfilling the promise of our revolutionary idea proclaimed in our Declaration of Independence, formalized in our Constitution, and advanced over the years with Constitutional Amendments and Americans taking to the street to advance our shared values and the ideas of freedom and democracy.
Thanks to Liz etal for the resistance - and to you, Bob, for highlighting their patriotism!
Knowing that there a lot of brave protestors everywhere when I can no longer be active makes me feel hopeful .
There is a small group in Northwest Iowa you should check out called Podunk Resistance. They formed early in Trump’s first term and held protest in each town in the county before moving on to another county. You can find them on FB. Any resistance is important.
What you do is so important, Bob. You are a conduit between those protestors, what they are doing and saying, and the rest of us. It helps us all see what other Iowans are doing, and others see what we are doing. It helps us not feel alone, be inspired to build coalitions, make our phone calls, attend organizational meetings. Thank you to the press. Thank you to you.
Thanks for the post, Mr Leonard. I appreciate journalists like you who inform the public of what’s going on, something a lot of legacy media is failing to do.